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Arlington Court, Devon

Arlington Court was built around 1820 by Colonel John Chichester, a member of the Devon aristocracy. He built his house in what is known as the neoclassical style. This is a plain and simple style, designed to evoke memories of ancient Greece and Rome. Sometimes Arlington Court, and other neoclassical buildings, are described as "severe." Looking at the house with its straight lines and block shapes, I see why this might be said. In 1820 Britain was going through an industrial and scientific revolution. Rationalism was becoming ever more important, and life was increasingly seen in harsh, competitive terms. In looking at a building like Arlington Court you get a sense of that kind of society. But that's not the whole story. There was also a romantic, nostalgic reaction. Tennyson wrote about Arthurian legends. Villages became icons of lost innocence. And the neoclassical style, for all its plain lines and possible severity, was also harking back to a distant and ancient world. For this reason, some people, such as Siegfried Giedion, who wrote Late Baroque and Romantic Classicism in 1922, claimed that the neoclassical style should be thought of as romantic. It seems that neoclassical buildings can be described as both severe and romantic. For someone like myself not all that familiar with the world of architectural jargon, this seemed a bit confusing. But in the end perhaps this is only right. Neoclassical architecture perhaps sums up the contradictions of the nineteenth century. This was an age of rationalism and science, and also an age of romanticism. Both of these things can be seen held together in the neoclassical architecture of a building like Arlington Court.

Arlington Court's gardens also illustrate Victorian contradictons. The gardens show how Victorians reacted against an increasingly industrial society by creating fancifully "natural" pleasure grounds.

There is a large collection of horse drawn carriages housed at Arlington Court. Rides are offered most days. The property has a tea shop and a gift shop.

Opening Times: The house is open from the 13th to 21st February daily 11am - 3pm.

From 27th February to 7th March weekends only 11 am - 3pm.

From 13th March to 31st October daily 11am - 5pm, with the garden opening at 10.30am during this period.

The garden only is open 6th November to 19th December weekends only 11am - 3pm and 20th to 28th December Sunday to Thursday.

Address: Arlington Court, Arlington, near Barnstable, Devon EX31 4LP

Directions: Arlington Court is near Barnstable in Devon off the A39. Click here for an interactive map centred on Arlington Court

Access: there is level access to the ground floor at the rear of the house, but other floors can only be reached by stairs. There are adapted toilet facilities in the tea room. The grounds are partly accessible. Two powered wheelchairs are provided. Braille and large prints guides are available.

Contact:

telephone: 01271 850296

e-mail: arlingtoncourt@nationaltrust.org.uk

web site: http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-arlingtoncourt.htm