Petworth and Petworth House - a double helping of delights
Do you enjoy nothing more than meandering around pretty, old villages? Maybe you’re partial to a top notch antique shop, or two. Perhaps you revel in having a choice of characterful independent retailers to explore. Or you relish a well-stocked deli or wine merchants, and a selection of delicious eateries to choose from when you’re peckish.
If any, or all, of that sounds right up your street, then put Petworth on your must-visit list.
A cobbled street in the ancient market town of Petworth
This attractive, ancient market town, nestled in the heart of the South Down National Park in West Sussex and which was first mentioned in the Doomsday Book, punches above its compact weight with its assortment of lovely old buildings and houses, some lining quiet cobbled streets, others bordering the jumble of main thoroughfares.
The town is full of lovely old buildings
It’s not for nothing that Petworth has been voted the country’s Best Antiques Town. There are antique shops at pretty much every turn. If you’re a lover of rummaging through old stuff looking for treasures, you’ll be in seventh heaven here. Be advised though, as a well-recognised supplier to London’s antique market, there are plenty of fabulous pieces with equally fabulous price tags.
Whilst there are an almost equal number of invitingly well-appointed independent shops dotted throughout the town that are definitely worth popping in to, I would heartily recommend you don’t miss out on paying a visit to the fabulously eccentric Petworth Gift and Clothing Company on Saddlers Row. I can confidently say I’ve never seen a shop with quite so much on sale inside it!
Have you ever seen so much on sale in one shop?!
And when you’re all shopped out, there are plenty of places to refuel, whether you’re after something substantial or just a cuppa and a slice of yummy cake. The emphasis in all the eateries is on local produce, and if you fancy taking some home with you, you’ll be spoiled for choice at the The Hungry Guest artisan food shop on Middle Street.
The wonderful cheese room in The Hungry Guest
What Petworth is best known for, though, isn’t in the town itself, but just outside it.
17th century Petworth House is renowned for its collection of sculpture and paintings - the National Trust’s largest and most significant, its links with legendary artists including JMW Turner who were frequent and enthusiastic visitors, and a huge wall surrounding the estate which according to local legend was built to keep the servants in rather than unwelcome visitors out.
The exterior of Petworth House
Over the 900 years Petworth House has been a family home - it was first built in 1682 when heiress Elizabeth Percy, daughter to the 11th Earl of Northumberland, married Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset - it has been transformed from a medieval manor to the grand Baroque building you can see today. Although, for my taste, it’s a little bland on the outside, you certainly couldn’t level that criticism at the interiors.
Every room is positively dripping with sensational art and sculptures, collected over the centuries by the Percy, Seymour and Wyndham families including works by Turner, van Dyke and William Blake.
There’s even a purpose built gallery, extended in three stages between 1754 and 1825, to display the family’s ever-expanding collection.
One wing of the purpose built North Gallery
For me, the two stand outs are the fabulous Grand Staircase, with murals by Louis Laguerre depicting scenes from the mythological stories of Prometheus and Pandora. Look out for Prometheus handing over the gift of fire - which he stole from the gods - to humanity, bringing power and advancement but also incurring the wrath of the gods. And for Pandora being given the notorious box from the vengeful gods which, once she opens it, will release misery and evil into the world.
The Grand Staircase at Petworth House
Then there are the portraits in The Beauty Room, which is named after the so-called Petworth Beauties, a series of portraits of the influential female friends and relatives of the 6th Duke and Duchess of Somerset. It’s not so much the paintings themselves, which are thoroughly lovely (you’re welcome for my in-depth artistic critique), but the fascinating story behind them that makes them my second stand out selection.
The reduced size Petworth Beauties
Originally each of the beauties was painted full length, but in the early 19th century, the 3rd Earl of Egermont wanted to create space for a new Napoleonic scheme in the room and decided to “cut off their legs. I do not want their petticoats”. The beauties were duly reduced to three-quarter length.
Fast forward to the 20th century and conservators discovered that the lower sections of the portraits had not only been saved but were tacked up behind each picture.
The National Trust is in the midst of a project to restore each of the pictures to their former, full-length glory and that work is the subject of a small but fascinating exhibition in the Servants Quarters across the courtyard from the main house, and well worth a nosey round for the below stairs insights into how the house was run by the army of staff.
The Still Room in the Servants Quarters at Petworth House. It had its own maids who were responsible for bottling, pickling and storing all the jams, marmalades and pickles as well as making tea, coffee and soft drinks
As if all that isn’t enough, Petworth also boasts a majestic 700 acre deer park, one of the finest surviving examples of an English landscape designed by Capability Brown, with wide ranging views that inspired Turner on his many visits. Whilst it costs to get into the house and the adjacent gardens, the majority of the Park is free to explore.
The views of Petworth Park which inspired JMW Turner
If you fancy timing your visit to Petworth with one of their most historic events, then put Nov 20th in your diary. Petworth Fair has happened on that date for almost 1,000 years. Expect to enjoy a town crier, Punch and Judy show, carousel and chairplane amongst other marvellously eccentric entertainments.
DISCOVER PETWORTH is a comprehensive and useful site for the town and all its amenities and events, and you can find everything you need to know about Petworth House, including opening hours and ticket prices and Park HERE
Other historic spots you’ll enjoy discovering
Studeley Castle - the Cotswold’s hidden gem
