Pitshill is a Grade II* listed house built in the neoclassical style and is located within the Parish of
Tillington a couple of miles west of
Petworth. Begun by William Mitford in 1760 on the site of an earlier house it was completed by his son, also William, in 1794. It is considered to be one of the most important country houses in
West Sussex
West Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Surrey to the north, East Sussex to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Hampshire to the west. The largest settlement is Cr ...
.
The rectangular house of two stories with an attic and basement has a main east facing façade built in 1760 to a design by
John Upton, the Petworth Estate surveyor. It is built in limestone
ashlar
Ashlar () is a cut and dressed rock (geology), stone, worked using a chisel to achieve a specific form, typically rectangular in shape. The term can also refer to a structure built from such stones.
Ashlar is the finest stone masonry unit, a ...
with
rusticated ground floor and a balustraded parapet over the side portions.
The remaining elevations are brick and render decorated to match the east front and were constructed in the 1790s to plans influenced but not completed by Sir
John Soane
Sir John Soane (; né Soan; 10 September 1753 – 20 January 1837) was an English architect who specialised in the Neoclassical architecture, Neo-Classical style. The son of a bricklayer, he rose to the top of his profession, becoming professor ...
. Further substantial works were carried out to the house in the 1830s as well as the later 19th Century additions of a veranda and conservatory, these being removed in the 1950s leaving a classical style rectangular building.
The main house is augmented by two nineteenth century lodges, an 1840s stable block, a shell house, probably late eighteenth century, all Grade II listed and standing within a Grade II listed park.
in addition there is an ice house, also probably 18th century, and a late nineteenth century tower.
A public
bridleway and public
footpath
A footpath (also pedestrian way, walking trail, nature trail) is a type of thoroughfare that is intended for use only by pedestrians and not other forms of traffic such as Motor vehicle, motorized vehicles, bicycles and horseback, horses. They ...
s through the park give access for the public.
References
{{reflist
Country houses in West Sussex
Georgian architecture in England
Grade II listed buildings in West Sussex