Great Chalfield Manor
Encyclopedia
Great Chalfield Manor is an English country house
at Great Chalfield
, near Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
.
The house is a moated manor house
built around 1465–1480 for Thomas Tropenell
, a modest member of the landed gentry
who made a fortune as a clothier
. The independent hall, lit on both sides, is flanked by unusually symmetrical gabled cross wings, with oriel
windows and lower gabled porches in the inner corners, in the north-facing former entrance court, for which the richest effects were reserved. Its external symmetry, unusual for its date, is superficial. The intimately connected parish church, largely rebuilt by Tropnell, also faces into the court, which was formerly entered obliquely through a gatehouse
in the west wing; Nicholas Cooper observes of the church that "the probable need to pass through the house's forecourt in order to reach it neatly demonstrates the community of secular and religious authority". Part of a moat
survives, but the forecourt has been opened up to the outside in a manner that changes its original inward-facing aspect.
It was altered substantially (with some of the original character lost) after the Neale family commissioned the architect Thomas Larkin Walker, a pupil of Pugin, to carry out a detailed survey of the manor in 1836; though his restoration proposals of 1837 were never carried out, the house was reduced and in particular, the great hall
, adapted as a farmhouse, lost its ornate ceiling, with only one of the original bosses surviving.
Externally there is a garden with four "tree houses", groups of four clipped yew
s that have grown together and been hollowed out inside to allow one to walk through. A feature of the church is the unusual "bellcote
", a stone belfry built on to the gable peak.
The house and garden were purchased by George Fuller MP
(of Neston Park) in the early 1900s, and restored and furnished between 1905 and 1911 by his fourth son, Major Robert Fuller, under the guidance of Sir Harold Brakspear
. The restoration included a sympathetic garden design by Alfred Parsons
. Robert Fuller gave the property to the National Trust
in 1943, and it is open to the public. Robert Floyd, grandson of Robert Fuller, and his family live here and manage the property for the Trust. Tours of the house are at fixed times and visitors are escorted by a guide. The historic Tropenell Cartulary
is still kept at the house.
in the early 21st century. They were used for location filming
of the 2008 film version of the historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl
, and some scenes of the 2008 BBC Television
adaptation of Tess of the d'Urbervilles
.
Description of manor, church and landscape.
English country house
The English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a London house. This allowed to them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country...
at Great Chalfield
Great Chalfield
Great Chalfield, also sometimes called by its Latin name of Chalfield Magna, formerly East Chalfield and anciently Much Chaldefield, is a small village and former civil parish in Wiltshire, England, now part of Atworth...
, near Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
.
The house is a moated manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
built around 1465–1480 for Thomas Tropenell
Thomas Tropenell
Thomas Tropenell, sometimes Tropenelle and Tropnell , was an English lawyer and landowner in Wiltshire in the west of England.He acquired large estates, built Great Chalfield Manor, and compiled the Tropenell Cartulary....
, a modest member of the landed gentry
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
who made a fortune as a clothier
Clothier
Clothier may refer to one of the following professions:*Tailor - the most common modern usage*Cloth merchant*A cloth manufacturer - see cloth productionAs a surname, Clothier may refer to one of the following individuals:...
. The independent hall, lit on both sides, is flanked by unusually symmetrical gabled cross wings, with oriel
Oriel window
Oriel windows are a form of bay window commonly found in Gothic architecture, which project from the main wall of the building but do not reach to the ground. Corbels or brackets are often used to support this kind of window. They are seen in combination with the Tudor arch. This type of window was...
windows and lower gabled porches in the inner corners, in the north-facing former entrance court, for which the richest effects were reserved. Its external symmetry, unusual for its date, is superficial. The intimately connected parish church, largely rebuilt by Tropnell, also faces into the court, which was formerly entered obliquely through a gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
in the west wing; Nicholas Cooper observes of the church that "the probable need to pass through the house's forecourt in order to reach it neatly demonstrates the community of secular and religious authority". Part of a moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
survives, but the forecourt has been opened up to the outside in a manner that changes its original inward-facing aspect.
