uresque wooded outcrop north-east of Byworth is
perhaps as beautiful as any other part of this distinctive belt. In no
part of this miniature range, about three miles long, is the altitude
over 450 feet, but the charm of the woodland dells and meandering
tracks which cross and traverse the heights between the "Fox" on the
north-west and the Arun at Hardswood Green, is quite as great as in
localities of more strongly marked features and greater renown.

[Illustration: BYWORTH.]

The road trends north-west by Egdean and Byworth to Petworth. Petworth
town consists of a number of old-world streets extremely crooked,
narrow, and picturesque. Seen from any near point the grouping of roofs
is as artistically good as any in Sussex. Petworth Church has been
practically rebuilt. The north chantry contains the tombs of some of
the Percy family, including that of the ninth Earl, who was imprisoned
in the Tower on suspicion of being concerned in the Gunpowder Plot.
Here is also the monument to Lord Egremont (1840), a fine seated
figure. Notice several interesting brasses and a sixteenth century tomb
of the Dawtreys. Near the church is an old house belonging to this
family. One of the rectors of Petworth was Francis Cheynell, the
antagonist of Chillingworth. Just below the church is the Somerset
Hospital, eighteenth century almshouses founded by a Duke of Somerset.
In North Street is Thompson's Hospital, another picturesque group. In
the centre of the town stands the Market House built by the Earl of
Egremont. In its front is a bust of "William the Deliverer."

[Illustration: PETWORTH CHURCH.]

Petworth is another instance of feudal foundation. The manor, at
present owned by Lord Leconfield, was for centuries in the possession
of the Percy family. The house is said to have the finest private
collection of pictures in the kingdom, most of which are due to the
collecting zeal of the third Earl of Egremont; they are usually shown
on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and visitors are handed a list of the
paintings by the guides. The hurried round of the pictures takes about
an hour. A wide range of schools are represented, but the most
interesting is perhaps the splendid show of Turners.

[Illustration: PETWORTH HOUSE.]

The present mansion is one of the ugliest in the county and replaced in
1730 a beautiful medieval pile; the latter had been the scene of some
historic visits, notably that of Edward VI, and in 1703 Charles III of
Spain, who