I’m 32 and I’m about to inherit this 450-year-old mansion that has starred in Rivals and Poldark – but my biggest headache is how to pay the heating bills
A man who is set to inherit a 450-year-old mansion in the Cotswolds that has featured in hit series Poldark and Rivals has revealed that his heftiest expense is going to be paying his heating bills.
James Lowsley-Williams, 32, moved into Chavenage House – an exquisite Elizabethan pile with soft greying stone and sweeping lawns – in 2020 after he inherited the estate that has been under his family’s ownership since 1891.
James, a former professional cyclist-turned YouTuber, currently looks after a portion of the estate alongside his fiancee Emma Frampton, but in 2026, when the lease on the main house expires, the pair will take on Chavenage under their wing.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the property’s heir spoke about how he plans to do some needed works on the Elizabethan house that sits on a 1,900-acre estate.
While most men James’ age are only just getting on the property ladder, Chavenage’s newest owner doesn’t have to worry about paying off a mortgage.
Pictured Chavenage House in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, where Rivals has been filmed
James Lowsley-Williams, 32, is about to inherit the 450-year-old Cotswolds mansion
Chavenage is now returning to the small screen after featuring in Disney+ hit Rivals
But while James and his fiancee’s life at Chavenage seems idyllic, the couple is concerned over the expenses that come with running the house, and have revealed that their biggest cost comes from heating.
Yet the couple have a few ideas up their sleeve to cover the cost with plans in place to set up overnight accommodation and guided walks of the beautiful rolling hills of Gloucestershire.
They also document their life at Chavenage on Instagram and TikTok and are soon to launch a YouTube channel for the estate.
‘YouTube is my passion, content creation is my passion,’ said James. ‘The house is a story I want to tell.’
‘It will allow me and Emma to see the joy in running the estate because we are having fun with it,’ he says, ‘and we’re creating content that we enjoy creating. Yes, it’s going to be a sustainable and return-generating business, but the primary goal is to do something that we enjoy, that we think the world should see.’
The house was built in the 1560 by the Stephens family, who became wealthy from wool. They stayed for nine generations before the Lowsley-Williamses moved in.
Since then, Chavenage has seen an awful lot of action over the years as it has been used for filming since 1972.
Bond girl Gemma Arterton and Oscar-winning Eddie Redmayne romped naked on the rather lumpen mattress for BBC’s 2008 version of Tess Of The D’Urbervilles.
Hit BBC series Poldark was also filmed in Chavenage House – bringing coachloads of tourists to the estate
But it is best known for its appearance on hit BBC series Poldark, and has attracted scores of fans hungry to see the visit the show’s iconic setting over the years.
Chavenage is now returning to the small screen after featuring in Disney+ brash and raunchy hit Rivals.
The show – which is an adaption of a 1988 novel of the same name – includes big-name actors such as David Tennant, Aidan Turner, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer.
