We visited Petworth House today. It’s a National Trust supported location. Now, I could very easily wax lyrical about the gardens which are another Capability Brown Extravaganza and they are really lovely, but what I want to write about is the inside of stately homes.
A couple of years ago, we went on an organised trip to Goodwood House. This was the first time anybody had really talked about the art in the house. These weren’t just random pictures, of which there were quite a few, there were pictures of and about the family and having someone tell us about it, really brought the these people from the 1500-1700’s alive.
Back to Petworth; This is their photo album. Really though, to compare Turners and Van Dykes (there could also have been Constables, but apparently he didn’t get on with Van Dyke). The pictures tell a story of turbulent times, a young girl married & widowed at thirteen, and again at fourteen, people imprisoned in the Tower of London, found guilty by association with Guy Fawkes and other events.
It’s a lovely building, although I don’t think I could ever live there, an interesting piece of our history. I’m glad we went.
Bills Posts 