A view of the entrance to Chastleton House
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Chastleton House
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When:
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Mar - Sep 2008; Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat only (various dates)
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Where:
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Chastleton House
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| Costs: |
£6.50; children £3.30; family £16.30
Tickets can be bought on the day but you must call in advance to book
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| Opening Hours: |
28 Mar-29 Sep: Wed-Sat 1pm-5pm
3-27 Oct: Wed-Sat 1pm-4pm
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The beauty of the Jacobean Chastleton House, situated in the heart of the Cotswolds, is that almost nothing in it has been altered since its construction in 1603.
The house was built by Walter Jones, a rich wool merchant, Member of Parliament and lawyer to the Star Chamber. Jones bought the estate of Chastleton from one Robert Catesby, who had fallen on hard times following the discovery by the Crown of his involvement with the Gunpowder Plot.
Nowadays, the National Trust administers the property and restricts the numbers visiting it to 20,000 per year. Be sure to view the Fettiplace room, where the embroidery covering the four-poster bed has been excellently restored.
The topiary gardens are just the place for a game of hide-and-seek for the kids. The only drawback to the visitor's experience here is the lack of croquet hoops adorning the lawn. It's a pity, because the rules of lawn croquet (that quintessentially English cross between boules and golf) were first codified here at Chastleton House and it seems a crying shame that the visitor cannot enjoy the game at its source!
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