Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum, Devon

Earlier this year, I visited Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum in Devon. It was a few months ago, but I wanted to share the experience with you, as it was a really fun day, and it is well worth a visit!

If you visit Arlington, you won't be able to miss the resident peacocks!

The house was built in 1823, and extended in 1860, but the estate itself was in the Chichester family for over 500 years, before being given to the National Trust in the 1940s. The outside itself certainly doesn’t give anything away, but the interior is full of the family’s collections. The collections include model ships, shells, taxidermy, and a large selection of pewter.

The hall of Arlington Court

The grounds and gardens of Arlington Court cover around 30 acres, and include the formal Victorian garden, with a conservatory rebuilt in 2012, and the walled garden which was reinstated in 2003. A short walk from the house is St James church, which was largely rebuilt in the Victorian period. It's a lovely little church, and well worth taking a trip to. 

The interior of St James Church

There are many great things about Arlington Court, a personal favourite thing for me was the bat-cam room in the cellars. A simple idea, but a great one, giving a glimpse into a species of animal that is present at many historical sites, but often gets little attention.

Visiting in May meant that the Victorian Garden was in full bloom

A short walk along from the house is the National Trust Carriage Museum. It houses nearly 1000 items, the highlight of which is undoubtably the Speaker’s State Coach. 

The granary at Arlington Court, which stands on carved toadstools

Arlington Court is now only open at the weekends over the winter. It is definitely worth a trip, but with its extensive grounds and gardens, I would recommend that you go on a day with good weather, or wait until the Spring (although that’s no guarantee for a sunny day!). Located just to the east of Exmoor, there is plenty to do in the area. 

For more information about Arlington Court, visit http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/arlington-court/