CHASTLETON HOUSE

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Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1197988
Date first listed:: 15-Dec-1954
List Entry Name:: CHASTLETON HOUSE
Statutory Address:: CHASTLETON HOUSE

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Date:: 2004-10-28
Reference:: IOE01/13420/21
Rights:: © Mr Peter Harnwell. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1197988
Date first listed:: 15-Dec-1954
List Entry Name:: CHASTLETON HOUSE
Statutory Address 1:: CHASTLETON HOUSE

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: CHASTLETON HOUSE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Oxfordshire
District:: West Oxfordshire (District Authority)
Parish:: Chastleton
National Grid Reference:: SP2482629078

Details

CHASTLETON SP2429-2529 11/21 Chastleton House 15.12.54 GV I

Country house. 1603 to 1618 for Walter Jones, possibly by Robert Smythson; minor later additions and alterations. Regularly coursed and dressed marl stone rubble with limestone ashlar dressings and alternating angle quoins; slate roofs. Basic square plan around small central courtyard. 3 storeys and attic over basement; moulded plinth, string courses and moulded coping to parapets and stepped gables. South front. Has 5 narrow gables receding from the centre to the massive projecting staircase towers on either side; the 2 projecting central bays pushed closely together giving a strong vertical emphasis, increased by the line of stepped gables and pinnacles. Mullioned and transomed windows with leaded lights (some latticed), those on second floor of 5 gables with moulded entablatures. All ovolo-moulded, those to staircase projections and outer gables of 3 lights, of 3 lights on second floor of projecting inner gables, of 4-lights to second floor of centre gable and first floor of projecting inner gables, 5 lights to centre gable on ground floor and first floor and large windows of 4x3 lights to ground floor of projecting inner gables. Centre gable has pedimented 2-light mullioned window with decorative finial to attic. Armorial shields to apexes of projecting inner gables and decorative roundels to outer gables. Integral ashlar end stacks with paired and rebated shafts and 3 diagonal stacks behind centre gable, all with moulded dripstones and capping. Embattled parapets to staircase projections. Entrance to right wall of left projecting inner gable, approached by straight flight of 6 steps to centre gable with ball finials to top and bottom. Fluted pilastered doorcase with fluted frieze, cornice and strapwork headed arch with hollow spandrels and C19 half-glazed double doors. East side. Dominated by staircase projection and has mullioned and transomed windows to gables on either side. Moulded Tudor-arched doorway to staircase projection in angle with main range. Lead downpipes with dated rainwater heads as on entrance front, one to left gable dated "1771" and one to right corner dated "1794". North side. In 5 bays, centre gable forming rectangular projection with entasis. Mullioned and transomed windows throughout, all of 4 lights (those to second floor with dripstones) except one of 3 lights to each side of projection on ground floor with one of 2 lights and 5 lights to projection on first floor and second floor respectively. 4-light mullion windows to outer bays of basement and 2-light mullion windows flanking projection. Apexes of gables all decorated with ashlar stepping and finials, centre with scalloped shell above window and outer with decorative roundels as on front. Lead downpipes with rainwater heads. West side. Like east side dominated by staircase projection. Mullioned and transomed windows to gables on left and right and lead downpipes with dated rainwater heads. External stack with 4 detached and grouped ashlar diagonal shafts with moulded dripstones and capping to left of tower. Interior. Only rooms open to public accessible at time of resurvey(August 1987). Lavish decoration based on contemporary Flemish pattern books, the work possibly by craftsmen employed at Oxford colleges. The hall follows the traditional medieval pattern with entrance through a screens passage at one end. This has elaborate strapwork cresting and a frieze of acanthus scrolls; panelled lower part with 2 arches flanked by ornate half-columns with satyrs carved in spandrels. Plain stone fireplace to hall, which has panelled walls with frieze of dragons and grotesques at dais end. Behind this is a small panelled parlour with blind arcading to overmantel. Great parlour at back of house has plaster frieze of winged chimaeras and a ribbed plaster ceiling with fleur-de-lys ornamentation. Staircase in east projection with treads renewed c.1830 is otherwise original: turned balusters to carved open string, moulded handrail and carved square newels with pierced obelisk finials and similar pendants. Similar open well staircase in west projection. Great chamber on first floor has panelled walls with fluted pilasters, each main panel sub-divided into sections decorated with blind arcading, foliage and strapwork. Frieze of caryatids dividing 24 painted panels of sybils and prophets. Ceiling with pendants and ribs decorated with vine trails, the space between filled with foliage and flowers in low relief. Carved and painted stone fireplace, flanked by fluted columns, has overmantel with strapwork cartouches and arms of Walter Jones and his wife, Eleanor Pope. Opening from this room is the middle chamber, a small room with C18 panelling, a C17 frieze of pomegranates and original stone fireplace with the arms of Henry Jones and his wife, Ann Fettiplace. In a bedroom a ribbed ceiling with great central pendant and on Italianate frieze of satyrs, lions and scrolls. Wooden overmantel with Fettiplace arms and 2 figures in niches. Another room on the first floor has panelling with fluted pilasters and a frieze of blind arches; fireplace with Ionic and Corinthian columns in imitation marble and an overmantel with the Sheldon arms and 2 standing figures. Long gallery running full length of top storey at back of house. Richly plastered barrel-vaulted ceiling has pattern of interlacing ribs with daisies, rosettes and fleur-de-lys. Frieze of acorns above panelled walls and grotesque heads to west end. Overmantel has 2 strapwork panels divided by caryatids. The principal rooms were originally decorated with tapestries (only a few of which survive) and it is evident that much of the panelling and plaster-work was designed to fit round them. (Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: pp531-S; CL, XLV, 90, l16; Alan Clutton Brock: A Short Guide to Chastleton House (no date) [2462]

Listing NGR: SP2482629078

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 253910
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Clutton Brock, A, A Short Guide to Chastleton House
Pevsner, N, Sherwood, J, The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, (1974), 531 533
'Country Life' in Country Life, , Vol. 45, (), 90 116
Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 34 Oxfordshire

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.