Uppark House and Gardens

So, this is a national trust place.....not free to enter the house, but you can wander the grounds/bookshop/coffee shop for the price of parking. The house is amazing inside. Limited to the ground floor and basement (I think someone still lives there), there is plenty to see. The guides (humans) are very helpful. I was guided by an ex ICU nurse/Teacher (sorry I can't remember your name), and she was amazing. The house is 17th century and has not changed much externally since then.... we can talk about the fire later. The 'outbuildings' (bigger than anything I would ever live in) were demolished in the mid 18th century and rebuilt-to flank the house. There are tunnels leading from at least one of these (the cafe and bookshop) to the main house. In 1989, there was a fire. This destroyed the roof and upper 2 floors. Fortunately, most of the interior was saved by NT members and visitng members of the public. Uppark was restored over a six year period (and a cost of 20 million GBP).

· via Google

A breathtaking visit! The 1700–1860s French-inspired interiors, stunning paintings, and intricate ceiling artwork are truly spectacular. It takes about 2 hours to explore the grounds and accessible floors. ​Essential tips for your visit: ​Arrival: Don’t trust Google Maps for the entrance! Wait until you see the official NT Uppark signpost on the main road. ​Leaving: When departing, the suggested right turn is a one-way street; follow the signage instead. ​Comfort: The house has extreme temperature shifts; the kitchen/pantry gets very hot, while the tunnels near the toilets & cafe are quite cold. ​Weather: Being wide open on the hill, it gets very breezy/cold outside, so bring an extra layer! ​A beautiful, must-see property.

· via Google

Newly opened for the 2026 season on 1 March Uppark gardens were on the verge of bursting into Spring colours with lawns of Daffodils to greet the visitors. The house is now only available to look round on guide led tours of 16 or so visitors so you need to get there early as you can't pre book a slot. The old shop has been converted to a well stocked second hand bookshop with very comfy seating so you can browse at your leisure. The cafeteria is available for light snacks and rather good coffee. Once the roof has been repaired after the water damage from all the heavy rain last, 2025 Winter, they might be back to offering the tasty meals they had before. The tunnels are available and lead to the toilets so not wheelchair accessible! The grounds are looking very well tended and the views over to the Solent as spectacular as you would expect and an excellent place for your children to run around or sit and enjoy a picnic. There are some games for them to try too. Electric charging points also now are available in the upper parking area. The staff and volunteer guides make you welcome willing and able to talk you through the beautifully set out rooms their many contents and paintings. Well worth a day out and plenty to entertain all family members.

· via Google

The House and Garden at Uppark is a typical National Trust property. We got there rather late one afternoon but arrived just in time to join a guided tour of the house. A well-informed guide took us through the history of the house, including the scandals and the family stories of its various owners since the house was built in ca 1690. The gardens are not at their best in early March, but the grounds have many trails for those wanting to enjoy the surrounding landscape.

· via Google