Potty for Petworth House

There are many reasons that I’m proud to call West Sussex home, but being close to Petworth House is definitely near the top. This National Trust attraction has something for everyone, truly.

With almost 1,000 years of history (and one family owner – the Percy’s), more than a day is needed to fully enjoy Petworth House. From the tranquil deer park to a historically vital art collection, there is enough to keep the whole family entertained.

The grounds represent one of “Capability” Brown’s masterpiece landscapes, where (in the 18^th Century) he created a truly stunning, and quintessentially British, roaming garden to explore. Over 700 fallow deer now live here, which adds a beautifully relaxing aspect to this already stunning walk. It’s not hard to see why Turner was so inspired. The landscape gives the impression of naturality, where in fact nothing could be further from the truth as an initial formal garden was stripped away to create a lake framed by signature Brown hills.

Once at the house, there are two buildings to explore, the beautiful house and a smaller, stand-alone servants’ quarters. The 17^th Century building contains stunning state rooms which house over 300 paintings. Here you can enjoy signature works from Van Dyck, Turner, Reynolds and Gainsborough. One of my favourite pieces is a globe that dates to the reign of Elizabeth I. I like to imagine the most successful monarch of our history peering at the globe, sending Raleigh off to the New World.

In contrast to this, the servants’ quarters offer an atmospheric insight into life for the less fortunate. I would recommend visiting this part after the grandeur of the house as the stark combination is made even more apparent. This building would have accommodated 40 live-in servants and they certainly wouldn’t have had time to enjoy the extensive art collection.

The kitchen was built slightly after the quarters, but again, it is an integral part to any visit. It is very easy to imagine yourself a servant, busying yourself with the families requests in the beautifully restored kitchen. According to the tour guide, this kitchen produced 100 meals a day in peak entertaining. That’s a lot of cooking.

So, a classic Capability Brown landscape, an artwork collection comprising some of Europe’s most important artists and a lovingly restored servants’ quarters that give an insight into life in the 19^th century all in one location. We’re a lucky bunch.

JAMES DEMPSTER