Great hall
A great hall is the main room of a royal palace, nobleman's castle or a large manor house in the Middle Ages, and in the country houses of the 16th and early 17th centuries. At that time the word great simply meant big, and had not acquired its modern connotations of excellence...
, adapted as a farmhouse, lost its ornate ceiling, with only one of the original bosses surviving.
Externally there is a garden with four "tree houses", groups of four clipped yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
s that have grown together and been hollowed out inside to allow one to walk through. A feature of the church is the unusual "bellcote
Bell-Cot
A bell-cot, bell-cote or bellcote, is a small framework and shelter for one or more bells, supported on brackets projecting from a wall or built on the roof of chapels or churches which have no towers. It often holds the Sanctus bell rung at the Consecration....
", a stone belfry built on to the gable peak.
The house and garden were purchased by George Fuller MP
George Fuller (British politician)
George Pargiter Fuller , was a British Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1895.Fuller was born at Baynton, Wiltshire, the eldest surviving son of John Bird Fuller, a partner in Fuller Smith & Turner, brewers, and his wife Sophia Hanning, daughter of John Hanning...
(of Neston Park) in the early 1900s, and restored and furnished between 1905 and 1911 by his fourth son, Major Robert Fuller, under the guidance of Sir Harold Brakspear
Harold Brakspear
Sir Harold William Brakspear was a noted restoration architect and archaeologist.He restored a number of ancient and notable buildings, including*Bath Abbey*Windsor Castle*Brownston House, Devizes....
. The restoration included a sympathetic garden design by Alfred Parsons
Alfred Parsons (artist)
Alfred William Parsons was an English artist, illustrator, engraver and garden designer.Alfred Parsons is well-known for his English rural landscape paintings and fine botanical illustrations— he was a keen gardener— which brought him into contact with William Robinson, for whom he provided...
. Robert Fuller gave the property to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in 1943, and it is open to the public. Robert Floyd, grandson of Robert Fuller, and his family live here and manage the property for the Trust. Tours of the house are at fixed times and visitors are escorted by a guide. The historic Tropenell Cartulary
Tropenell Cartulary
The Tropenell Cartulary is an English medieval manuscript cartulary compiled for Thomas Tropenell , a Wiltshire landowner, in the 15th century.-History:...
is still kept at the house.
Film industry
The house and grounds attracted the film industryFilm industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
in the early 21st century. They were used for location filming
Filming location
A filming location is a place where some or all of a film or television series is produced, in addition to or instead of using sets constructed on a movie studio backlot or soundstage...
of the 2008 film version of the historical novel The Other Boleyn Girl
The Other Boleyn Girl
The Other Boleyn Girl is a historical fiction novel written by British author Philippa Gregory, loosely based on the life of 16th-century aristocrat Mary Boleyn. Reviews were mixed; some said it was a brilliantly claustrophobic look at palace life in Tudor England, while others have consistently...
, and some scenes of the 2008 BBC Television
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
adaptation of Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman Faithfully Presented, also known as Tess of the d'Urbervilles: A Pure Woman, Tess of the d'Urbervilles or just Tess, is a novel by Thomas Hardy, first published in 1891. It initially appeared in a censored and serialised version, published by the British...
.
External links
- Great Chalfield Manor information at the National Trust
- Great Chalfield Manor – Patsy & Robert Floyd
- Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest: Great Chalfield Manor
- Great Chalfield church
- Behind the scenes gallery – images of Great Chalfield Manor and Lacock AbbeyLacock AbbeyLacock Abbey in the village of Lacock, Wiltshire, England, was founded in the early 13th century by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, as a nunnery of the Augustinian order.- History :...
from the 2008 film, The Other Boleyn Girl, National TrustNational Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural BeautyThe National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
Description of manor, church and landscape.