Sussex

Petworth Park through Turner's eyes

Summer Sunset at Petworth | © Andrew Butler

Discover the views that inspired England's greatest landscape painter, JMW Turner, who was a frequent guest at Petworth, returning year after year thanks to his friendship with George O’Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont (1751-1837). Stroll around the glassy lake where the artist regularly fished and take in the views captured in his paintings, ‘Dewy Morning’ and 'Sunset, Fighting Bucks'. Stop in afterwards to view the collection at Petworth House, home to 20 Turner oil paintings – the largest collection outside of the Tate.

Near to

Petworth

Start point

Petworth Park car park, grid ref: SU966238 (not Petworth House car park)

Trail information

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Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

DistanceMiles: 3 (km: 4.8)

Duration2 hours 30 mins

Dog friendly***

*A moderate walk with some steep sections. For further details, please see Terrain section.
**Uneven terrain and steps on some pathways. For further details, please see section marked Access.
***Dogs welcome. For further details, please see section marked Facilities.

Address
Petworth North car park, London Rd (A283), West Sussex, GU28 9LS
Directions via Google Maps
By train
Pulborough 6 miles (9.6km).
On foot
Pedestrian access from Petworth town and A272.
By bus
No.1 service between Worthing and Midhurst (passes Pulborough train station).
By road
Car park on A283; No vehicles in park. £3 parking fee in Petworth car park for non-National Trust members. Free for members (please scan membership card at parking machine).
Total stages: 5
Total stages: 5
Start point
Petworth Park car park, grid ref: SU966238 (not Petworth House car park)
Stage 1
From the ticket machine in the Deer Park car park and with the park wall on your left, walk down the grass path (keeping the wall to your left). Continue until you reach the Lower Pond.
Stage 2
From the top end of Lower Pond any of the three paths towards Arbour Hill will lead you to Upper Pond. Follow the path to the right of Upper Pond, and stop shortly after the gate. You should have the two spring-fed Stew Ponds ahead of you and a lumpy grass hill on your right.
Lower Pond
After an early morning sketch Turner would go fishing at Lower Pond. While the 3rd Earl of Egremont was used to this daily routine, it landed him in trouble at Tabley House in Cheshire. When commissioned by Sir John Leicester in 1809 for an oil painting of the lake there, he would often be found fishing mid-morning instead, and when pressed he responded that the sketch had already been completed! The finished painting was bought by the 3rd Earl on the death of Sir John, and can be found in the North Gallery in the House. You will still often find fishermen at Lower Pond where there are healthy pike, tench and carp populations.
Stage 3
Look across Upper Pond towards the House to see the scene from Turner's oil painting entitled 'Dewy Morning', one of a set of four exhibited in the White Library in the House - this room is open occasionally to visitors, by kind permission of Lord and Lady Egremont. The paintings took over four years to complete due to Turner testing different subjects and compositions. From here walk across Mansion Lawn until you are roughly half way between Upper Pond and the House
Stage 4
To continue with your walk heading further along Mansion Lawn and join a stone path beside the ha-ha built by Capability Brown.
Sunset, Fighting Bucks
From this position turn around to look back across the lake - this was the inspiration for 'Sunset, Fighting Bucks', which is currently located in the Carved Room in the House. If you visit us in late September or October the deer are often seen rutting very close to the House. The view you see today may differ slightly from that immortalised in Turner's paintings, as Turner often drew from memory. After a quick pencil sketch he would complete the painting indoors, normally at his studio in London. He also painted an idealised view of the landscape and, finally, the park has grown in size since the early 19th century when Turner visited.
Stage 5
Continue up the hill along the stone path as it hugs the wall, as you reach the top follow the path down the hill and then continue to hug the walls of the Park until you reach the Lower Pond once more. From here retrace your steps back to the Deer Park car park.
End point
Petworth Park car park, grid ref: SU966238 (not Petworth House car park)
Trail map
Petworth Park through Turner's eyes trail, Sussex | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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Petworth House and Park, Petworth, West Sussex, GU28 9LR

01798342207

petworth@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Near to

Start point

Trail information

Difficulty*

Accessibility**

Full trail

Getting here

Facilities

Accessibility

Terrain and elevation

Trail route

Total stages: 5

Total stages: 5

Start point

Stage 1

Stage 2

Point of interest

Stage 3

Point of interest

Stage 4

Point of interest

Stage 5

End point

Trail map

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