Chillington Hall

Chillington Hall is a country house dating from the early 18th century, with significant alterations in the late 18th century. The south elevation bears the date 1724 on lead drainpipe heads, and was likely influenced by Francis Smith of Warwick. The east elevation was rebuilt between 1786 and 1789 by Sir John Soane.

The building is constructed of red brick with ashlar dressings, and has plain tile roofs with brick stacks. It comprises four ranges that enclose a roughly rectangular courtyard.

The south elevation is three storeys high, with a moulded plinth, moulded cornice, and balustraded parapet. Rusticated corner pilasters are present; the one on the left connects the cornice and base while the one on the right rises only as high as the second-floor window sills and aligns with the west elevation’s cornice. There are eight windows, with glazing bar sashes set within moulded surrounds, raised keystones, and aprons. The fourth ground-floor window from the right has a short flight of steps in front of it and likely replaces a former doorway.

The east elevation features two storeys and an attic, also with a plinth, moulded cornice, and balustraded parapet. It has a 1:3:3:3:1 window arrangement; the outer wings are three storeys high, with the wing on the right having a hipped roof. Glazing bar sashes are set within architrave surrounds with strainer arches above; the ground-floor windows are tall. A half-glazed door sits within an Ionic portico with a pediment bearing the Giffard coat of arms, and is approached by a flight of steps.

A stable court to the rear, likely dating from the early 18th century, is constructed of red brick with a slate roof – hipped to the north and pedimented to the south. The main elevation to the west has fifteen bays, with cross casements, stone keys, and classical articulation to the south gable end.

The interior includes a Morning Room of 1724 with a decorative plaster ceiling featuring a central quatrefoil with an allegorical female figure. The staircase hall, also from around 1724, has an open-well staircase with turned balusters and richly carved tread ends, along with stucco panels displaying busts and a heraldic stained-glass window dating from around 1830 by John Freeth of Birmingham. Soane’s design is evident in the Entrance Hall, with a screen of Ionic columns, an enriched cornice, and fireplaces. The Saloon, also by Soane, features an oval dome with a lantern, supported by segmental arches, with Giffard crests set in roundels on the pendentives. The Giffard family has resided at Chillington since around 1180.

The Hall is set within a landscaped park, including a lake created by Capability Brown.