Published by National Trust, 1995, softcover, illustrated, index, 96 pages, condition: as new.
The Uppark of today owes much to Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh, who is responsible for its fine Georgian interiors and grand tour art collection.
Sir Matthew Fetherstonhaugh bought Uppark for £19,000, around £4 million today, in 1747 from Charles Tankerville, Ford Greys grandson. He commissioned an extensive remodelling of the interior with architect James Paine, and to furnish his new home he and his wife embarked on a grand tour of Europe in 1749. Together, they acquired fine furniture, tapestries and paintings, some under commission such as the series of nine portraits by Batoni, his renditions of Meekness and Purity of Heart which have hung in the Saloon for over 200 years, and a series of atmospheric seascapes by Joseph Vernet. The list of artisans he engaged reads like an encyclopaedia of masters, with acquisitions from Antonio Canaletto, Tommaso Ruiz, Luca Giordano, Francesco Zuccarelli, Frans van Bloemen, and Jacob Xavier Vermoelen. Sir Matthew returned to Uppark in 1751 but continued to acquire new pieces such as the Rococo pier-glasses and the scagliola tabletops by Don Petro Belloni, only five of which are known to exist, all of which were produced for friends of Sir Matthew.
Interior alterationsBy this time, the service blocks to the east of the house had been demolished and replaced by the pavilions visible today, and by 1759 Sir Matthew's accounts showed that he had spent £16,615, around £1.8 million today, on 'Uppark, beside furniture. Perhaps the finest alteration to Uppark's interior came in 1770 when a mezzanine floor was added to the Great Hall to create the Saloon and Print Room above. The Saloon's ceiling, likely to have been designed by Paine, features intricate Palladian-style plasterwork that resonates with the ornate door architraves and capitals. By 1772, Sir Matthew's recurring health problems had become more serious. He died two years later at his house in Whitehall. As a mark of his character, in his will he awarded a years salary to 43 servants.
