in justifying its decision to restore Uppark, the National Trust could point not only to the survival of most of the contents but also to the existence of a detailed photographic record of the interior as well as the simple fact that the insurance cover only allowed for facsimile reconstruction. Yet, even if these factors had not all applied, it would have been difficult for the Trust to opt for any other approach. For devotees of the English country house, Uppark represented something of an ideal. Not only was it built during a period that continues to be regarded by many as an aesthetic high point, but as a relatively modestly sized brick structure, it had a kind of doll's-house perfection that made it easy to perceive as a home (Plate 144). Above all, the interior had remained virtually untouched since the late eighteenth century, making Uppark (in a much repeated phrase) a 'sleeping beauty For Christopher Hussey, one of the pioneering generation of country house enthusiasts, it was 'the kind of house where you feel you might look through the window into the life of another age' (Country Life, 14 June 1941, p.520) Recent owners, including the National Trust on advice of John Fowler, had restricted themselves to repairing and retouching, thereby anticipating the minimalist approach to conservation that prevails today.