 Chavenage
A most delightful old manor house, appearing almost unchanged since
Elizabethan times, Chavenage is secreted in the gentle landscape of The Cotswolds.
The area has been mentioned in documents dating back at least 1000 years,
but the first evidence of any buildings on the site were during the
15th century when it formed part of the estates managed by Augustinian monks. Following the Dissolution, Chavenage passed to the
Crown and was subsequently given to Sir Thomas Seymour when Henry VIII
married Jane Seymour.
By the mid 1560s Edward Stephens had purchased Chavenage, and he reconstructed the medieval property to
form the classic 'E' shape Elizabethan manor house. Much of the magnificent
wood panelling dates from late 16th/early 17th century, as seen in the entrance hall and Oak Room. Having close associations
with Cromwell and the Civil War, many artefacts from this period are displayed
at Chavenage, particularly in Cromwell's room. It is from this room that
the much told 'legend' was created, but full justice cannot be done to
this ancestral ghost story by the written word. To learn the secrets
of Chavenage, visit the house and be transported back to those troubled
times by the thespian skills of the 'Lord of the manor'.
The house remained in the same family for over three hundred years with apparently few alterations,
apart from the addition of a small chapel and an extension to accommodate
a billiard room. In 1891 the manor house was bought by George Williams
Lowsley-Hoole, and early in the 20th century it was further
extended with the addition of an Edwardian wing. An elegant ballroom
was created at the rear of the house, looking out to the gently rolling
hills, and this is now perfectly utilised as a function or conference
room. Here also the visitor will be fascinated by photographs and stories
of the Australian airmen who were regular visitors to Chavenage during
the First World War.
On an overcast or murky day Chavenage's ancient grey stonework may seem a little unwelcoming to the
visitor looking towards it from the main entrance gates. But don't be
put off by the cosmetic because the warmth of the welcome you will receive
from the owners, David and Rona Lowsley-Williams, will soon make you feel
very much at home. Their wonderful manor house, full of historic treasures
and legends, is instantly brought to life by the dramatic, and often amusing,
way in which the guide chooses to relate his story. From bloody incidents
surrounding the Civil War to romantic love stories, and from old tapestries
to a gentleman's game of cricket, Chavenage cannot fail to hold your attention.
A thoroughly recommendable way of spending a relaxed and informative afternoon. |
