Just 90 minutes by train from London you can visit a stately home that’s nicknamed “England’s mini Versailles”.

Located in the historic Sussex town of Petworth, Petworth House is steeped in 900 years of history and has been a favourite with artists like J.M.W Turner.

Petworth House is steeped in 900 years of history.(Image: National Trust Images / James Dobson)

The house features a world-class art collection, landscaped grounds designed by Lancelot “Capability” Brown, and family-friendly events that keep the estate alive with activity all year round.

Now owned by the National Trust, the house is today considered a “mini Versailles” in England, remodelled in the late part of the 17th century by Lady Elizabeth Percy and Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, to resemble the grand Baroque palaces of Europe.

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It’s also where you can famously see England’s oldest English terrestrial globe, made in 1592 and allegedly gifted to the 9th Earl of Northumberland by fellow prisoner Sir Walter Raleigh, while both were confined in the Tower of London.

It houses a significant art collection with works by Turner, Van Dyck, Reynolds and Gainsborough, as well as carvings by the master woodcarver Grinling Gibbons.

You can famously see England’s oldest English terrestrial globe, made in 1592(Image: National Trust Images / James Dobson)

The house was shaped over 9 centuries by the Percy family, once among the most powerful dynasties in England, who were embroiled in everything from the Gunpowder Plot to the court of Anne Boleyn.

Later the house became a host for J.M.W. Turner, John Constable and William Blake.

It houses a significant art collection with works by Turner, Van Dyck, Reynolds and Gainsborough.(Image: National Trust Images / Andreas von Einsiedel)

Turner was so inspired by Petworth’s interiors and landscapes that he painted dozens of works whilst staying in the house, several of which are on display today.

Outside, visitors will find the surrounding 700-acre Deer Park, which is one of the examples of sweeping, naturalistic landscapes with ancient trees, two lakes, and panoramic views of the South Downs.

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The park is also home to one of Britain’s oldest herds of fallow deer, roaming freely for more than 500 years, and autumn serves as a prime time to visit to see the deer rut.

Next to the house, the Pleasure Garden offers winding woodland paths that lead to follies such as the Ionic Rotunda, designed in 1766, and the Doric Temple.

Next to the house, the Pleasure Garden offers winding woodland paths.(Image: National Trust Images / Megan Taylor)

Petworth offers plenty to do for all the family, with its outdoor parkland featuring a family map and seasonal activities like “Little Antlers” craft sessions for toddlers.

There are also holiday events such as the Academy of Witches and Wizards with storytelling.

On the grounds you’ll also find the Audit Room Café and second-hand bookshop to stop off at, and the surrounding town of Petworth offers a plethora of independent shops, restaurants and cafes to explore.