Barrington Court
Encyclopedia
Barrington Court is a Tudor
manor house
begun c. 1538 and completed in the late 1550s, with a vernacular 17th-century stable court (1675), situated in Barrington
, near Ilminster
, Somerset
, England
. It was the first house acquired by the National Trust
, in 1907, on the recommendation of the antiquarian Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley
.
Barrington Court, once dated 1514 and considered an early example of a symmetrical front, was completed in the late 1550s for William Clifton, a London merchant who had been assembling a Somerset estate. Its central entry porch leads into a screens passage with the Hall
on the left and, an innovation, a service passage leading to the kitchen wing that occupies the right wing. A symmetrically sited gatehouse (rebuilt) was set far forward of the house, to permit a full view of its symmetrical facade.
The interior of the house suffered from its demotion to a tenant farm
, and from a fire in the early 19th century; after being almost derelict it was repaired under the supervision of Alfred Hoare Powell
. Barrington Court was acquired by the Trust
in 1907 and was leased to Col. Lyle of Tate & Lyle
in the 1920s. He and his wife turned the house around and refurbished the court house and renovated Strode House (built by William Strode in the 17th century) which was originally a stable and coach block. It was at this time that the Lyles contracted Gertrude Jekyll
to design the three formal gardens on the property that are kept in beautiful condition by the head gardener.
The house was one of the first large properties acquired by the National Trust; it was not anticipated just how expensive repairs and maintenance would be, and even thirty years later it was still used as an example of why the Trust should be wary of taking on other country houses.
Barrington Court was occupied by a tenant, Stuart Interiors, who took the lease in 1986 from Andrew Lyle, grandson of Col. Lyle (co-founder of Tate & Lyle). The company sold reproduction furniture. Stuart Interiors left Barrington Court in December 2008, and although the buildings has no furniture is open to visitors.
-style garden
s for which garden design
er Gertrude Jekyll
provided planting plans, which are being used to restore the gardens, laid out in 1917 by J. E. Forbes, of the partnership Forbes & Tate, for Lieut-Col. A. Arthur Lyle, in a series of walled rooms that include a white garden, a rose
and iris
garden and a lily garden.
The kitchen garden provides produce for the property's restaurant located in the adjacent Strode House; this includes all types of fruit and vegetables. The local school at Barrington and Ilton also have a vegetable plot where the children plant, tend and cook the produce; the walls are also strewn with apple, pear and plum trees.
Tudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
begun c. 1538 and completed in the late 1550s, with a vernacular 17th-century stable court (1675), situated in Barrington
Barrington, Somerset
Barrington is a village and civil parish, situated south east of Taunton and west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district of Somerset, England...
, near Ilminster
Ilminster
Ilminster is a country town and civil parish in the countryside of south west Somerset, England, with a population of 4,781. Bypassed a few years ago, the town now lies just east of the intersection of the A303 and the A358...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was the first house acquired by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
, in 1907, on the recommendation of the antiquarian Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley
Hardwicke Rawnsley
Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley , was an English clergyman, poet, writer of hymns and conservationist, known as one of the co-founders of the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty...
.
Barrington Court, once dated 1514 and considered an early example of a symmetrical front, was completed in the late 1550s for William Clifton, a London merchant who had been assembling a Somerset estate. Its central entry porch leads into a screens passage with the Hall
Hall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
on the left and, an innovation, a service passage leading to the kitchen wing that occupies the right wing. A symmetrically sited gatehouse (rebuilt) was set far forward of the house, to permit a full view of its symmetrical facade.
The interior of the house suffered from its demotion to a tenant farm
Tenant farmer
A tenant farmer is one who resides on and farms land owned by a landlord. Tenant farming is an agricultural production system in which landowners contribute their land and often a measure of operating capital and management; while tenant farmers contribute their labor along with at times varying...
, and from a fire in the early 19th century; after being almost derelict it was repaired under the supervision of Alfred Hoare Powell
Alfred Hoare Powell
Alfred Hoare Powell was an English Arts and Crafts architect, and designer and painter of pottery.-Career:Alfred Powell was born in Reading, Berkshire, on 14 April 1865 , the son of Thomas Edward Powell by Emma Corrie.He was the architectural pupil of John Dando Sedding, working in the 'crafted...
. Barrington Court was acquired by the Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in 1907 and was leased to Col. Lyle of Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle
Tate & Lyle plc is a British-based multinational agribusiness. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index as of 20 June 2011...
in the 1920s. He and his wife turned the house around and refurbished the court house and renovated Strode House (built by William Strode in the 17th century) which was originally a stable and coach block. It was at this time that the Lyles contracted Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
to design the three formal gardens on the property that are kept in beautiful condition by the head gardener.
The house was one of the first large properties acquired by the National Trust; it was not anticipated just how expensive repairs and maintenance would be, and even thirty years later it was still used as an example of why the Trust should be wary of taking on other country houses.
Barrington Court was occupied by a tenant, Stuart Interiors, who took the lease in 1986 from Andrew Lyle, grandson of Col. Lyle (co-founder of Tate & Lyle). The company sold reproduction furniture. Stuart Interiors left Barrington Court in December 2008, and although the buildings has no furniture is open to visitors.
Gardens
Barrington Court is noted for its Arts and craftsArts and crafts
Arts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
-style garden
Garden
A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the display, cultivation, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The garden can incorporate both natural and man-made materials. The most common form today is known as a residential garden, but the term garden has...
s for which garden design
Garden design
Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for layout and planting of gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expertise...
er Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll was an influential British garden designer, writer, and artist. She created over 400 gardens in the UK, Europe and the USA and contributed over 1,000 articles to Country Life, The Garden and other magazines.-Early life:...
provided planting plans, which are being used to restore the gardens, laid out in 1917 by J. E. Forbes, of the partnership Forbes & Tate, for Lieut-Col. A. Arthur Lyle, in a series of walled rooms that include a white garden, a rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
and iris
Iris (plant)
Iris is a genus of 260-300species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species...
garden and a lily garden.
The kitchen garden provides produce for the property's restaurant located in the adjacent Strode House; this includes all types of fruit and vegetables. The local school at Barrington and Ilton also have a vegetable plot where the children plant, tend and cook the produce; the walls are also strewn with apple, pear and plum trees.