The Ghosts of Uppark House

Uppark House in the South Downs of West Sussex has a history marked by scandal, eccentricity, and disaster. The 17th-century mansion, devastated by fire in 1989 and painstakingly restored, appears to retain ghostly residents from its colorful past.

The House

Uppark was built in the 1690s and remained virtually unchanged into the 20th century, earning it the description of a “sleeping beauty” of English houses. The 1989 fire nearly destroyed it, but an extraordinary restoration project returned it to its former state.

Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh

The ghost of Sir Harry Fetherstonhaugh, who brought Emma Hamilton to Uppark as his mistress before she became Lord Nelson’s lover, has been reported in the house. His dissolute lifestyle and complex romances left strong impressions on the building.

The Dairy Maid

Most famously, Sir Harry married his dairy maid, Mary Ann Bullock, when he was 70 and she was 20. Her ghost has been seen in the dairy and grounds. The extraordinary marriage lasted until his death, and Mary Ann continued to live at Uppark until 1874.

The Fire Connection

Since the 1989 fire and restoration, some staff have wondered whether disturbing the house reawakened dormant spirits. Activity seems to have increased since the restoration, though this may simply reflect greater attention to such phenomena.

The Experiences

National Trust staff have reported footsteps in empty rooms, cold spots, and feelings of being watched. Visitors occasionally photograph unexplained lights or shadows. The restored house maintains its time-capsule quality, perhaps preserving spiritual as well as physical history.

Assessment

Uppark’s combination of remarkable history, traumatic fire, and meticulous restoration creates an unusual context for reported hauntings. The spirits who inhabited its unaltered rooms for centuries appear to have returned after the restoration returned their home to them.