Petworth

I've been meaning to mention.. I went to Petworth House the other week, when it was their spring fair. Just in case there was a plant or something that I wanted to buy. Alas, no such luck with plants or Spring Fair type crafts, but what a wonderful place to go and have a look around. The house is so intersting, with the rooms left exactly how they would heva been hundreds of years ago and some as they would have been when the house was donated to the National Trust. They even had fitted carpets, albeit made from rushes. Under the rushes they would lay lavender to take away the general bad smell you would have had in medieval times.

The Capability Brown parklands are home to a thousand deer, no doubt to provide the food for house - I wonder if they still tuck into them now? I'm guessing the herd must be managed? Anyway, apart from the house, I wandered into the delightful, if nothing too much there of interest, town of Petworth, through the door that leads you straight into the centre of town and discovered...

The most wonderful little tea house. I think I'm sounding old at this comment even though I am only 36. Tucked away in a little back road at 1 Leppards, High Street is Tiffins of Petworth, run by the very jolly Niki Jones and Jackie Crew. Just wondering around the town thinking a cup of tea would be grand, when out of the corner of my eye, I spotted this place, immediatly I was drown to the cacophony of chairs and tables all painted in cheery pastel colours, it looked great. In I went and I wasn't dissapointed with the service. The tea (served in a quant old bone china tea cup and saucer) and the scone were delicious and soon dissapeared into oblivion.

I personally don't think that there is too much of interst in Petworth apart from the Great House and antique shops, but I would certainly recommend going to Tiffins of Petworth, for a cuppa and next time I'm passing I'd like to think I will drop by again.

Gareth Sear
Walk and Travel