Chris Bavin meets the residents of Petworth in West Sussex who are entering Britain in Bloom for the very first time. These Bloomers want to engage the whole community, from the historic town centre to the modern housing estates on the outskirts, in an effort to bring the community spirit back to Petworth. Firstly, they want to spruce up the drab entrance to the town by the car park to impress the judges. Next, at the local primary school the young Bloomers are creating a brand new sensory garden in an unloved part of the playground. Finally, the team have set the local residents a challenge: to turn some overgrown allotments into award-winning show gardens. For even experienced Bloomers this would be a huge task and they have only got eight weeks until judging day.
Tag: Uncategorized
A tiny piece of old England with a big appeal: Exploring the quaint cobbled streets, hidden lanes and tile hung buildings of Petworth
Unlocking a discreet door in a wall was quite a cool way to enter our home from home on a weekend in Petworth, a quintessentially English market town nestling in the heart of the South Downs National Park.
We were blessed with good weather, which admittedly always puts a sunny glow on proceedings, but Ryde House, – a generously proportioned Grade II newly refurbished three-bed Georgian Villa – is the sort of upmarket residence that during cold spells would be equally pleasant, as it lends itself to cosy fires in the drawing room and lavish cook-ins courtesy of the vast cream enamel gas-fired range in the well-appointed kitchen.
All mod-cons such as large flat-screen TV’s, Wi-Fi, coffee machines and tumble-driers are complemented by high ceilings, sumptuous heavy full-length window-drapes in golden silks, antique rugs and linen upholstered sofas that make it almost disappointing not to light the inviting log-burner.
There is even a comfy looking dog bed in the equally well-appointed boot room. We brought our two student sons instead – a dog may have been easier and definitely cheaper to feed!
Fortunately for those who don’t fancy dirtying the pristine cooker or dishwasher the Angel Inn is a minute’s walk outside our pretty walled courtyard and serves a fabulous breakfast with portions that satisfied even our off-spring. Lunch and dinner are pretty good, too. The inn, with six beautifully renovated rooms, has medieval origins, reflected in original beams, fireplaces and quirky passageways.
Charming, attentive manager Marc Gray presides over an establishment where pub classics are beautifully done and locally sourced steak and beer-battered haddock along with triple cooked chips, are supplemented by dishes with a modern twist such as the delicious pulled pork hash and richly satisfying chocolate crème brulee.
Difficult though it was to tear ourselves from the Angel, Petworth is a foodie paradise. Cooked breakfasts and sour-dough pizzas at the delightful Hungry Guest Café left even our two boys totally satiated, while the wonderful Hungry Guest gourmet food shop was great for coffee on-the-go, divine pastries and checking out the bakery, cheese room and shelves heaving with everything in between, from organic gins to marinated olives.
An hour’s drive from London, the heart of Petworth, with its narrow cobbled streets, hidden lanes and tile hung buildings could be ambled around in half an hour, were it not for its enticing hub of independent businesses including marvellous tea shops, the Artful Tease, which makes its own artisan toiletries, and a myriad of antique, gift and curio shops, all of which make it easy to spend hours browsing or indulging in some serious retail therapy.
Then there is the sumptuous Augustus Brandt interiors and antiques showroom and gallery, occupying a large Georgian villa and coach house with a sister homewares and gift shop in the main square.
Determined to work up an appetite for dinner we took the scenic route to view the jewel in the crown of this lovely little town – Petworth House and Park, a vast 17th-century National Trust stately home.
Grabbing an Ordnance Survey map from the bookshelf at Ryde House, we made our way to a public footpath a few yards on from the Angel Inn and the view stopped us in our tracks.
The path opened out into the wide, luxuriant bowl of the stunning Shimmings Valley. We traversed the patchwork of green, all blissfully downhill, through kissing gates and over a few stiles, until we reached the road leading to Petworth Park.
We missed the last admission into the House, but were allowed into the beautiful 700-acre park, with hills, woods and a serpentine lake that appear to have been formed naturally, but were actually created by famed landscape designer Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown in the 1750’s.
