Description

SU 71 NE,
15/1

HARTING,
COMPTON ROAD,
Uppark (National Trust)

(Formerly listed as: Up Park)

18.06.59

I

So called originally to distinguish the house from Down Park in the same Parish,
long since demolished. The present house was built about 1689 by Ford Lord Grey
of Warke who was created Earl of Tankerville in 1701, and its design is attributed
to William Talman. It is half-H shaped, the main front facing south. 2 storeys
attic and basement. 9 windows and 4 dormers with segmental heads. Red brick.
Stone stringcourse. Wooden enriched modillion eaves cornice. Hipped slate roof.
The 3 centre window bays project slightly with a pediment over containing the arms
of the Fetherstonhaugh family in the tympanum. Long and short stone quoins flank
this projection and the wings. The windows are in stone architrave surrounds with
glazing bars missing, the centre first floor windows flanked by carved swags.
Central doorway at the head of wide curved steps with iron handrail, the doorway
having engaged Corinthian columns, and enriched tympanum beneath the entablature
and a curved scroll pediment. The east and west fronts have 7 windows and 5 dormers
each. The central doorway in the east front was the original main entrance. The
present main entrance is on the north. Here the wings of the original half-H are
hidden and joined by a colonnade added by Humphry Repton about 1810 for Sir Harry
Fetherstonhaugh with a corridor behind this leading to the Staircase Hall. The
house was sold by the third Earl of Tankerville in 1747 to Sir Matthew
Fetherstonhaugh Bt who was responsible for the insertion of most of the interior
decoration of the building. This dates from about 1770 and has hardly been altered
in any respect since, most of the rooms having never even been repainted and even
still retaining their original curtains. This interior was possibly designed by
Henry Keene. The staircase, however, dates from the construction of the house
in 1689. The Dining room was altered by Humphry Repton about 1810 for Sir Matthew
Fetherstonhaugh's son, Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh Bt. Emma Hart, afterwards Lady
Hamilton, lived with Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh here for a short period in the early
part of her career before her association with Charles Greville. The Prince Regent,
Edward Gibbon and others visited the house during Sir Harry's ownership (1774-1846).
H G Wells spent part of his boyhood in the house when his mother was housekeeper
to Miss Frances Fetherstonhaugh, nee Bullock, at the end of the C19.

Listing NGR: SU7798017584

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Uppark at Wikipedia
• Uppark official website
• Wikidata Q7898441

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)