Barrington Court

Beautiful Gertrude Jekyll-inspired gardens, kitchen gardens and the now empty Tudor manor house

The echoes of the past haunt this now empty Tudor manor house, so beautifully restored in the 1920s by the Lyle family.

They lived in style, installing a sprung dance floor; the winding mechanism can still be seen under the sweeping main staircase.

What were once cow yards, pens and fields became delightful flower gardens, their design influenced by Gertrude Jekyll.

The working stone-walled kitchen garden produces a variety of wonderful fruit and vegetables.

Barrington Court celebrated 100 years of National Trust ownership in 2007.  What a wonderful place it is to visit. Beautiful gardens and grounds. 

The tour of the house and grounds offers a good walk around the grounds, firstly taking you to the magical hidden walled kitchen garden and around the craft and estate book shops. Next you enter the rose and iris garden, the Bustalls ( calf pens ) the white garden and the delightful lily garden complete with huge pond you guessed filled with lilly`s a delightful place to bring fairy magic into your life. We all now Somerset is foreknown  for its ancient tales of magic and folklore tales.
As you leave the magic of the Lilly garden straight in front you look out onto the South Lawn, a lovely restaurant is then waiting for your well earned rest
The entrance to the Court House now is only around the corner, here you can explore is wonderful old house although it is quite creepy in parts. Reaching the top of the house, You come across an old telephone down a long corridor Suddenly it started to ring. It was like something out of Doctor Who ! Hand in hand we all walked down to the phone. Of course the only one brave enough to pick it up was me. ? I then got the learn about the attic rooms in the house with the other two standing there with mouth wide open catching fly s. I  passed the phone around for them to listen.
Heading back outside you then continue your walk heading to the Arboretum, the East Orchard, then onto the lime walk. Amongst the tree,s you can find the Bee Hives. The rest of the walk takes you away from the court house and onto the estate coming across more craft shops on your journey before reaching your original starting point. The maps are set out well so you don't miss anything out.

The Court House was built in the 1500,s from Mellow Ham Stone, in a typical Elizabethan E - Shape. The strode family added the brick - built stable block that is now Strode House.

Every nook and cranny has the atmosphere of an old Tudor Court House, it is marvelled with lots of stunning craftsmanship of panelled interiors.

The Solomon Room  - Many of you may remember this story of a King and a Baby, The Solomon room is named after this story as above the mantel is a piece of strapework showing King Solomon and his judgement when confronted over a dispute over a baby. Here the king is shown threatening to have the child cut in two to satisfy both women. History tells us the dispute was solved very quickly ? 


This piece of work would have been very colourful when originally installed  in 1625.

lady birds upon the windows