# Barrow Court

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{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name =Barrow Court
| native_name =
| native_language =
| image =Barrow Court 2.JPG
| caption =
| locmapin =Somerset
| coordinates = {{coord|51|24|41|N|2|41|50|W|display=inline,title}}
| location =[Barrow Gurney](/source/Barrow_Gurney), Somerset, England
| area =
| built =
| architect =
| architecture =
| governing_body =
| owner =
| designation1 =Grade II* listed building
| designation1_offname =
| designation1_date =13 October 1952<ref name=nhle/>
| designation1_number =1311901
| designation2 =
| designation2_offname =
| designation2_date =
| designation2_number =
}}

'''Barrow Court''' is a manor house in [Barrow Gurney](/source/Barrow_Gurney), Somerset, England. The site was originally [Barrow Gurney Nunnery](/source/Barrow_Gurney_Nunnery) and was rebuilt in the 16th and 19th centuries. It has been designated as a Grade II* [listed building](/source/listed_building).<ref name=nhle>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1311901 |desc=Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Barrow Court |url=http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=197963 |work=Pastscape |publisher=English Heritage |accessdate=16 September 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016030126/http://www.pastscape.org.uk/hob.aspx?hob_id=197963 |archivedate=16 October 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref>

==History==

The [Benedictine](/source/Benedictine) [nunnery](/source/Monastery) was founded in 1212 by one of the Fitz-Hardinges (or Fitzhardinge), who had been granted the [Lordship of the Manor](/source/Lord_of_the_Manor) by [William Rufus](/source/William_Rufus).<ref name="bho">{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=40924 |title=Houses of Benedictine nuns: The priory of Barrow Gurney |editor=William Page  |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |year=1911 |work=A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 2 |accessdate=16 September 2013 }}</ref><ref name=reggarden>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1000562 |desc=Barrow Court|accessdate=4 April 2015}}</ref> After the [Dissolution of the Monasteries](/source/Dissolution_of_the_Monasteries) in 1536 the area and buildings were granted by [Henry VIII](/source/Henry_VIII) to John Drew, of Bristol, who converted it into a private mansion, renamed Barrow Court.<ref name=reggarden/> The house is closely attached to the original priory [Church of St Mary And St Edward](/source/Church_of_St_Mary_and_St_Edward%2C_Barrow_Gurney).<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1311925 |desc=Church of St Mary and St Edward|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref>

The original building was converted into a country house in around 1538, largely rebuilt in 1545, and further altered and extended in around 1602 by its owner Dr Francis James into its current E shape, which is the oldest part to survive.<ref name=nhle/> It was sold in 1659 to William Gore, in whose family it was passed down until 1881 when it was bought by Anthony Gibbs, son of [William Gibbs](/source/William_Gibbs_(businessman)) of [Tyntesfield](/source/Tyntesfield), who sold it to his brother [Henry Martin Gibbs](/source/Henry_Martin_Gibbs). He largely rebuilt the [Jacobean](/source/Jacobean_architecture) house and the church.<ref name=reggarden/>

During the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War) it was used as a military hospital. It became a college of education from 1949 to 1976 but remained in the Gibbs family ownership until they sold it in 1976. It was then divided into several separate dwellings.<ref name=reggarden/>

On the west of the main house is a [tithe barn](/source/tithe_barn) that dates from the 14th century but has now been turned into a house.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1129208 |desc=Tithe Barn at Barrow Court |accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref>

==Gardens==
thumb|left|Gatepiers, gates and series of twelve pillars known as the ''twelve months of the year''
The house is surrounded by {{convert|6|ha}} of formal gardens and a more extensive area, around {{convert|60|ha}}, of parkland, which held a [medieval deer park](/source/medieval_deer_park).
In 1890 [Inigo Thomas](/source/Inigo_Thomas_(garden_designer)) carried out extensive work.<ref>{{cite web|title=Barrow Court, Barrow Gurney, England|url=http://www.parksandgardens.org/places-and-people/site/294/history|work=Parks and Gardens UK|publisher=Parks and Gardens Data Services Ltd|accessdate=16 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928135331/http://www.parksandgardens.org/places-and-people/site/294/history|archive-date=28 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> building gazebos, a balustraded garden wall<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1129169 |desc=East and west corner Gazebos and linking north Boundary Wall of formal garden at Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> and walled courts.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1320932 |desc=East and West Courts and linking south Boundary Wall of formal garden at Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> In 1890 he added a set of gates and a wall with twelve pillars known as the ''twelve months of the year''.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1129171 |desc=Gatepiers, Gates and series of 12 Pillars forming west boundary wall of formal garden at Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> They support sculptures by [Alfred Drury](/source/Alfred_Drury) representing the "daughters of the year", with January being a young girl at the northern end along to an elderly matriarch representing December at the south, each with flowers suitable to the particular month.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bond|first=James|title=Somerset Parks and Gardens|year=1998|publisher=Somerset Books|isbn=0861834658|page=116}}</ref>

The lily pond with its accompanying pedestals and urns date from the same time,<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1129172 |desc=Lily Pond and 2 ornamental Pedestals with Urns each 20 metres either side of pond in rose garden at Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> along with other ornamental steps, walls, vases, a sundial,<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1129173 |desc=Steps, Walls, ornamental Vases and Sundial forming junction between rose garden and north lawn at Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref> and a mock temple.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England |num=1129170 |desc=Temple, Exedra and linking east Boundary Wall of formal garden at Barrow Court|accessdate=7 July 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist |colwidth=30em}}

Category:Grade II* listed buildings in North Somerset
Category:Grade II* listed houses in Somerset
Category:Houses in Somerset
Category:Jacobean architecture in the United Kingdom

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Barrow Court](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow_Court) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow_Court?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.