Before actually typing up this review of Chastleton House I had to check the county borders for Oxon, Warks and Gloucs because as we were driving in you keep dipping in and out of all of them! I wasn’t 100% sure which county we were in by the time we arrived. Turns out it’s technically Oxfordshire, so now you know!
I’ve been to Chastleton House before, but it was a long time ago. It might even have been pre the now 6 year old Smallest Child! I tempted Hubby into coming with the promise of going to see Wolf Hall. We’re huge fans of the books and TV show and I’m partial to a game of “I’ve been there” so obviously we’ll be watching the show again now we’ve been back.
Tip for getting there
As is quite often the case with National Trust properties – when you’re planning your trip make sure you stick Chastleton House car park into Google Maps and not just the house. The car park itself is up the hill and the car park opposite the entrance is disabled only. Going directly to the house also takes you a more awkward route than the main car park, even though there right next to each other. One of those mapping quirks!
The route from the car park to the house is through a beautiful field. That’s full of sheep (and cute lambs in spring) and their “leavings”. The “footpath” is really more of a track so it’s do-able with a pushchair but quite bumpy. You’ll also have to clean the wheels off afterwards. TBH the site as a whole might be one for a baby carrier rather than pushchair if you’ve got one.
It’s actually a really lovely walk down the hill looking across the house and the church. Just don’t think too much about climbing back up the hill on the way home. That’s a problem for later.
The house
Chastleton House itself is one of those funky NT properties that hasn’t had much done to it. It was lived in until the 90’s but the family have been perpetually broke for the last 350 years so they haven’t had the money to do it up. That means it’s virtually the same as it would have been when it was built, but rougher around the edges. And they have embraced those rough edges by stabilising but not repairing everything. I think it’s kind of cool but I remember overhearing someone at Claydon (which is in a similar condition) ripping into the National Trust for not repair it. I guess you can’t please everyone.
There’s plenty of rooms open in the house and, to be honest this is where you’re going to spend most of your time as it really isn’t a massive site. I was actually surprised by how small the Great Hall was – I’ve seen kitchens in plenty of stately homes that are bigger.
The long gallery at the very top of the house has the most amazing ceiling (who knew ceilings could get so interesting when you’re a history geek!). There’s also some very fetching dressing up costumes up here that Smallest Child was straight into.
The library
When I grow up I want a library in my house, and this place has a very impressive one. And under a sheet (I told you it was rustic here) they have a copy of the Juxon Bible. No idea what that is? Well legend has it that it was from this very bible that Bishop Juxon read to King Charles I as his head was being cut off.
The gardens
The gardens at Chastleton House, whilst very lovely and a billion times more impressive than your average back garden, they are comparatively small vs most stately homes. This photo was taken at the bottom of the garden looking back up at the house, so you can see how close it is.
How family friendly is Chastleton House?
I think that definitely depends on the family. You certainly won’t spend as much time here as you do somewhere like Baddesley Clinton, Packwood House or Charlecote Park. They all have similar sized formal gardens, but they’ve all got plenty of other outdoor space and wider parklands to explore. Chastleton doesn’t have any of that. Obviously it also doesn’t have a playground etc, but you don’t need that to be family friendly, plenty of other places don’t.
The house itself is interesting, but only if your kids enjoy looking around historic houses etc. Mine have all been brought up on it so they enjoy it, but I know not all do. The only thing here that’s specifically for kids is the dressing up box on the top floor.
This review of Chastleton House is based on our experiences at the time of our visit. Things can change over time, including the facilities available. If you have any specific requirements such as access it’s always best to check with the site directly before visiting. If anything I’ve said in this review is no longer accurate then please do let me know. Thank you.
Our Chastleton House review
Chastleton House is fascinating because it’s so different from other NT properties. It’s not the kind of place I can see people going to again and again, but it’s a good one to go to at least once.
Admission cost
2 adult family – £35.80, 1 adult family – £21.50. Members go free.
Parking / How to get there
Parking – Car park on site
Address – Use GL56 0SP to the Greedy Goose pub (currently closed), then follow brown signs. Do not follow signs to Chastleton village
Toilets
On-site
Food
No NT cafe on site but the church next door does limited refreshments at certain times.
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
