Upton House & Gardens

Upton House & Gardens is a magnificent National Trust country house and gardens located near Banbury, Oxfordshire. This honey-coloured house served as the 1930s country retreat of Lord and Lady Bearsted (2nd Viscount Bearsted, Walter Samuel) and has been preserved largely as it was during its 1930s heyday. The house was remodelled to display a world-renowned art collection that includes exceptional Old Masters and British paintings. Art enthusiasts will discover masterpieces by Bosch, El Greco, Canaletto, Stubbs, and Tintoretto, alongside rare French and English Chelsea porcelain. The Smartify app is available to provide a digital guide to this remarkable art collection. The dramatic terraced gardens were designed by Kitty Lloyd-Jones, one of the first professional female garden designers, in the 1930s. These stunning gardens descend steeply into an ice age valley, featuring herbaceous borders, the Wild Garden, Mirror Pool, and the South Lawn set beneath magnificent Cedar trees. The gardens offer a spectacular example of 1930s landscape design. Visitors can enjoy the Pavilion Café, browse the gift shop and plant centre, or explore the second-hand bookshop. Located 7 miles northwest of Banbury on the A422 and signed from M40 exit 12, the property is easily accessible. National Trust members enjoy free admission, while admission charges apply for non-members. The property is open seasonally - check the website for current opening times.