Goodwood House

Goodwood House stands in Westhampnett, West Sussex, on a 49-square-kilometre estate. The present house grew from a Jacobean building of 1617, enlarged in the 18th century with wings and stables. Since 1697 it has been the home of the Dukes of Richmond. The estate also contains a racecourse, a motorsport circuit, two golf courses, a cricket pitch and an organic farm. Over 550 people work on the estate, which welcomes 800,000 visitors each year. The Monarch’s Way long-distance path crosses the downs just south of the racecourse. The house is worth visiting for its layered history and the events it hosts. The Jacobean core was built for the ninth Earl of Northumberland, while the third Duke added wings designed by Sir William Chambers and James Wyatt. Horse racing began here in 1802, and the first motor races took place on the airfield perimeter in 1948. The ninth Duke turned part of the house into offices after the Second World War, and later owners restored much of the interior. The estate archives hold documents dating from 1418 to 1984. Inside, visitors find plain yet elegant rooms with rosewood furniture and grey granite pillars. The dining room holds a suite inlaid with ebony, and the drawing room displays two Canalettis and Sèvres porcelain. Outside, the landscaped park and woodlands are Grade I listed. The racecourse hosts ‘Glorious Goodwood’, while the motor circuit stages the Revival meeting. Dogs and owners gather each year for Goodwoof, and the golf courses and cricket pitch offer further sport.