Chastleton House Chastleton, England

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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 balust