The building dates back to the
end of the 16th century, about 1575-1580. The name "Barone" derives
from the noble title of the painter Guglielmo Caccia (1568 - 1625)
known as "Moncalvo" who, according to tradition, used to pass periods
of pleasurable hunting on his property of Penango.
In 1774 Count Francesco Ottavio Magnocavalli transferred his residence
to the "Barone" locality. This fact is confirmed towards the end
of the century by the book "Libro Figurato" which also notes the
restoration work carried out by Magnocavalli, which constituted
its architectural characteristics which are conserved until the
present day.
In his pastoral visit to Penango, Bishop Malabajla verified the
inventory of the chapel's vestments. This visit has been dated to
the period between 1830 and 1846 and thus it is considered that
the chapel was built at the start of the century, substituting the
pre-existing one. "...there are three small country churches...
the third with the name of St. John the Baptist adjoins a cottage
belonging to the lawyer Cotti.." (MUNICIPAL LIBRARY 1, XIV, 347).
In that period the estate carried out silk worm cultivation. In
1989 it became property of the Colombo family who carried out a
thorough but careful restoration of the whole estate, including
the chapels, bringing the interior and the north facade to its original
state, maintaining the ever present agricultural features and allowing
space for its particular type of production (game, rose-garden,
holiday farm, fruit and wine).
