Treasuring Petworth tours and Spotlight on Conservation

A volunteer room guide at Petworth House

Over the winter months while the days are darker our Conservation Team carry out checks and deep-cleaning of the interiors and collection at Petworth. This winter from 2 January to 25 March 2018, join a tour of the mansion and discover more about the history of the Petworth collection and how we care for these treasures.

Please be aware that from 2 January 2018, the only way to view the state rooms is via a Treasuring Petworth tour or with a William Blake in Sussex exhibition ticket. Tickets for a Treasuring Petworth tour are limited and provided on a first come first serve basis. Please enquire on arrival. To avoid disappointment why not visit on a weekday for increased tour availability. Only selected state rooms are available on a tour and to enjoy the full extent of the Petworth collection please visit us again from 26 March 2018.

Petworth is filled with an extraordinary collection of art that plots a journey through major events in British history from Tudor Reformation and Civil War all the way up to the Napoleonic Wars. These works by notable artsits such as Turner, van Dyck, Blake and Flaxman stand as one of the most important collections in the care of the National Trust.

Join one of our guided tours visiting select rooms of the mansion and discover the history behind some of the collection at Petworth and how we go about taking care of these treasures for future generations to enjoy.

Over the winter months our conservation team systematically clean the interiors and collection of the mansion. We then close these rooms off to protect the most delicate items from harm. 

On a Treasuring Petworth tour you won't be able to see every room of the mansion but you will be still be going behind the scenes to see some of the collection and you may see some of the team carrying out work to preserve items in the Petworth collection.

Macbeth and the Witches (from William Shakespeare's 'Macbeth') (unfinished) by Sir Joshua Reynolds PRA (Plympton 1723 - London 1792)

One of our featured paintings on the tour is 'Macbeth and the Witches' by Sir Joshua Reynolds. Commissioned in 1786, Reynolds eventually had to leave the painting unfinished in 1789 when he began to go blind. Unfortunately because of the pigments Reynolds used the painting then began to deteriorate of the years. In 2014 the National Trust removed the painting for six months of intense conservation work.

Convervation assistants cleaning curtains from our collection
Conservation assistants working on our collection
Convervation assistants cleaning curtains from our collection

Spotlight on Conservation

In contrast to the grandeur and opulence of the mansion, for the first time we will be opening the Estate Offices on a free flow basis.

Built between 1803 and 1805, discover more about the agents and clerks that would have used these rooms to assist the 3rd Earl of Egremont in managing his estates and interests.

On display you will also find items you can touch, can you work out what the equipment would have been used for?

We'll also be putting the spotlight on some of our team. We'll be introducing you to some of the agents of the 19th century and comparing them to our current House Steward.

Discover more about the clerks of Petworth in the Estate Offices of Petworth
The Estate Offices at Petworth
Discover more about the clerks of Petworth in the Estate Offices of Petworth

Support us

Normal admission prices apply and you can support our work by becoming a National Trust member at Petworth or paying gift aid admission and helping us to preserve the spirit of Petworth forever, for everyone.