Visiting Barrington Court houses

Barrington Court is home to two houses that went through an impressive restoration during the 1920s. Nestled in the Somerset countryside, the homes are full of mystery and have real sense of freedom.

Strode House

Barrington Court is a house of two halves. Strode house was originally a stable block, built in 1674. The grand, red brick building bears the initials of William Strode II, who displayed his wealth by housing his horses and carriages in style.

Almost 250 years later, the Lyles remodelled and restored Strode House. This included adding a connecting corridor from Court House to Strode House.

The ground floor of Strode House is open and inside visitors can find out more about the history of Barrington Court, how it was transformed by Colonel Lyle and became a home for an unsual collection of architectural salvage.

Outside house tours

On weekdays you can join a volunteer led, walking guided tour around the outside of Court and Strode houses. The Tale of Two Houses talk explores the relationship between the two buildings, the history of the estate, and highlights the architectural gems such as the Hamstone roof finials and the unusual and decorative rainwater systems. The talk is free of charge and open to all but please note that the tour is Monday to Friday only, and subject to volunteer availability.

Colonel Lyle’s collection

Barrington Court was taken on by Colonel Lyle and his wife ‘Ronnie’ in 1920. The next five years saw a major restoration project at the Tudor mansion. Colonel Lyle had a passion for collecting historic woodwork and fireplaces rescued from lost houses.

With the help of the architect James Edwin Forbes, Lyle put a lot of his collection to good use at Barrington Court. For example, the staircase in the east hall is believed to have been saved from a Scottish castle. Other items he acquired include linenfold panelling, fireplaces and surrounds.

Visitors on the South front of Barrington Court, Somerset | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

Court House

Court House is currently closed for the Barrington Court Revival project. The house will remain closed for some time as we carry out research to ensure we restore and repair the building using the correct materials and tools, whilst minimising environmental impact.

The Great Hall

Barrington Court’s Great Hall resonates with the atmosphere of parties past. This is where people would have gathered to celebrate a family occasion, have a weekend party with friends or even hold a fancy dress ball.

The room would have been full of laughter, music and dancing, while the golden stars shimmered in a midnight-blue ceiling. You can imagine gossiping guests gazing down on the room from the minstrels’ gallery.

Historic bathrooms

There are several historic bathrooms to discover in Court House. Visitors can glimpse the Tudor garderobe on the climb up the east staircase. However, the master bedroom is home to a more sophisticated bathroom, which boasts an Edwardian flushing water closet.

All of Barrington’s ‘modern’ bathrooms contain beautiful hand-painted tiles, selected by Ronnie Lyle.

The Long Gallery

One of Barrington Court’s most stunning features is the Long Gallery. Running the length of the attic floor, it would have been used for indoor exercise during the Tudor era.

However, by the 20th century, it was in need of repair. In fact, when Canon Rawnsley, co-founder of the National Trust, visited Barrington Court in 1907 he described the Long Gallery as being ‘full of holes, providing a great home for owls’.

Fortunately, Colonel Lyle restored the gallery’s walls using his collection of panelling. In fact, many pieces contain wonderful details and marquetry, including a skull and crossbones as well as an axeman’s block.