Petworth came to the Percy family in 1151. The history of the Percy dynasty is a chronicle of power leading not only to high honours (the earldom of Northumberland in 1377) but also to death and dishonour.

The Percy manor was repaired and extended by the 8th, 9th and 10th Earls of Northumberland in the late 16th and early 17th-centuries. The 10th Earl, a friend and patron of Van Dyck, founded the Petworth picture collection in the 1630s.

The 10th Earl's granddaughter, Elizabeth, as the Percy heiress was married in 1682 to Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, who rebuilt Petworth with her money. Duke looked to France for stylistic influences, and the present house was probably designed by Daniel Marot, a French Huguenot who had been employed by William III.

A patron (most notably of Grinling Gibbons) and a collector, the Duke employed royal craftsmen in the rebuilding and refurbishing of Petworth. His formal gardens were replaced in the 1750s by one of 'Capability' Brown's most poetic 'natural' landscapes, immortalised in Turner's paintings.

Brown's employer, Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont, inherited Petworth through his mother. His collection of Old Master pictures was displayed at Egremont House, Piccadilly and most of his antique statuary at Petworth. The 2nd Earl was also a prominent Whig politician, serving as the equivalent of Foreign Secretary from 1762 until his untimely death in 1763.

©NTPL / Rupert Truman

3rd Earl Egremont and Turner

Then began what has been called Petworth's golden age - the 74-year reign of the 2nd Earl's son George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont.

A great agriculturalist, philanthropist and one of the most successful racehorse owners in the history of the turf, the benevolent and enigmatic 3rd Earl is famous as the host to a whole generation of British artists.

A multitude of paintings and sculptures by Turner and his contemporaries remains as a testament to the 3rd Earl's generosity as a patron. He extended his father's North Gallery twice between 1824 and 1827 as the collection grew.

After the 3rd Earl's death in 1837, his natural son, George made few changes and was created Lord Leconfield in 1859. His son, Henry, 2nd Lord Leconfield, commissioned Anthony Salvin to make considerable alterations, principally at the south end of the house and in the Carved Room.

In 1947 Charles, 3rd Lord Leconfield, gave the house and park with an endowment to the National Trust, thus ensuring their permanent preservation.

©NTPL / Bill Batten