Upton House

Upton House was built in 1695 for Sir Rushout Cullen. It was remodelled by Percy Morley Horder in 1927-9 for Walter Samuel, the 2nd Viscount Bearsted, whose family founded the Shell Oil Company. Morley Horder’s alterations to Upton were made partly to house the Bearsted’s large art collection, partly to provide extra bedrooms, and partly to remove the effects of some 19th-century additions which had destroyed the symmetry of the original Baroque house. This involved a drastic reworking of the interior, as well as the building of substantial wings to either side of the main block. The alterations also included the addition of a squash court at the west end, but this was later converted into a picture gallery. The restrained interiors allow for many of the rooms to be used as display spaces for Upton’s magnificent collections.

Upton House, Warwickshire

This collection has 2,854 items online

A selection of items from the vast collection of Lord and Lady Bearsted housed at Upton House and Gardens. From tapestries, to paintings and porcelain, the selection represents their love for collecting. The family, as well as being 1930s millionaires and earning their money through the family founding the Shell Oil company, spent their fortune on this vast collection. They also were involved in local, national and international philanthropy as represented in this selection. The vast paintings collection contains works by George Stubbs, Saenredam, Hogarth, Bosch, El Greco and Gainsborough. The collection is hung still as intended by Lord Bearsted, through the wonderful house he used for long weekends in the Warwickshire countryside, entertaining guests. From Dutch art in the Long Gallery, to some of our oldest paintings in our Picture Gallery, the wonderful collection remains today as Lord Bearsted intended.

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