The sun was low in the sky lending a golden glow to the palatial house and we had the whole park to ourselves. It was a wrench to leave, but dinner was calling. Exiting via a discreet little tunnel cut into the grounds we made our way back to town. There was just time for a relaxing bath and a Nespresso back at Ryde House before dinner at The New Street Bar and Grill.
Opened in April this year the décor is warm and inviting, with dark wood floors, velvet upholstery and leather curved banquettes. The focus is on pure ingredients cooked simply to a high standard using locally sourced meat and game, as well as seafood and fish. The Goodwood steak – traditionally raised beef fed on seaweed during the winter – went down a storm, complemented perfectly by triple-cooked chips and creamed spinach.
Desserts including a very posh baked Alaska were equally well done and the modern bar offers a fantastic selections of spirits and wines by the glass or bottle as well as cocktails and a selection of small plates ideal for sharing informally.
There are rooms upstairs that can be hired for private events but on a recent visit the singer Adele and her friend, Hollywood actress Cameron Diaz, preferred to ‘slum it’, enjoying lunch in the main restaurant. Apparently no one gawked at them and the pair, ‘were lovely, very low-key and normal’, according to the discreet and efficient staff.
The weekend flew by, but the blow of leaving was softened by a visit to the nearby acclaimed Nyetimber estate, the South Downs home of award-winning English sparkling wines. Since 2006 owner Eric Heerema has focused his uncompromising attention to detail on the ‘pursuit of perfection’.
Using only estate-grown grapes and their own state-of-the-art pressing centre allows complete control over the wine-making process from vine to bottle resulting in Global acclaim for Nyetimber, a string of awards and an appearance on the ‘Champagne’ list of every top eaterie in the country.
We raised a glass of the finest English fizz to our weekend at Petworth, a small piece of old England with a big appeal.
Article in the Daily Mail 14th Oct 2018
A summer of science at Petworth House and Park
Incredible Inventions Family Trail £3 per trailRunning every day until 30 September, Petworth is inviting families to become an inventor extraordinaire and using clues dotted around the Pleasure Grounds, as well as familiar puzzles like dot-to-dot and a word jumble, create their own unique invention.There is no right or wrong answer on this outdoor trail inspired by the cross-bar lever Elizabeth Ilive invented to help workers on the Petworth Estate lift heavy rocks.Once completed families are rewarded with a certificate to the Petworth Young Inventors Society.
Plan it, Build it, Test it Family Craft Wednesdays in August£2 per childWednesdays in August there’s a wave of activity with drop-in crafts all about water.It’s also an opportunity to tick off an activity from the National Trust’s 50 Things to do before you’re 11 3⁄4Sure to cause a splash, families can have a go at making their own model raft. Once they’ve planned their design and made their raft, families then have the opportunity to sail their creation down the Petworth water table and through its locks.Will it sink? Will it float? In the spirit of science and engineering, if the raft doesn’t make it through the course then it’s back to the drawing board.
Science Saturdays with Sublime Science4, 11 & 18 August, 11:30, 1:30 and 3pm.£7 per child, Booking is essential on 0344 249 1895.Led by the Dragons’ Den Winners Sublime Science, families can have a go at making their own gooey slime as well as their own tasty sweets to take home.On this one hour workshop families can see ‘magic’ tricks and spectacular experiments such as disappearing water.With smoke and bubbles galore, the workshops are inspired by the domestic laboratory and the experiments Elizabeth Ilive carried out at Petworth House.
Ilive’s laboratory reimaginedInside the Servants’ Quarters visitors can find out more about Elizabeth Ilive and see a reimaging of the laboratory she developed at Petworth.In this interactive exhibition there is scientific apparatus to use, chemical experiments to solve, a desk and quill for letter writing, a reading corner, an easel for picture drawing and a giant chalk board for visitors to devise their own equations.
