National Trust - Arlington Court and the National Trust Carriage Museum, Historical carriage museum at Arlington Court country estate in North Devon, England.
Arlington Court houses a collection of more than 40 horse-drawn carriages ranging from grand state coaches to humble servant carts, all displayed in restored Victorian stables on the country estate. The vehicles represent different periods and purposes of 19th and early 20th-century transport.
The collection began in 1964 when the 6th Marquess of Bute donated eight carriages that formed the foundation for what became a major national transport heritage collection. Over the following decades, more vehicles were added to document the evolution of British carriage-making and horse-drawn transport.
The carriages on display reveal how 19th-century Britain was organized by class, with elaborate coaches reserved for the wealthy and simpler vehicles for servants and workers. Walking past each type, you understand how transport directly reflected a person's place in society.
The estate features wheelchair-accessible paths throughout the grounds and adapted facilities for visitors with mobility needs. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended since the property is extensive and involves considerable walking.
Among the collection is the Antrobus Travelling Chariot from 1814, a vehicle with a remarkable diplomatic history. It carried Colonel Antrobus to the Congress of Vienna during the negotiations that reshaped post-war Europe.
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