TAS Kington Langley enjoyed a visit to Chavenage House

We had a beautiful sunny afternoon for our self-drive visit to Chavenage in June.  This family home, a Grace 1 listed building, can be found close to Tetbury, off the beaten track, with a view to the Marlborough Downs which is completely pylon and building free - the same view as 500 years ago!  

Our hosts greeted us warmly and we received a knowledgeable and very amusing talk on the history of the house and family before we were guided around the rooms - the anecdotes flowed throughout!  

The great hall was erected at Chavenage in the fourteenth century.  In 1564 Edward Stephen, who had made his money in the wool trade, purchased Chavenage and put on two wings and the porch to create a Manor House worthy of the position he felt he should have.   From the front of the house we could see the E shape building typical of the Elizabethan style.  He also fitted strikingly large windows on the south side of the porch with much of the glass being ecclesiastical, taken from the redundant churches and monasteries in the area following the dissolution of the monasteries.   He also used timbers from old galleons found locally from the River Severn and covered them with beautiful mellow grey Cotswold tiles.   Carved above the front door can be seen both his and his wife’s initials, carved when he had finished the reconstruction.  

On his death in 1587, the estate passed to his eldest son Richard, who died in 1599 and the property then passed to his son Nathanial Stevens. 

During the Civil War, Chavenage was on the side of Oliver Cromwell who stayed at Chevenage.   We were shown Cromwell’s room, the walls covered with the original and most amazingly vibrant tapestry ‘.   Nathanial Stephens supported Cromwell’s planned regicide and although he was not one of the signatories of Charles 1’s death warrant, he is nevertheless said to have died of remorse soon afterwards. It is also recounted that on the day of Nathaniel's death, his ghost was seen leaving the house in a coach driven by a headless coachman dressed like the hapless king. The house is reputed to be one of the nation's most haunted!

In 1801, the house was inherited by Henry Hannes Willis, who changed his name to Stephens in order to inherit.  Henry added the billiard room and added panelling and carvings to many of the rooms.  

The house has been owned by the Lowsley-Williams family since 1891. They added the east wing, which includes an oak panelled ballroom.

In 1944, the house was requisitioned and housed American troops prior to the Normandy landings in France.    In 1958 it was given to David Lowsley-Williams.   He and his wife opened it to the public to a limited extent, for example as a wedding venue and a film location.    The first Hercule Poirot story, Lark Rise to Candleford and The Rivals are a few examples.

In 2024, having skipped a generation for tax reasons, Chavenage came into the hands of James Lowsley-Williams, James has launched a YOUTUBE channel called ‘Life at the Manor where he is documenting his journey in remodelling the house and improving its profitability.

We finished our visit ‘taking tea’ in the sprung floored ballroom, added in the Edwardian period - delicious!

Jackie Jones