‘Any man who presents himself at my house at 9am on Monday morning shall find work there.’
This simple statement heralded a change in fortunes for the people of Upton, near Banbury, Oxfordshire.
In 1927, the village was struggling as the world was heading into a great depression, and the ‘big house’ has just been purchased by Walter Samuel, the 2nd Viscount Bearsted, whose wealth has been inherited through his father, the founder of the Shell Oil Corporation.
Lord and Lady Bearstead were determined to support the local community and also to find a home for their growing art collection. Under Lord Bearsted's ownership, Upton House was extensively renovated and transformed into a luxurious country residence. Architect Percy Morley Horder led the redesign, incorporating elements of both traditional and modern styles.
In addition, leading garden designer, Kitty Lloyd-Jones, was hired to improve the gardens and she installed the Mirror Pond at the bottom of the woodland walk, which is a lovely place to sit and watch the world go by, no matter what the season.
To learn more about the history of the House, the National Trust’s website gives a comprehensive timeline: The history of Upton | Warwickshire | National Trust
Today, Upton House stands as a testament to centuries of English history, showcasing architectural styles from different periods and housing a remarkable collection of art and artifacts.
My visit was due to the tantalising hints of there being paintings by Bosch, Bruegel and El Greco. And I was not disappointed!
The staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the house and the art. It is worth stopping for a chat as you follow the trail.
One of the first pieces I saw was beautifully placed in the room. Nave and choir of St Catharijnekerk, Utrecht by Pieter Jansz Saenredam from 1660. I love these perspective paintings of churches from this period and this was a fine example.
In this beautiful sitting room, amongst the furniture, the porcelain collections, and the window views, are a series of small Jan Steen’s based on the five senses. This one is The Sense of Hearing.
A highlight was Pieter Bruegel the Elder: The Death of the Virgin. The apostles surround the bed of the dying mother of Christ; a most serious subject. However, can anyone explain why one of them is snoozing by the fire on such an auspicious occasion?
Hieronymus Bosch can be found in most of the big museums around the world, so to discover such a fine specimen here at Upton was a real joy. This is the Adoration of the Magi, and the colours are simply magnificent!
While paintings like this are the big hitters, sometimes it is the smallest works that catch your eye. By a follower of Fra Filippo Lippi, it is the Three Acts of Charity. Reading from left to right, the Righteous man gives Christ a drink, not knowing who he is. The centre image is of him handing over food, and the third image he offers him rest.
I was very excited to see this El Greco painting, The Disrobing of Christ. This is a preparatory for the main event in Toledo Cathedral and although small, it is quite perfect! The interesting fact about this painting is that it caused controversy because Christ is not the highest-placed figure in the crowd!
Those were the highlights and a lovely day out with a woodland Spring walk included in the price! Although Spring has not yet sprung in the UK, the walk was a pleasant one:
Details:
Upton House and Garden
near Banbury, Warwickshire, OX15 6HT
Open all year round
uptonhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk
For more information:
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Wendy is based in the UK and is an English teacher but with industrial tendencies and a particular love of the ‘isms’ that formed in the 1910s! She writes her own art blog: Travels with my Art: exploring art: one gallery, one artist, one country at a time!