Chastleton House; Or Maybe Don't Try To Keep Up With The Joneses

After three nights at Bourton-on-the-Water we decided to move on a bit, to the edge between the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire, and to see Chastleton House, another National Trust property. The main story on Chastleton House is that it is a Jacobean manor house pretty much preserved as it was then, that is, during the reign of James I (King James Bible guy). How it got to be so well preserved is the real story. Chastleton was born under a curse. The Jones family, which held the house for nearly 400 years until their line and money finally gave out, obtained the estate from Robert Catesby, of Gunpowder Plot fame. Curse by association. Walter Jones built the house in the early 1600s. His descendants were unabashed Royalists, and particularly his grandson, now lord of the manor, a Cavalier, who survived the final battle of the Civil War only by riding home and hiding in the "secret" room. The fine Cromwell imposed on the family--second curse--began its downward spiral, causing them to gradually sell off the very property which was their only source of ongoing income. Oh yes, the wool trade, on which they were financially dependent, also fell apart during their stay at Chastleton. Apart from some 19th century re-roofing, little additional work was done to the house, and many of the furniture and furnishings date back to the Jacobean Joneses. While much was thus "preserved," much also deteriorated, and when the property came to the Trust in the 1990s, it faced some daunting questions about what and how much should be restored or renovated. Their answer has been to stabilize the property, make it safe and edifying for visitors, but not much beyond that. Realistically, it is certainly the best approach. Chastleton was never Blenheim Palace, and it went steadily downhill throughout its history. But, restored just a bit, it gives a rich picture of what life was like for a country manor family from Jacobean times.

Interior photo showing the condition of the
place when the Trust received it

Entry view; the estate has gone from hundreds of acres to
just 20

The gardens deteriorated too; above is a grand topiary
garden, the figures now not recognizable, but, with much
care, coming back to life and form

A photograph of them from Victorian times

Ages ago, one of the family was a croquet enthusiast and
actually published the first printed rules of croquet; here's
the backyard croquet field (just about all National Trust
properties have croquet sets available for visitor use)

To the right of the entry is a great hall you enter through the
magnificent screen; the table on the right is said to antedate
the house since it is so large it could not have been brought
in any of the current doors or windows

There is incredible wood-carved furniture and paneling
through the house

Dated 1531

Stalagmites and stalactites in a staircase

Beautiful fireplace in one of the great rooms

Same room, ceiling bosses, oak paneling, paintings of saints
and sybils all around the four walls

Bed chamber, Lille tapestry

Bible used at trial of Charles I

It took one of the ladies of the house 15 years to make this
linen quilt for bed and cradle

Detail

The "secret" room, its door covered over by wall-paper; the
lady of the house spiked the tea of searching Parliamentarian
troops with laudanum...

The long hall upstairs; the chest on the right was made in
about 1500 and was used for carrying one's armor along on
trips

Kitchen, probably updated in the 18th century, I guess

The curse continues...local villagers are not
happy about the house being open on
Sundays...apparently a traffic issue...