The perfect place for a picnicWith 700 acres to explore, Petworth Park is also the perfect place for a picnic.There are outdoor games to borrow over the summer holidays including Giant Jenga, cricket, croquet and skittles as well of plenty of walks around the lakes and ancient trees of Petworth Park.
Why you should skip the beach this weekend and head to Petworth instead – Article in The Telegraph Travel
Sounds a bit stuffy
Not at all. A little like Midsomer but without the murder, Petworth has an air of charming eccentricity to it. The name ‘town’ seems far too large to describe the small jumble of streets, and the community has much more of a village vibe to it – while everyone knows everyone else (and their business), you’ll never feel unwelcome as a weekender from the big smoke.In fact, if you feel like a last-minute escape, this weekend is the closing of Petfringe, an annual festival inspired by the success of the Edinburgh and Brighton fringe festivals. Drop by on Sunday July 7 and you can catch the grand finale of Comedian of the Year with its whopping £10,001 prize.Did you say something about antiques?
As you wander around Petworth (pick up a town map or download a copy here), be prepared for a plethora of antique stores – they are on almost every corner and down every snicket. There’s a whole antiques market, in fact – a small warren of treasures including mirrors at Christopher Walker, copper and ironmongery at Claire Wilson, and jewellery at Bill Barr Fine Art.If you’ve parked in Petworth Main Town Car Park, you can be at the door of one of the town’s top furniture and antique stores in less than 20 paces. Augustus Brandt is where the residents of Mayfair head to kit out their lavish homes and there’s something for every sense of style, from 18th century Dutch marquetry press cupboards to mid-century Scandinavian lounge chairs by Otto Schultz and Illum Wikkelso. The seemingly never-ending store has a (more) affordable gift shop and also houses exhibitions – Through the Eyes of Four Photographers finishes July 14.Speaking of old, isn’t there a rather grand house in Petworth?
You can’t wend your way through the streets for long without coming across a sign for Petworth House. One of the country’s most famous stately homes, the first thing you’ll discover about the 17th-century building is that it is surrounded by a vast wall, which, if you believe the locals, was constructed to keep the servants in rather than the vagabonds out.Built in 1682 when heiress Elizabeth Percy, daughter to the 11th Earl of Northumberland, married Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, the house has everything you’d expect from an old British mansion. The staterooms house an impressive collection of art and sculpture, including works by van Dyck, Turner, Flaxman and Blake, while the Servants’ Quarters offer a glimpse of life below stairs.What about outside?
While the gardens immediately attached to the house are rather small, and are included in the entry fee, one of the best things about the grounds of Petworth House is that you can access a large portion of them – known as Petworth Park – for free.If you approach the house from North Street, you can enter the park via The Cowyard (look out for the small black National Trust sign). Wander past the interesting outbuildings and pass through the long tunnel to some rather grand iron gates and into the 700-acre park for your daily constitutional (there are also two entrances to be found on the A272, Midhurst Road).Landscaped by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, this vast deer park offers panoramic views and inspired the work of JMW Turner. If you’re eager to explore, visit Walks at Petworth and check out one of the many trails. Be sure to head to the northwest corner of the park to see the Upperton Folly.For those that want to explore beyond the wall, there are some great walks to enjoy – after all, you are in the South Downs National Park. A favourite among locals is the Petworth and Shimmings Valley and a list of local country walks can be found here.That’s a lot of walking. Where can I get some sustenance?Feeling peckish? Not to worry, Petworth has plenty of little restaurants where you can fill your boots, and like any country town worth its salt, the food here is all about fresh local produce.For a bite on the go, swing by Baytree Bakery and pick up something warm and gooey. If you fancy a brew, head for Tiffins tea room.For something more substantial, the New Street Bar & Grill is a must. The restaurant underwent a renovation earlier this year and has been transformed from a thigh-slapping man cave into a light, cosy and welcoming spot serving up tender steaks. Start the meal with a glass of Classic Cuvee from the nearby Nyetimber vineyard.All that fresh air and English wine has made me sleepy
All tuckered out? Never fear, Petworth has quintessential country pubs where you can spend the night. Newly renovated, The Angel Inn is cosy but modern. For something out of town, try The Horse Guards Inn in the sleepy West Sussex village of Tillington.An Ideal Weekend Escape: Article in Forbes Life.
