Description:
Chastleton House was probably built between 1607 and 1612 by Walter Jones, a successful wool merchant, lawyer and politician. It remained in the possession of the family who never had much money to spend on the House. The house and its outbuildings, together with the 12th century church and the village, stand in a setting little changed since the 1600s. A great deal of research and archaeological investigation was undertaken to establish how each part of the buildings had changed over time. The aim was to secure the buildings and to arrest 150 years of progressive decay, based on respect for the existing fabric and involving the least possible intervention. On the exterior the roof timbers were repaired, extensive repointing was done on all elevations and the broken glass and damaged lead cames in general conserved rather than replaced. In the interior the oak floor boards were carefully taken up to allow main beams to be repaired, collapsing Jacobean ceilings were secured with stainless steel rods to the rafters and the structure of the oak paneling repaired. Services were renewed in ways ensuring the least disturbance to the building and suitable conservation conditions have been gradually introduced by controlling the relative humidity of the House. Repaired with sensitivity and care, Chastleton House has survived through time as a wonderful example of completeness of preservation in the style in which it was originally built.