Petworth House in West Sussex is a late 17th-century Grade I listed country house, famous for its extensive art collection made by George Wyndham, and its 700-acre landscaped deer park, which contains the largest herd of fallow deer in England.
I didn't get to spot any deer on my visit. It was a cold winter day and most of the manor was closed to the public; views overlooking the park, and the best place to spy on the herd, was inaccessible to visitors. Instead, I spent most of my time in the North Gallery where the extensive collection of paintings and sculptures were kept.
In the North Gallery, you can find paintings by Van Dyck, carvings by Grinling Gibbons and Ben Harms, classical and neoclassical sculptures including ones by John Flaxman and John Edward Carew, and wall and ceiling paintings by Louis Laguerre. It was my favourite room by far.
The only other rooms open during my visit were the chapel and Servants' Quarters. In 1829, these kitchens served 100 meals a day and nearly 30,000 guests. Oh to have a kitchen this size!
