Chavenage House
Chavenage House is located in the village and civil parish of Beverston in Gloucestershire, England. The Elizabethan house was built of Cotswold stone in 1576 by Edward Stephens and passed down through that line for many generations. Since the Tudor period, only two families owned the house. During the Civil War, Nathaniel Stephens raised troops and later became a member of Cromwell’s parliament. In 1801, Henry Wills Stephens inherited the estate and added a billiards room, as well as paneling and carvings to many of the rooms. Chavenage House has been used in many films and television series, including Winston Graham’s Poldark series, as Trenwith House. The Lowsley-Williams family took ownership in the late 19thcentury, and they added the east wing, which includes an oak-paneled, sprung-floored ballroom. In 1944, the house was requisitioned and used to house American troops. The house has an E-shape plan but extended throughout its history with the same style materials. The interior boasts 16thcentury fireplaces, a great hall, a minstrels gallery, a Gothic fireplace in the dining room, two tapestry rooms, stained glass windows, and more. The estate has an 18thcentury family chapel linked to the house and a 17thcentury tower folly with two stages, buttresses, and a parapet with embattlements. The house is reputed to be one of the most haunted in the nation. Chavenage House is a family home, but it is open to the public part-time and serves as a venue for weddings and events.
