We went to Petworth – one of those small to medium-sized towns on the A272 – Petworth, Fittleworth, Midhurst – which preserves its character better than expected, in spite of all the traffic.

Lombard Street is at its heart – a classic piece of picturesque, with a view up to the parish church:-

We had neither of us been to Petworth House for a long time. You start with the kitchen:-

We had forgotten the amazing wealth of paintings – Titian’s Man in a Black Plumed Hat, great Van Dycks, the Laguerres in the Staircase Hall, a very strange Macbeth and the Witches by Reynolds.

The Duke of Wellington by Chantrey:-

Then the Grinling Gibbons Room. It’s sensational. Such incredibly beautiful, naturalistic carving makes one understand why Gibbons was so admired:-

Ending with the Sculpture Gallery:-