Explore the house and collections at Uppark




Uppark certainly makes the most of its vantage point, high on the South Downs ridge. Come see for yourself how the Fetherstonhaughs lived, or venture downstairs into the basement to experience life as one of their servants.
Uppark was originally built in 1690 by Ford Grey, Earl of Tankerville, and styled to make clear which way his political allegiances lay. It was subsequently remodelled during the 1750s by Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, who filled its elegant Georgian interiors with fine furniture, delicate porcelain, and captivating paintings, much of which he and his wife Sarah collected during their Grand Tour of Europe.
His son, Sir Harry, inherited the estate in 1774, and his friendship with architect and landscape designer Humphry Repton led to a number of changes to both the house and its gardens. Sir Harry had a love of parties and the bachelor life, only marrying after reaching the ripe old age of 71.
When the estate passed to the Meade-Fetherstonhaughs, a pioneering period of conservation began, one the National Trust has been keen to continue since Uppark was conferred to it in 1954.