Petworth Cottage Museum
The First Twenty Years
In 2016 we were able to stage an exhibition to celebrate twenty years of the museum. Extracted from the Petworth Society's scrapbooks of cuttings, the pictures and transcripts collected here occupied three sides of the exhibition hall. Five years on we cannot stage another physical exhibition but we can show these cuttings here. Unless otherwise stated the cuttings are all from the Midhurst & Petworth Observer. Click on the pictures to enlarge.
3 Delight as New Museum Opens - 2nd May 1996
“Better than we could have imagined” - that was the comment of Lord & Lady Egremont as they opened Petworth's latest historical project, the Cottage Museum. The couple, who are patrons of the museum trust, have been closely involve in the start of the venture to re-create the turn-of-the-century home of a Leconfield Estate worker. And on Saturday they saw months of planning and work come to fruition as the first visitors toured the High Street cottage once occupied by Petworth House seamstress Maria Cummings. Lord Egremont has supplied the cottage at minimal rent, and workmen from his estate to carry out repairs. Lady Egremont designed and planted the garden, which is also open to visitors, with plants which Mrs. Cummings would have recognised as popular with gardeners of her time. Museum trustee Raymond Harris said more than 100 visitors toured the cottage during the first two days. The Cottage trust and the Petworth Society have between them provided 23 volunteer stewards who will work on a rota, taking the £1 admission (50p for children and under fives go free) and supervising the premises when it is open. Mr. Harris said, “It is only a small cottage and probably no more than 15 or 20 people can go round it at any one time. If it seems full we shall suggest people take a look round the garden.” “So far the comments have been very complimentary”, he added. The cottage equipped with the pots and pans, furniture, ornaments and knick-knacks appropriate to Mrs. Cummings's lifestyle , is open to the public from 2 p.m. on Tuesdays-Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays during the seasonal opening of Petworth House from April to October.
Home
Page
Origin
and Development
Opening
Times
School
Visits
Special
Events
Map
Visitors'
Comments
Mary
Cummings
Goss
China
Leaflet
Friends
Leaflet
Garden
Scullery
Living
Room
Bedroom
Sewing
Room
Attic
Cellar
Contact
External
Links