PETWORTH FARMER'S MARKET – JULY
Horn Fair Ebernoe
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
New Butchers Shop for Petworth
Literary Week 2017: Box Office Now Open!
Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
8 – 23 APRIL
Become an egg detective this Easter and help Sir Wyndham Bunny find all the clues hidden around Petworth. Solve the puzzles and win a chocolaty prize.
NAA ( Normal admission applies) + £3 per trail
The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Arts Fair
MAY 5TH – MAY 7TH
Following the success of last year’s event, the Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair takes place for the third year running between Friday 5 – Sunday 7 May. The fair provides collectors, interior decorators and discerning individuals with the ideal opportunity to view and purchase the very finest of art and antiques from contemporary and antique sculpture, oil and watercolour paintings, illustrations, jewellery, traditional and country furniture, lighting, glass, ceramics, silver, barometers, clocks and vintage watches, decorative pieces and objets d’art, dating across several centuries.
Over 48 artisans and dealers will be represented including local Sussex exhibitors Augustus Brandt, Fileman Antiques, Garret & Hurst Sculpture, sculptor Jonathan Knight, Merville Galleries, Montcrieff-Bray Gallery, Rountree Tryon Galleries (that recently opened a new gallery in Petworth), Tim Saltwell and Wilsons Antiques.
Opening times are: 11am-8pm (Friday), 10.30am- 6pm (Saturday) and 10.30am-5pm (Sunday). Tickets cost £10 per person and include a catalogue and complimentary access to the mansion and park of Petworth. Free entry for National Trust members.
The Petworth Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair is kindly supported by the National Trust, Savills, Anderson Rowntree Solicitors, Petworth Art & Antique Dealers Association (PAADA) and the Petworth Business Association (PBA).
For more information, please telephone 01797 252030, email info@adfl.co.uk or visit www.petworthparkfair.com
Walks at Petworth
With 700 acres to explore, there are endless opportunities for walking at Petworth this winter and we’ve compiled a list of downloadable walks to get you started. Plan a short stroll with the family or a longer day out taking in the views that inspired Turner and Capability Brown. Try the free Petworth Park Explorer on your smart phone or tablet to discover even more details.
As the days get colder enjoy the native oaks and limes standing proudly in the park, discover the different monuments dotted around the Pleasure Grounds and take in the views of Petworth that inspired JMW Turner.
To get the most out of your walk we highly recommend trying the free interactive Park Explorer that reveals exclusive details on the impact Capability Brown’s project had on the landscape as well as the power his work had to inspire contemporary artists like Turner to capture his masterpiece.
Once you’ve opened up the Park Explorer take a look at our downloadable walks to suit any ability that bring the history of Petworth to life including a walk that takes in the views that inspired Turner and a walk that passes our ancient and veteran trees of the park.
Around the World Wine Tasting Dinner
Berry Bros have once again teamed up with us to host a series of wine tasting dinners throughout 2017. The first event will take you on a tour of vineyards around the world, pairing a series of wines with a 5 course dinner especially created by our head chef, Paul Welburn.
As ever, we expect demand to be high for our wine tasting dinners so early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.
Date 08/02/2017
Time 7pm – 10.30pm
Price £60.00
See website for more information.
Burns Night Supper
Following the success of last year’s event we are delighted to announce we will once again be hosting a Burns Night dinner. It promises to be another memorable night too, not only will you be welcomed by a traditional Scottish piper but your host for the event, Andrew Moffat will deliver the Selkirk Grace as well as the traditional address to the haggis.
Andrew is well know for hosting Burns Night dinners at the Scottish members club, The Caledonian Club in Belgravia, London as well as many other venues.
