Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Important notice -

To avoid disappointment please book your visit to Arlington Court in advance, especially at busier times such as weekends, school holidays and bank holidays. If you do not book we cannot guarantee admission.

Intriguing Regency house and impressive collection of horse-drawn vehicles, set in a picturesque garden

Please book ahead before visiting Check availability

More about this place

A family with dog sitting on a bench by the pond at Arlington Court

Visiting Arlington: what you need to know 

We're looking forward to welcoming you back. If you're booking a visit to Arlington, read this article to find everything you need to know about travelling here, what's open and what to expect from your visit. We've made some changes to our usual offer, to help keep everyone safe.

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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

What's on 

Please book ahead before visiting 

The Carriage Museum (New Wing only), car park, tea-room, Victorian flower garden, Walled kitchen garden, second-hand bookshop, grounds and toilets at Arlington Court are now open. We've introduced advance booking to keep everyone safe and maintain social distancing. To avoid disappointment please book in advance, especially at busier times such as weekends and bank holidays. However, where space is available on weekdays, pre-booking may not always be necessary.

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Upcoming events

See all events

Timed entry to Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum (19 Oct - 25 Oct)

Thu 22 Oct 2020
10:00-10:30
Book your timed entry to visit Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum.
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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Things to see and do

Double Brougham outside the Carriage Museum

The National Trust Carriage Museum 

Explore the Carriage Museum at Arlington Court, which houses one of the most significant collections of carriages in the country. The New Wing of the Carriage Museum is open daily, 11am-3pm. Visits are limited to ensure social distancing; entry is not guaranteed on the day you visit. In line with government guidance, you're required to wear a face covering inside. Please bring one with you. Please note the Speaker's state coach is currently not on display due to COVID and conservation restrictions.

Exploring outdoors at Arlington

A display of foxgloves in the garden at Arlington Court

The garden at Arlington Court 

From the ever-changing display of flowers in the formal Victorian Garden to the picture perfect pleasure grounds, Arlington looks beautiful whatever the season. Why not bring a picnic to enjoy on the lawn?

Arlington Court woods, Devon

Walking at Arlington 

Find out how far your feet can take you on the Arlington estate. There are over twenty miles of footpaths to explore, ranging from easy strolls to more demanding walks.

Dog walking on a lead

Dogs at Arlington 

The Chichesters, who owned Arlington Court for eleven generations, were a family of dog lovers, proven by a memorial at the back of the house. Today dogs on leads are still welcome in the grounds, formal gardens and carriage museum.

Fun things to do for the family

Two children running along a grass path at Arlington Court

October half-term at Arlington Court 

Tick off some of the 50 things activities from your list this autumn at Arlington

Four snails sit on carved arrows on a stone platform

‘50 things to do before you're 11¾’ activity list 

Find out about all of our '50 things to do before you're 11¾' activities with this handy list. From stargazing to crawling through mud looking for animal clues, we have something for every young explorer.

Visitors in the garden in autumn at Knightshayes, Devon

Family days out in Devon 

From rock pooling on beautiful beaches to exploring colourful gardens and crunching through fallen leaves, there's plenty to keep the family busy over autumn in Devon. Arlington Court, Buckland Abbey, Castle Drogo, Coleton Fishacre, Greenway, Killerton, Knightshayes, Lydford Gorge, Overbeck's and Saltram are all open: please book ahead of your visit.

Newly planted saplings in the Arlington Court woodlands

Sponsor a tree at Arlington Court 

Can you help plant 7,000 new trees over the next few years? In 100 years or so this 'oak' mix will develop into mature oak woodland rich in wildlife.

Sponsor a tree
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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Eating and shopping

Takeaway cream tea at Attingham Park Shropshire

Feeling peckish? 

Our tea-room is open serving takeaway hot and cold drinks and some light snacks. We’ve introduced new safety measures including closure of our seating areas, screens at our till and collection points, and waymarked routes. We’ll also only be accepting card payment. In line with government guidance, you're required to wear a face covering in most enclosed spaces. Please bring one with you.

Bring some character to your garden with our range of garden decor, available on the online shop

Treat yourself 

Looking for the perfect gift or perhaps you're in need of some retail therapy? You can browse our full range via our online shop. Your purchases and support enable us to continue to care for the nature, beauty and history we all miss.

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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

History 

Historic photo of Arlington showing a loggia in the mid-nineteenth century

Bringing the past to life 

Over 600 years of family history and more than 5000 collection items to care for, enough to keep anyone busy.

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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Our work

A young boy gardening at Arlington Court, with his mother in the background

Arlington’s kitchen garden becomes a family veggie patch 

With most of the Trust’s staff furloughed, a small team remained to carry out essential tasks while Arlington Court was closed. Normally three gardeners and 20 volunteers tend to the beautiful Victorian garden. But with the gardening team down to just one member of staff, it became clear we'd need to be creative to keep on top of the gardening during lockdown.

A conservator working on a model ship at Arlington Court

Caring for collections 

From tiny shells to grand state coaches, see how we care for our collections

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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Places to stay

Places to stay near Arlington Court

The sitting room at Woolley Lodge, Barnstaple, Devon

Woolley Lodge 

This enchanting little cottage was once a gardeners lodge. Almost concealed from the road behind wrought-iron gates, it is enveloped in woodland by a little-used driveway into Arlingtons historic park.

The cream exterior of Mortuary Cottage, Barnstaple, Devon

Mortuary Cottage 

A quaint and cosy 200-year-old cottage on the edge of the hamlet of Loxhore, near the southern edge of the Arlington estate.

The exterior of the Coastguard Cottages and Combe Cottage, Clovelly, Devon

Places to stay in North Devon 

From a 15th Century Manor House at West Challacombe, to cosy Coastguard Cottages near the beach at Peppercombe, to a Lighthouse perched on the cliffs near Lynmouth, we have something to suit everyone.

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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Join or give

Visitors in the garden at a National Trust place

Experience more with National Trust membership 

As we gradually and safely open more of the places we care for, there’ll be more opportunities to explore gardens and parklands near you. If you’re a member, you can access all these places free, together with most National Trust car parks. It’s so important for everyone to have fresh air, birdsong, big skies and open spaces to enjoy. Your membership will go towards looking after all of this for generations to come.

A family walk past a colourful bank of rhododendron at Arlington Court

We need your support 

For 125 years, people like you have helped us protect some of the UK's best-loved places. Everyone needs nature, beauty and green spaces now more than ever. But our income has dropped sharply due to the coronavirus crisis, and our essential conservation work is at risk. Please give what you can to help us look after these places, so people and nature can thrive.

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Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum

Art and collections

Our collections

Explore the objects and works of art we care for at Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum on the National Trust Collections website

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© National Trust Registered Charity 205846 Heelis, Kemble Drive, Swindon SN2 2NA

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