Saunton Court, Barnstaple, England

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

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

Saunton Court appears to have been built in the 15th century, but may have earlier origins. Owned by Sir Robert Chichester in 1545, the property passed to the Luttrell family in the 17th century.

In the early 19th century F W Stockdale noted that Saunton Court was 'an ancient mansion, very delightfully situated'. By the mid 19th century Saunton formed part of the extensive estate belonging to the Christie family of Tapeley Park, Instow, and the house was let as a farm to the Tucker family. An estate plan of 1896 shows the arrangement of the farm, the site of the present gardens to the south-east forming the yard which was enclosed by two ranges of farm buildings on the site of the early 20th century terraces. A further yard with a granary to the north-west of the house occupied the site of the early 20th century kitchen garden.

Saunton Court was acquired by G Rankin in about 1930, and he commissioned Lutyens to remodel the farm as a country house, creating formal terraced gardens on the site of the farmyard and buildings to the south-east, a kitchen garden to the north-west, and informal gardens in the orchard below the house to the south-east. The site has passed through several hands during the 20th century, and remains in private ownership today (1998).