Upton House is a

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peopl ...

in the grounds of Upton Country Park on the northwestern shoreline of Holes Bay in the county of Dorset on the south coast of England. It is owned by

BCP Council Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council is a unitary local authority for the district of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole in England that came into being on 1 April 2019. It was created from the areas that were previously administered by ...

History

The land on which Upton House stands was acquired by William Spurrier, four times Mayor of Poole. The house itself was built by his son, Christopher, between 1816 and 1818 and its west wing was added in 1825.''The History of Upton House & Country Park''
at www.uptoncountrypark.com. Retrieved 3 Jan 2017. The Spurriers had built their wealth on the Newfoundland trade, but this went into decline and this, coupled with Christopher Spurrier's gambling and extravagance, force him to sell the property in 1828 to Sir Edward Doughty, a member of the Tichborne family. Upton House remained with the barons of Tichborne until 1901 when, as a result of massive debts, they sold it on to the Llewellins who held it until 1957, when William Llewellin bequeathed the estate to Poole Corporation (now BCP Council). The council looked at various options to fund its upkeep including plans for a zoo, hospital or golf course. For several years it was rented to Prince Carol of Romania. In 1976 it was decided that, based on public opinion, the estate would be opened that year as a

country park A country park is a natural area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment. United Kingdom History In the United Kingdom, the term ''country park'' has a special meaning. There are around 250 recognised coun ...

and leisure facility for the people of Poole. Following restoration, the house was also opened to the public in 1981. In 2015, Upton Country Park became part of the newly established Holes Bay Nature Park.''Nature Park launched in Poole for wildlife and people''
at www.poole.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 Jan 2017.

House

Upton House is a Georgian

mansion A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word '' manse'' originally defined a property l ...

and Grade II* listed building.''Welcome to Poole's award-winning Upton Country Park''
at www.uptoncountrypark.com. Retrieved 3 Jan 2017. Upton House Gardens (2439)

Park

The country park comprises over 130 acres of

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

land, shoreline and formal gardens. Admission is free and the park is open daily from 8 am until 6 pm. The park is a trailhead for the Poole Heritage Cycle Route. Every Saturday morning at 9am Upton House hosts parkrun, a free, five kilometre, timed event, around the grounds of Upton House. Assembly is at 8:50am outside the tea rooms.

Pergins Island

The estate also includes

Pergins Island Pergins Island is a small, uninhabited island in Holes Bay, an embayment off Poole Harbour in Dorset on the south coast of England. It is not accessible to the public. Geography Pergins Island is located in the north of Holes Bay, north of the ...

in Holes Bay.

References

External links

''Upton Country Park''
official website. {{coord, 50.7366, N, 2.0112, W, type:landmark_region: , display=title, format=dms Country houses in Dorset Poole Harbour Tourist attractions in Poole