Chavenage House

About the museum

Chavenage lies on land that was recorded in Anglo-Saxon times and later belonged to Augustinian monks at Horsley. Parts of the present house are thought to date from the late 14th century, when a hall with kitchens stood on the site. After the dissolution of the monasteries the estate passed through several hands, and in 1564 it was sold to Edward Stephens, who rebuilt it. He added two wings and a porch, fitted large south-facing windows with glass from redundant churches and used timbers from broken-up ships, finishing in 1576, the date carved above the front door.

The Stephens family owned the manor for about 350 years. Nathaniel Stephens, a member of Parliament and a Parliamentarian colonel in the Civil War, is linked to the best-known story of the house. According to the legend, Cromwell's son-in-law Henry Ireton visited at Christmas 1648 and persuaded Stephens to support the execution of Charles I, after which a curse was laid and a ghostly hearse with a headless driver is said to have appeared at the family's deaths. The Oak Room is panelled and dated 1627, and the great hall has a chimney-piece from the 1620s.

The Stephens left in the mid-19th century, and the house was let before George Lowsley-Williams bought it in 1891. His family has owned it ever since, and in 1958 it was given to the next generation along with its contents. Chavenage has become a popular location for television and film, including the series Poldark, in which it played the Cornish house Trenwith. It remains a family home, and the owners lead the tours.

Highlights

• Elizabethan manor completed in 1576 and still a family home
• Great hall with a 17th-century chimney-piece and screen
• Oak Room panelled in 1627 and 17th-century tapestries
• Legend of the Stephens family ghost and the Civil War
• Used as the setting for Trenwith in the television series Poldark

Permanent exhibition

• Chavenage House guided tour – A guided tour of the Elizabethan hall, the Oak Room, 17th-century tapestries and rooms linked to Cromwell, Ireton and the Stephens family.

Operated by

Lowsley-Williams family

Admission & discounts

Prices include VAT. Historic Houses members do not enter free. For private groups the owners can arrange a two-course lunch at about £70 per head, or tea, with notice for dietary needs.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The house is an Elizabethan building with steps and uneven floors throughout, and there is no wheelchair access. The tour includes going upstairs. There are steep stone steps, low doorways and slippery floors inside, and uneven surfaces, low branches and slippery ground in the gardens. Children should be accompanied at all times.

Kids & families

Children pay £6 when added to a group and must be accompanied at all times because of steep steps and low doorways.

Getting there & parking

The house is 2 miles north-west of Tetbury and 7 miles south-east of Stroud, signed from Tetbury or off the A46.

Amenities & dining

Lunch or tea can be arranged for private groups.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 100 guests.

Five rooms are available for weddings, including the Hall, the Oak Room and a ballroom seating 100 guests. Car parking is available for 80 cars on hard standing and unlimited parking in the paddock. The house is also hired for corporate events and as a film and television location.

Plan your visit