- Petworth
infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Petworth
static_
static_image_caption= Lombard Street looking towards St Mary's church.
latitude= 50.98638
longitude= -0.60996
population = 2,775 (2001)
shire_district= Chichester
shire_county =West Sussex
region= South East England
constituency_westminster= Chichester
post_town= PETWORTH
postcode_district = GU28
postcode_area= GU
dial_code= 01798
os_grid_reference= SU976216Petworth is a small town and
civil parish in the Chichester District ofWest Sussex ,England . It is located at the junction of the A272 east-west road from Heathfield toWinchester and the A283 Milford to Shoreham-by-Sea road. Some 12 miles (21km) to the south west of Petworth along theA285 road liesChichester and the south-coast. The parish includes the settlements of Byworth and Hampers Green and covers an area of 2689.9 hectares (6644 acres). In 2001 the population of the parish was 2775 persons living in 1200 households of whom 1326 were economically active.The town is mentioned in
Domesday Book . It is best known as the location of thestately home Petworth House , the grounds of which (known as Petworth Park) are the work ofCapability Brown . The House and its grounds are now owned and maintained by the National Trust.Another historic attraction in the town,
Petworth Cottage Museum in the High Street, is a museum of domestic life for poor estate workers in the town in about 1910. At that time the cottage was the home of Mrs. Cummings, a seamstress, whose drunken husband had been afarrier in the Royal Irish Hussars and on the Petworth estate.The railway line between
Pulborough andMidhurst once had a station at Petworth, but the line was closed to passenger use in1955 , and finally to freight in1966 , though the station building survives as a bed and breakfast establishment.The town's amateur dramatics group is known as the "Petworth Players", and their past productions have included 'Allo 'Allo, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, and The Sleeping Beauty.
Petworth has also been the home to the Petworth Town Band for over 100 years. A group of nearly 40 amateur Brass and Woodwind players, the band rehearses weekly and is often seen around the local area playing at local events.
Twin Towns
Petworth is twinned with:
*Ranville ,France
*San Quinco d'Orcia ,Italy External links
* [http://petworthcottagemuseum.co.uk/ Petworth Cottage Museum website]
* [http://www.petworthpages.co.uk Petworth Pages - News and Information for the people of Petworth]
* [http://www.roughwood.net/ChurchAlbum/WestSussex/Petworth/Petworth2003.htm St Mary's Church]
* [http://www.gravelroots.net/petworth/petworth.html The Petworth Guide]
* [http://www.petworthscouts.org.uk 1st Petworth Scout Group]
* [http://www.petworthtownband.com Petworth Town Band]
* [http://www.leconfieldhall.org.uk The Leconfield Hall]
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