The 6 course dinner will be paired with a selection of wines as well as a traditional whisky “dram” served with the haggis.
Tickets are available for advance purchase only. £65.00
Date 27/1/2017
Time 7pm – 11pm
See website for more information.
Petworth sparkles for its Christmas lights switch-on evening
Trees donated by the Leconfield Estates, a sea of white lights and the smell of mulled wine and hot chestnuts combined to create a Winter wonderland at Petworth Christmas Lights switch-on. From midday to 8pm there was something for everyone. Dotted around the Market Square, in the High Street, up Lombard Street and in the Leconfield Hall were over 40 gift and craft stalls while many of the town’s independent businesses welcomed visitors.
There were festive window displays – live and static – to show Petworth at its creative best. Winners of the static window competition were Spriggs Florist in New Street (‘best dressed’), Red Card in High Street (‘most creative’) and Coco Cafe & Sugar Lounge (‘funniest’). Music was provided by schools and bands, choirs from neighbouring communities, Petworth Town Band, a steel band and singers from the Herbert Shiner. Younger visitors were kept amused with a host of activities ranging from the new attraction, the bouncy Snow Globe to Santa’s Grotto. Following the blessing of the Nativity outside St Mary’s Church, there was a live nativity with Mary, Joseph, shepherds and angels with lanterns, not forgetting the star of the show Mr Darcy the Donkey parading the streets of Petworth.
People were invited to sing along to carols, with Father Mark leading the singing from St Mary’s Choir, the Leconfield Singers and Petworth Town Band. The grand finale was the lighting up of the Christmas Tree by Lord Egremont and his two grand-children Esme and Edward. Chris Kemp, chairman of Petworth Town Council, which organises the event said: “It was a very special day thanks to the many volunteers who work tirelessly behind the scenes and for many months to make it happen. Our annual Christmas Lights Switch On brings all parts of the community together.” Have you checked out our new Christmas section yet?
It’s packed with ideas and tips to ensure you make the most out of the festive season. There’s recipes, suggestions for presents and everything from choosing your tree to recycling your packaging and paper.
Source: West Sussex Gazette
Lawyer Leaves Career to Open Art Gallery In Petworth
Ashley Cordwell trained at CMS but after qualifying this autumn, he has set up his own art gallery in Petworth, West Sussex.
What’s your background?
I studied law at Durham. It wasn’t really something I thought I would pursue as a career when I started, but as I went through university I thought it would be a really good option for me. I applied for training contracts in my final year and was offered a place at CMS Cameron McKenna.
I was meant to start my training contract in 2012 but I asked if could have a year off, and I went and lived in France for a year, studying at Poitiers University. Then I asked if I could defer for another year, this time living in Seville. Generally CMS were quite happy with that – when I asked to defer the second time it seemed to be a simple case of moving me to a different spreadsheet – it wasn’t a big deal. So I eventually started in 2014.
What was your training contract like?
I started out in corporate, it was the department that took the most trainees so the thinking was to throw myself in at the deep end and get to know the firm. We do a secondment in our second seat, and I toyed with the idea of going Mexico, but in the end I decided to go to Bristol to do real estate. My dad is an architect and it was something I related to – dealing in bricks and mortar.
I really enjoyed my time in Bristol and went on to do planning for my third seat. I was thinking of qualifying into that. Then I did construction disputes for my final seat, and it was halfway through that that I started thinking I might actually start an art gallery instead.
That’s quite a switch… what brought the decision about?
I felt I would have been shoehorning myself into a department rather than joining one I was really in love with.
My reasons were probably a bit more personal than most. My mum passed away toward the beginning of my final seat, and she was a real role model to me in business as well as everything else. It had never been my plan to qualify and then leave – I always thought I’d be a lawyer for five to 10 years at least. But I just thought, why not do it now, why am I waiting? I’d learned enough generally that I thought I could go into business myself so I just went for it.
Why an art gallery?
