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Great hall

Petworth House

Located in Sussex : Petworth House
Private Residence
Performance Space: Hall
4059
Description / History (pre-1642)

According to the report made by the 12th Earl's officers in 1574 when he began to take possession, 'From the Inner Court, entrance to the Great Hall was gained by "a fair porch". The Hall was 59 ft. long and 40 ft. wide; it ran east and west of the porch and was more or less parallel to West Street. Its roof was reported "not much decayed" but, as was the Tudor custom, the windows had been left unglazed while the house was unoccupied and so the elements had been able to penetrate to the two old dormant tables, to the "fair marble stone" (6 ft. long and 5 ft. wide) which had served as a screen, and to the double bench of marble which stood at the upper end and had doubtless formed the high table.
A "fair room" with steps to the Parlour led out of the Hall in a southerly direction.' The usual pantry and buttery at the low end of the hall led to the great kitchen, just E of the chapel (as summarized by Batho, 'Percies at Petworth' 5--7).