A snapshot history of Petworth House and Park at Petworth

Find out more about the history of Petworth from the family tree to the history of the building and even the story about the transformation of the formal garden to parkland.

View of Petworth, West Sussex, seen over the lake, part of the Capability Brown landscaped parkland.
The West Front of the Petworth mansion from the Pleasure Ground

Tudor manor house to English 'Versailles': A history of Petworth House 

Discover more about the transformation of the manor house from Tudor origin to present day palatial house.

Painting of George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont

The Petworth family tree  

Explore the history of the family at Petworth and understand how their surviving collection of art and sculpture reflects the passage of major historic events. Download a family tree to help get your bearings before you visit the mansion.

Aeriel view of Petworth

The transformation of the park 

The majestic 700-acre park at Petworth is one of the finest surviving and unspoilt examples of an English landscape designed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. Find out more about the transformation from formal garden to 'natural' parkland and its use during the Second World War.

A photograph of St Mary's Church in Petworth

The history of Petworth Town 

Find out more about the history of Petworth town and how it has connected to Petworth House and Park for generations.

Important moments in history

The Apotheosis of Princess Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales by Henry Howard, 1818

Celebrating the life of Princess Charlotte 

2017 marked the 200th anniversary since the tragic death of Britain's beloved heir, Princess Charlotte Augusta. A handful of paintings capturing pivotal moments of her life and death are on display in the North Gallery at Petworth.

Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland by Anthony Van Dyck

The Gunpowder Plot and the Petworth connection 

Remember, remember the 5th of November. Find out about the connection Petworth has with this failed attempt to assassinate the King of England and destroy Parliament.

Henry Fuesli's Macbeth, Banquo and the Witches, 1793-4

Shakespeare at Petworth  

Celebrate one of the world’s greatest playwrights at Petworth. The extraordinary art collection, the finest in the National Trust’s care, contains several examples of artists interpreting Shakespeare’s works.