It’s a good question. The main reason is both my parents had worked in the art world and growing up I was always around that. The nature of paintings and original art really interested me as a project: every piece is unique and you get to deal with some great people in artists and art dealers. That’s what gave me the idea, and from a business viewpoint actually it’s not a saturated market.
Has your legal training helped at all?
It’s been pretty useful so far. The premises we are renovating is a listed building and in a conservation area. When I was working in planning I was always like, “Why do people buy these buildings?” But if you want something in the centre of a place like Petworth, where the gallery is going to be, it’s probably going to be listed. So we have applied for planning permission, which I have done myself. My dad is the architect so between us we make a pretty good team!
Is your legal career definitely a thing of the past? Do you regret the time you spent training for a profession you’re now not joining?
I have my practising certificate for this year – although obviously I hope that everything is successful with the gallery!
I don’t regret it, because I’ve learnt a lot. I certainly feel more confident in my abilities having spent the last two years in law. I don’t think I would have taken this leap when I was coming straight out of university when I was young and naïve – or even more young and naïve that I am now!
How did your lawyer colleagues react?
The response has been quite mixed – from the incredulous to the envious and supportive. Out of my peers who are now qualified, I think I was the only one not to carry on with law. They are eagerly awaiting the opening weekend, and I’ve sent them all an invite. I think there are certainly a few people further up the ladder who thought, ‘What are you doing – you’ve studied for how many years, and you’re chucking in a decent salary to go it alone.’ I’m hoping to prove them wrong!
Do you have any advice for trainees in your situation?
If they’re thinking of starting their own business, don’t be under any illusions. I’m certainly working longer hours now than I was in a law firm. There can be a whole host of problems and the buck stops with you.
Source: The Lawyer
Petworth’s Star pub wins Fuller’s 2016 best country pub award
The Star at Petworth run by Chris Connor and Ryan Coller, has won Fuller’s 2016 best country pub award, The Griffin Trophy. Presenting it chairman, Michael Turner, said: “Chris and Ryan have been at The Star since 2013 and I have seen it go from strength to strength.” The prize is a £2,000 holiday, staff party and an engraved plaque.
Source: Midhurst & Petworth Observer
Kevis House Gallery Exhibition
West Sussex based artist Tabitha McBain creates decorative and richly illustrated originals painted in gouache and gilded with 24 ct gold leaf, inspired by medieval illuminated manuscripts and bestiaries.
McBain’s greatest inspiration for art comes from the natural world. “As a child I would collect and study shells, feathers, skulls and other objects and continue to do so even now.”
McBain is influenced by the detailed illuminated manuscripts and books of hours from the medieval era, and creates her own unique take on these works combining the traditional medieval decoration around the borders of her paintings with a more modern realistic centrepiece featuring a particular animal or bird. She uses 24ct gold leaf to highlight certain features of each piece.
Sussex born artist/printmaker Clare Dales is showing a new series of lino cut prints, encompassing a ‘food’ theme. Dales began her printmaking journey over 15 years ago, following a one-day workshop in lino-cut.
With a degree in Archaeology, Dales went on to read Architecture, exploring the built and natural environments and experimenting with print techniques, including linocuts, monotypes, textiles and collages. This interest in detail and pattern forms a key theme in her work.
As part of Lewes Printmakers, she has exhibited frequently in the region and has been a contributor to a number of artists books. Her recent solo publication, Eastbourne, An Alphabet, has been well reviewed, drawing its inspiration from the characteristics of this historic seaside town.
As well as producing her own art, Dales runs workshops, where she shares her enthusiasm for print and its possibilities. Printmaker Dales will host a talk and demo on Saturday 26 November at 11am at Kevis House Gallery.
Kevis House Gallery specialises in the wood engravings by Gwenda Morgan (1908 – 1991). This show will feature some of her Christmas and Winter themed prints.
Morgan, who lived in Petworth throughout her life, studied at the influential Grosvenor School of Modern Art in the 1930’s, and her engravings are held by most of the major museums in the UK.
