Petworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Petworth |
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 Lombard Street looking towards St Mary's Church |
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 Petworth
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| Area | 26.90 km2 (10.39 sq mi) |
| Population | 3,027 (2011) |
| • Density | 103/km2 (270/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | SU9721 |
| • London | 41 miles (66 km) NNE |
| Civil parish |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | PETWORTH |
| Postcode district | GU28 |
| Dialling code | 01798 |
| Police | Sussex |
| Fire | West Sussex |
| Ambulance | South East Coast |
| EU Parliament | South East England |
| UK Parliament |
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Petworth is a charming town and civil parish located in West Sussex, England. It sits where two main roads meet: the A272 (running east to west) and the A283 (running north to south).
The Petworth parish includes smaller areas called Byworth and Hampers Green. It covers about 26.90 square kilometers (10.39 square miles). The city of Chichester is about 21 kilometers (12 miles) to the southwest. In 2011, Petworth had a population of 3,027 people.
Contents
History of Petworth
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Petworth is a very old town. It was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. This old record showed that Petworth had 44 households, including villagers, small farmers, and even slaves. It also had woodlands, land for farming, and meadows.
One of the most famous places in Petworth is Petworth House. This grand house was built in the 17th century. Its beautiful gardens, known as Petworth Park, were designed by the famous landscape architect Capability Brown. Today, the National Trust looks after both the house and its grounds.
Another interesting historical spot is the Petworth Cottage Museum. This museum shows what life was like for poor workers on the estate around 1910. It was once the home of Mrs. Cummings, a seamstress.
Sadly, Petworth was affected during the Second World War. On September 29, 1942, a German plane dropped bombs near Petworth House. One bomb hit the Petworth Boys' School, causing a great tragedy. Twenty-eight boys, the headmaster, and an assistant teacher lost their lives.
How Petworth is Governed
Petworth has its own local government area, called an electoral ward. This ward also includes nearby villages like Fittleworth and Ebernoe. In 2011, the total population of this ward was 4,742 people.
Getting Around Petworth
Petworth once had its own train station. The railway line connected Pulborough and Midhurst. However, the train station closed for passengers in 1955 and for freight in 1966. The old station building is now a bed and breakfast.
Today, you can travel by bus. There is an hourly bus service that runs between Midhurst and Worthing.
Schools in Petworth
The main school in the town is Petworth Primary School. It is located in the south of the town. Students attend this school until they finish Year 6. Before 2008, there was another school called Herbert Shiner School. It taught students in years 6, 7, and 8. But this school closed when the new Midhurst Rother College opened.
Local Media
For local news and TV shows, residents of Petworth can watch BBC South and ITV Meridian. These channels get their signals from the Midhurst TV transmitter.
There are also several local radio stations. These include BBC Radio Sussex, Heart South, Greatest Hits Radio West Sussex, V2 Radio, and Radio Kirdford. The town's local newspaper is the Midhurst and Petworth Observer. It is published every Thursday.
Culture and Arts
Petworth has a lively arts scene. The town's amateur dramatics group is called the Petworth Players. They have performed many plays, such as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
The Petworth Town Band has been playing music for over 100 years.
Petworth House was also a filming location for the 2014 movie Mr. Turner. This film was about the famous artist J. M. W. Turner. The movie showed him painting in the actual places where he worked in the early 1800s.
The Petworth Society was started in 1974. Its goal is to help protect the unique character and beauty of Petworth and Byworth.
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The Lake, Petworth, Sunset - William Turner - Tate Britain
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In 2020, a new art gallery opened in Petworth called Newlands House Gallery. It features modern and contemporary art, photography, and design.
Petworth Fair
Every year on November 20th, Petworth holds a fun fair. This date is also St. Edmund's Day. The market square is closed to traffic so that the fair can take place. This is a very old tradition that continues today.
In the past, the fair lasted for several days. It might have been held in a field south of the town called Fairfield. Records from 1666 show that the fair was a nine-day event. It was even cancelled one year because of the plague.
Local stories say there was a lost document that allowed the fair to happen. But this is just a myth. In 1275, judges working for King Edward I found that the fair had been happening for so long that no special royal document was needed. At that time, the fair made money from tolls paid by traders selling cattle.
Nearby Hamlets
The small village of Byworth is part of the Petworth parish. It is located just east of Petworth, across the Shimmings valley.
Further east, near the border with Fittleworth, is Egdean. This hamlet has a small church dedicated to St. Bartholomew.
Twin Towns
Petworth has special friendships with two other towns around the world. It is twinned with Ranville in Normandy, France. It is also twinned with San Quirico d'Orcia in Tuscany, Italy.
See also
In Spanish: Petworth para niños
