Saunton Court, Barnstaple, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. 

An early 20th century formal terraced garden and kitchen garden designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens surrounding a medieval manor house which he remodelled and extended in 1932, together with informal 20th century gardens.

DESCRIPTION

LOCATION, AREA, BOUNDARIES, LANDFORM, SETTING

Saunton Court is situated about 3.5 kilometres north-west of the village of Braunton, to the north of the B3231 which follows the coast from Braunton to Croyde. The site comprises some 3 hectares, and is bounded to the south and west by a minor agricultural lane, and to the south-east by Hannaburrow Lane, now a minor road but until the 19th century the principal route north to Ilfracombe. To the east and north the site is enclosed by fences and traditional hedge banks, while to the north-west the kitchen garden walls adjoin an area of steep pasture with semi-heathland vegetation. The site occupies a valley which runs north-west to south-east, the gradient decreasing towards its southern boundary. There are views from the upper parts of the site around the house and on the terraces south to the sand dunes of Braunton Burrows and to the sea. To the north-east of the house but outside the registered site, Lankham Brake, an area of mixed woodland, is significant both for providing shelter to the garden and framing views from the house and terraces. Woodland on the slope to the south-west of the site performs a similarly significant role.

 REFERENCES used by English Heritage

Kelly's Directory of Devon (1889, 1935, 1939)

B Cherry and N Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Devon (1989), pp 720-721

T Gray, The Garden History of Devon An Illustrated Guide to Sources (1995), pp 200-201

S E Ellacott, Here is Braunton (nd), p 92

The Best of Braunton (nd)

Maps

B Donn, A Map of the County of Devon, 1765

Saunton Court, 20' to 1", 1896 (B170 add/39/25), (North Devon Record Office)

OS 25" to 1 mile: 2nd edition revised 1903, published 1904

Archival items

F W L Stockdale, MS History of Devon (early C19), (Devon and Exeter Institution)

Description written: November 1998

Amended: May 1999

Edited: July 2000