The Morgan prints on offer include rare signed engravings as well as a section of more affordable proof prints, printed by the Whittington Press in 2000.
email: press@hodgsonevents.com or call: 01798 215 007
Gallery opening times: Monday – Saturday, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm. Sunday by appointment only.
Kevis House, Lombard Street, Petworth West Sussex, GU28 0AG 01798 215 007
mail@kevishouse.com
Ramsay Gibb Seascapes at Moncrieff Bray Gallery
Christmas Exhibition Coming Next
Thursday 24th November – Saturday 3rd December
Ramsay Gibb Seascapes
Ramsay Gibb paints majestic scenery with an underlying interest in the archaeology or ancient culture of a place. This is an exhibition of recent work from the far North-West of Scotland, the Hebrides, Sutherland and Wester Ross. . Ramsay writes about this work; ‘these beaches are the edge of Europe and the ones that face the fullest force of the Atlantic. Here the mercurial light of the north, glancing on the sea or fleetingly held within a cresting wave, is the most transformative. These are places of beauty but also shocking power. For the last nine years Ramsay has been represented solely by The Francis Kyle Gallery in London’s West End. Following its closure we are very lucky to be able to show his work.
And new work by gallery favourites: Lucy Powell, Stephen Palmer, Catherine Forshall, Jackie Philip, Sandra Whitmore and Sarah Warley-Cummings
Open Wed- Sat11am to 4pm or by appointment to Christmas Eve.
Elspeth Bray at mail@moncrieff-bray.com
07867 978414
Turner and the age of British Watercolours
Open from 7 January – 10 March 2017 at Petworth House, Turner and the Age of British Watercolour offers a rare opportunity to see a major dimension of British art not normally encountered at Petworth and to consider it alongside our renowned collection of oil paintings and sculpture from the same golden period, 1780-1850.
Defined by The Sun newspaper in 1819 as ‘a delightful repast for patriotism as well as taste’, watercolour painting became a national preoccupation during these years and in this can be seen to parallel the 3rd Earl of Egremont’s particular emphasis at Petworth on British art in other media.
Outstanding works of art
This unique exhibition features 36 outstanding loans from The Higgins Museum, Bedford – one of the finest collections of British watercolours, assembled through judicious purchases made in the post-war years. For Turner and the Age of British Watercolour these are complimented by additional exhibits from the Martyn Gregory Gallery, London, a leading present-day dealer in the field.
Loans include seven compelling watercolours by JMW Turner, famously represented by twenty oil paintings at Petworth, and iconic examples by such great contemporaries as John Constable, Paul Sandby, John Robert Cozens, Thomas Girtin, Francis Towne, Richard Parkes Bonington, John Sell Cotman and David Cox, none of whom are found in the Petworth collection.
While the 3rd Earl of Egremont did not collect watercolours, in common with others of his rank in the 19th century, he did acquire major contemporary British prints for his library. Turner and the Age of British Watercolour also showcases important examples by James Gillray and David Roberts, on loan from the present Lord Egremont and never before publicly shown.
Turner’s celebrated watercolours
Among the highlights of the exhibition is one of Turner’s greatest and best-known watercolours, A First Rate Taking in Stores, 1818. This extraordinary work provides the ideal springboard from which to consider how Turner’s watercolours and oils were actually painted. It remains the only example recorded by an eye-witness who saw it being made:
‘He began by pouring wet paint on to the paper until it was saturated, he tore, he scratched, he scrabbled at it in a kind of frenzy and the whole thing was in chaos – but gradually and as if by magic the lovely ship, with all its exquisite minutia came into being and by luncheon time the drawing was taken down in triumph.’
Turner’s methods brought to life
For Turner and the Age of British Watercolour we’ve worked with two contemporary artists who have made special studies of Turner’s methods.
