The house was owned by generations of the Skinner family who were prominent Traders in Speightstown. Architecturally, it is simple in design and was used as the model for other merchant homes in 18 Century, Speightstown.
The house has been restored by the Barbados National Trust but only after it was saved from literally crumbling to the ground. Arlington House is home to one of the better interpretative museums in the English speaking Caribbean. There are three floors of exhibits which, together, tell the story of Barbados, Speightstown, sugar and life on the island between the 18th and 20th Centuries.
Many of the buildings in Speightstown, especially those on Queen Street reflect the plan of Arlington House and should be preserved. The Trust had hoped that with the restoration of Arlington it would have been the catalyst for the owners to restore many of the beautiful buildings on Queen Street.