Arlington Court

Arlington Court is a country house, with its main range built in 1820 by Thomas Lee of Barnstaple, and alterations made in 1865. The house demonstrates group value. The ashlar main range is pointed, with a slate roof concealed by a low parapet and unmoulded cornice. The rear ranges have visible slate roofs with three ridge stacks; two have panelled sides and moulded caps, while the third has stone rubble construction.

The main range is a rectangular block with a gallery extending the full length of the south (garden) front, originally intended to create three principal rooms with folding screens. The main entrance hall is on the east side, leading to a large central staircase hall, which was enlarged in 1865 through the demolition of the former staircase in the northwest corner and the incorporation of two rooms on each of the ground and first floors. A wing of nine bays, with the furthest four bays projecting slightly, was added in 1865 at right angles to the right-hand end of the main range. A further service wing, parallel to the main range, creates an overall three-sided rear courtyard plan.

The main range is in a severe neo-classical style, and its interior design reflects the influence of Sir John Soane, where Lee briefly worked. The main range is two storeys high, with basement service rooms. The rear wings are also two storeys high. The garden front is symmetrical, featuring five bays, with three bays on each return. There are giant angle Tuscan pilasters. All upper storey windows are 12-paned sashes. French windows are present on the ground floor, except in the centre of the entrance front bay, which has a first-floor French window with margin glazing bars above a semicircular Greek Doric porch with four fluted columns supporting an entablature and iron balustrade. The doorway has two narrow panelled leaves above a tall transomed overlight. A raised terrace fronts the garden and the entrance, with banded rustication and flights of stone steps to the central bay of the garden front and to the entrance doorway. Square openings with wrought iron grilles light the basement on either side of the terrace. The 1865 wing to the right of the entrance front has a plat-band and rusticated surrounds to segmental arched windows with 2-over-2-paned sashes.

Arlington Court was built and owned by the Chichester family until 1949, when it was bequeathed to the National Trust.