Chawton House

Description

Chawton House. Largely the creation of John Knight after he inherited the manor in 1583, but with some significant mid-c17 alterations by Richard Knight. c19 changes by Edward Austen (Jane’s brother, later Edward Knight) and his descendants included a covering of Roman cement and the replacement of the original stone mullioned and transomed windows, although these were largely undone in the later c19 by Montague Knight, partly with advice from Lutyens. Pevsner thought it ‘so much restored that it is no longer a pleasure to look at’…library at w end of s wing remodelled c. 1897 by Lutyens…The Oak Room, at the sw corner, was restored by Lutyens in 1897, including the stone Tudor-arched fireplace with flanking wooden Ionic columns. The over mantel probably incorporates c17 work…The formal gardens at the w front were swept away at the end of the c18 to be replaced by sloping lawns with clumps of trees, a ha-ha to the s with a meadow beyond and a temple on the high ground to the se, now gone. Parkland and walled garden created 1819–20. Lutyens appears to have been involved in the design of the upper terrace (1901) and the library terrace (1905–6), but neither are significant works. (Bullen et al, 2010, pp.218-20) Against the south-east corner of the House is the Library Terrace, below the east window of the library. The terrace is on three levels with three flights of steps and is laid out as stone paths and lawn, enclosed by a low stone wall. The terrace was built c 1905-06 on the site of an early C19 conservatory and is traditionally attributed to Edwin Lutyens. (Historic England, list entry 1000421)

Bibliography

Bullen M, Hubbuck R, Crook J & Pevsner N (2010) Hampshire: Winchester and the North. The Buildings of England. New Haven: Yale University Press. |

Historic England. CHAWTON HOUSE. [Online] Available from: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1000421

Also Cited In

Pevsner, N. (1962) Hampshire. The Buildings of England. Harmondsworth: Penguin.

Listing Grade

II

Listing Reference

1000421

Client

Montague Knight