Mike Chaplin worked with Tate Britain on their acclaimed 2010 publication How to Paint like Turner and for many years was the expert on Channel 4’s much loved Watercolour Challenge. In an upstairs room of Petworth House, overlooking one of Turner’s favourite views – our famous park, Chaplin explores Turner’s watercolour technique and exhibits some of the copies he has made after Turner, alongside other examples of his work which reflect a long-standing interest in the earlier artist.
Charlie Cobb made the oil paintings seen in Mike Leigh’s 2014 film Mr. Turner and has portrayed the works of many other painters on both the big screen and television. He has also recently been artist-in-residence at Leighton House and the Rye Arts Festival. In the Old Library of Petworth House, used by Turner and others as a studio in the 19th century, Cobb exhibits paintings from Mr. Turner alongside more recent work of his own with parallels to Turner’s art.
You can now book tickets online for this exhibition.
L'Eternel
OPENING TIMES
Open from 10.00am to 5.00pm, Tuesday to Friday.
11.00am to 5.00pm on Saturday
CONTACT
Tel: 01798 344434
Email: Purties@btinternet.com
Other times by appointment. Please call ahead to check before visiting
ADDRESS
88a new street, Petworth
West Sussex, Gu28 OAS
Out of India – Exhibition at Moncrieff Bray Gallery
The gallery celebrates the intoxicating spirit of India with a three -week exhibition which showcases new work from contemporary artists who interpret the spirit of India in their own style.
Exhibition dates
Saturday 8th October – Sunday 29October 2016
Private views: Saturday 8th October 3 – 7 pm and Sunday 9th October 11 am – 1 pm
Exhibiting artists: Penelope Anstice, Tobit Roche, Paul Treasure, Victoria Threlfall
Penelope Anstice’s latest body of work was created from two separate trips to India: one to Kerala and Calcutta; and more recently to Jodhpur in Rajasthan. Since her first visit to Jodhpur in 1990 she had always wanted to return to the city which, for her, “encompasses everything India has to offer for an artist.” She is inspired by the ‘Blue’ city’s fascinating architecture, its ancient walls, the towering Mehrangarh Fort, and the vibrant markets teeming with life. “I like to sit amongst it all and paint the permanently shifting scene,” she says, “to try and capture an impression very quickly.”
Tobit Roche has “been under the spell of India” since his teenage years which were spent in New Delhi and he maintains that India is still his spiritual home. Roche grew up amongst artists; his father (who was born in India) was the poet and novelist Paul Roche, who modelled for the Bloomsbury artist Duncan Grant. His landscapes are imbued with the particular haze and atmosphere of the Indian subcontinent. These paintings are “about longing and nostalgia,” says Roche. “I show a view of India which is intensely personal and is based on my emotional reaction to this country. When I am there, I get very moved by the spirit of the landscape, which is t
Paul Treasure travelled to Goa from Kerala for this exhibition thathe says is his “response to the experience of that place.” The paintings express his feelings of joy. For Paul, “India is a magical place that helps to focus the mind on accepting what it means to be a human being today. It leaves me feeling inspired, elated . . . I try to explore these emotions further in my paintings and experiment with many different mediums and materials.”
Victoria Threlfall struck outfrom Rajasthan into Madhya Pradesh away from the popular Indian tourist destinations . Here she visited Hindu pilgrimage sites along the Narmada river and the ancient city of Mandu.
“Leaving bitterly cold and wan London in February and arriving in Indiais an almost overwhelmingexperience. The heat, noise, smells and filth both beguile and repel but the colour is always enthralling with seeminglyimpossible juxtapositionsof hue and tone somehow managing to look harmonious.”
Landscape Exhibition at Kevis House Gallery
Kevis House Gallery brings together five accomplished landscape artists, offering unique interpretations of the natural and built world. All works in this exhibition will be works on paper, with each artist working in their chosen medium; pastels, indian ink, silverpoint, watercolour and gouache.
On now until 29 October when the show ends.
List of the 5 artists; Mark Buck, Frances Hatch, Jonathan Newdick, Noami Rae, David Walsh. Please click on the image to find out more about each artist and their works which will be for sale.