Bibliography - Christopher Rowell
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The North Gallery at Petworth: an historical re-appraisal, by Christopher Rowell, published July 1993 in Apollo : the international magazine of art and antiques (vol. 138, no. 377, article, pp.29-36) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 12030] & R.I.B.A. Library

Uppark Restored, by Christopher Rowell, John Martin Robinson and edited by Sarah Riddell, published 1 January 1996 (224 pp., National Trust, ISBN-10: 0707802520 & ISBN-13: 9780707802527) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 13339] & R.I.B.A. Library & West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

Perched high on the Sussex Downs, Uppark was built in 1690 for Ford Grey, Lord Grey of Warke, an odious man by all accounts, though he created a beautiful house. In 1747 Uppark was bought by Matthew Fetherstonuhaugh, who took advantage of an inheritance to furnish the rooms in the latest European fashion, and installed the paintings that he had collected on the Grand Tour. Just two centuries later, the house passed to the National Trust.The particular quality of Uppark was that it was so unaltered; through the years furnishings had been repaired rather than replaced, contents left unmoved. This repose, however, was rudely shattered on the afternoon of 30th August 1989, when Uppark caught fire. Hours later it stood a desolate ruin. While the fire was fought, a salvage operation was mounted, rescuing a remarkably high proportion of the historic contents including much of the interior - panelling, carved wood, plasterwork, textiles and wallpapers. The National Trust faced the very difficult question of what to do with the house and its contents The ensuing debate was fierce, but the course of action emerged clearlv. Uppark had been thoroughly insured, and the money could only be used for reinstatement. The house could and would be saved, its contents repaired and returned in an unprecedented five-year programme. The result is a triumph of conservation over tragedy that has drawn on traditional crafts to match the exceptional quality of the house with new work, and seamless repairs to the old.

Petworth House, compiled by Christopher Rowell, published 1997 (pamphlet, 96 pp., National Trust, ISBN-10: 1843590263 & ISBN-13: 9781843590262) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 13573] & West Sussex Libraries

A National Trust guidebook covering history, horticulture, garden history, history of art, architecture, social history, natural environment and conservation.

Turner at Petworth, by David Blayney Brown, Christopher Rowell and Ian Warrell, published 30 June 2002 (208 pp., Tate Publishing, ISBN-10: 1854374133 & ISBN-13: 9781854374134) accessible at: W.S.R.O. [Lib 14807] & West Sussex Libraries

This volume is published to accompany an exhibition at Petworth House to mark the restoration of the Carved Room where J.M.W. Turner's paintings will be reinstated in their original positions in the panelling. Petworth House was a special place for Turner, both as the home of his great patron, Lord Egremont, and as the scene of many happy visits. Turner recorded the beauties of the great English house in over 100 gouache drawings and for the house itself he painted, among other things, four landscapes to hang in the Carved Room. This book celebrates Turner's relationship with Petworth and its owner through the reproduction of over 150 works, prefaced by thematic essays written by scholars from the National Trust and Tate.

Petworth: The People and the Place, compiled by Christopher Rowell, published 24 August 2012 (144 pp., National Trust, ISBN-10: 0707804205 & ISBN-13: 9780707804200) accessible at: West Sussex Libraries & East Sussex Libraries

This vast late 17th-century mansion is set in a beautiful 700-acre deer park in West Sussex, landscaped by 'Capability' Brown and immortalised in Turner's paintings. The house contains the National Trust's finest collection of pictures, with numerous works by Turner, Van Dyck, Reynolds and Blake, ancient and Neo-classical sculpture, fine furniture and carvings by Grinling Gibbons. The servants' quarters contain fascinating kitchens (including a copper batterie de cuisine of more than 1,000 pieces) and other service rooms. Petworth is the second title in a new series of guidebooks published for the National Trust, featuring some of its most important, popular and prestigious properties. The National Trust is one of the largest landowners in the UK. It protects and opens to the public over 350 historic houses, gardens and ancient monuments throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. With stunning new photography and authoritative text, Petworth explores and celebrates the art, architecture and history of one of the National Trust's greatest properties.