A wide terrace of pale stone slabs opens the foreground at the lower left, where a single ornate chair sits beside the edge of a great park. Stretching out from this vantage point, the land recedes into a broad, open expanse of grass, bathed in the golden light of a low sun that fills the sky with streaks of yellow, orange, and muted blue. The light falls most strongly across the centre of the park, casting long, dramatic shadows from a scattered group of deer grazing and standing in the middle and right of the scene.

To the left, a line of trees forms a dense, dark cluster, their foliage rendered in autumnal tones, while on the right, a more open stand of trees rises on a gentle slope, each tree distinct against the glowing sky. In the far distance, the delicate silhouette of a church tower appears just above the horizon, surrounded by low, wooded hills and blending into the haze of the evening light. The sky dominates the composition, its swirling clouds painted with broad, visible brushstrokes that create a sense of movement and atmosphere.

The colours shift subtly from warm golds and ochres near the sun to cooler greys and blues at the edges, uniting the scene in a luminous haze. The brushwork is loose and expressive, especially in the sky and grassy areas, while the animals and trees are more precisely defined, anchoring the composition. The entire view is arranged in a sweeping horizontal format, guiding the gaze from the terrace and chair at the left, across the park, to the distant church and wooded horizon. Petworth Park: Tillington Church in the Distance is painted by Joseph Mallord William Turner in 1828.

The title identifies the setting as Petworth Park, with the church of Tillington visible in the distance. Created in 1828, this painting belongs to the later period of Turner's career.