Chillington has been the home of the Giffard family for over eight centuries, and remains in their possession. Walter Giffard came to England with William the Conqueror, and his great-grandson/great-great-grandson(?), Peter Giffard, acquired Chillington in 1178.

Another Peter Giffard (dates unknown), succeeded his cousin Thomas Giffard in 1718, and from 1724 began a programme of rebuilding by commissioning additions, including a new south front and offices to the rear, all to designs by Francis Smith (1672-1738). His son, Thomas Giffard senior (1735-76), then commissioned Lancelot 'Capability' Brown (1716-83) to landscape the park, with a bridge by James Paine (1717-89), and Robert Adam made designs for a new house, but this was not executed on account of the patron's sudden death, aged 41 in 1776. The rebuilding was finally completed in 1785-90 by the next owner, Thomas Giffard junior (1764-1823), sweeping away much of the surviving Tudor fabric, and building to designs by Sir John Soane (1753-1837). There are 25 extant drawings from Soane's office for Chillington within the drawings collection at Sir John Soane's Museum. His saloon at Chillington is of particular note, and its restoration won the Historic Houses Association/Sotheby's Restoration award in 2009.

See also: The drawings of John Soane/Country houses/Chillington Hall.

Literature:
A.T. Bolton, The architecture of Robert and James Adam, 1922, Volume II, Index pp. 6, 72; A. Oswald, 'Chillington Hall, Staffordshire', Country Life, 13, 20, 28 February 1948; E. Harris, The furniture of Robert Adam, 1963, Index p. 48; N. Pevsner, The buildings of England: Staffordshire, 1974, pp. 102-3; P. Dean, 'Chillington Hall, Staffordshire', Country Life, 30 September 1999, pp. 80-87; P. Dean, Sir John Soane and the country estate, 1999, pp. 41-53; D. King, The complete works of Robert & James Adam and unbuilt Adam, 2001, Volume II, p. 124

Frances Sands, 2013