Sussex: A Weekend in Petworth.
all opening times correct at time of publication Petworth has long been on my bucket list for Sussex. I’ve driven through it numerous times getting to commissions but have never stopped to see it or walk round the famous Petworth Park. So what better way to pop my Petworth cherry at the turn of autumn when the trees withdraw the chlorophyll and reveal their true colours creating a rich and pleasing landscape?
I arrived in Petworth on a sunny October Saturday afternoon to meet a friend. The plan was to walk the dog in Petworth Park and then check out a little of the town before closing time but not giving us too much time to be tempted to spend money. We were staying a few minutes outside of the town in the vans so we checked that out, then parked in the Pound Lane car park. We were so lucky with the weather and had gorgeous sunshine until we left the following lunchtime, only for it to chuck it down when we got back to Brighton. It felt like our weekend at Petworth was meant to be.
Good to know: parking in the main Petworth House car park is £4 all day (not included in ticket price if going to the house) and free for National Trust members and the same deal in the North Car Park but parking is £3 all day. Parking in the main town car park (Pound Lane) is free for the first hour (but you still need to enter your number plate in the machine and get a ticket) and £2.20 for all day. Bargain.
Petworth Park.
If you’re heading to Petworth, a few hours put aside in your itinerary for a slow walk round the park is essential. The 700 acre deer park is home to not only deer but lakes, grand trees, sweeping views and other wildlife. We didn’t go to the house so we parked in the North car park, arriving early because it was a sunny weekend and we had read that the car park got busy and the reviews weren’t wrong because when we left around noon it was heaving. We found the day before that it is possible to park in the main town car park and walk up but be aware that in the lighter months the park is open from 8am-8pm and in the darker months from 8am-6pm. We didn’t visit the house as we had Monty with us but here’s the information if you are thinking of going and I’ll update this post if I get to the house in future.
Dogs are allowed in the house pleasure gardens on a short lead and allowed off lead in the deer park but be aware that there are many deer in the park so if your dog is likely to chase one, you know what to do. We visited in October which is rutting season for the deer. It was magical to hear the noises and see the stags so fizzy.
The Town Centre.
There is much to look round in Petworth town. We learned that going on a Saturday is better than a Sunday as most things are shut on a Sunday (and quite rightly so). Luckily we had factored in a few hours before end of day and it worked out well because we weren’t tempted to spend much! The wares available in Petworth are of high quality and come at an appropriate price point. We started at the top of the beautiful Lombard Street and headed on down.
Our first stop was the Kevis Art Gallery. Of all the galleries in Petworth this was our favourite. The collection was well curated and like looking through a collection of photos, sometimes less is more because you are left feeling as if you remember each and every artwork. The Nordic like interior and soft light adds to the atmosphere.
From here we stopped into Tallulah Fox, a gorgeous interiors shops with beautiful fabrics to gaze at and then started moving through the rest of the town. Give yourself a good few hours to wonder around the shops in the square, at the start of the High St and New St and down East Street, then on the other side of the car park is the Newlands House Gallery and The Hungry Guest cafe which is an excellent choice if you’re looking for lunch.
There are many antique shops In Petworth, enjoy browsing without a schedule.
Don’t miss Petworth Book Shop by the car park - an independent bookshop with so many great books I had never seen before. If you’re a book fan set some budget aside for this!
Eating & Coffee.
The Hungry Guest is a much loved Petworth institution with three sites in Petworth: a shop and deli, a butcher and cafe. We loved a visit to the shop and bought a delicious pastry and drinks to eat just before we left Petworth.
On the Sunday morning, realising I hadn't bought my espresso maker I started to feel twitchy about where my morning coffee was coming from with most places not open until 10am. Walking Monty has it’s uses though, as I was coming back from a lovely walk through a valley I spotted the Angel Inn and we had a wonderful breakfast here. The atmosphere of the pub was great and the team couldn't have been more attentive. I can imagine in the colder months it’s a delightful place to have breakfast with the fire roaring, specially after a night in the van.
Walks.
As mentioned, Petworth Park is the obvious choice here for getting a stomp on but if you want to explore outside of the park there are lots of public footpaths. I wandered down the side of the Catholic Church and found a network of footpaths that was stunning in the morning light. Also nearby is Pulborough with plenty of walks down the river and there is also Pulborough Brooks which is an RSPB reserve (not a place for Monty with his getting in water obsession).
