Festival of Speed is our longest-standing Motorsport event, starting in 1993 when it opened to 25,00 people. We were expecting 2000!
Legend of Goodwood's golden racing era and Le Mans winner Roy Salvadori once famously said "give me Goodwood on a summer's day and you can forget the rest".
Leading women of business, sport, fashion and media, take part in one of the most exciting horseracing events in the world.
The oldest existing rules for the game were drawn up for a match between the 2nd Duke and a neighbour
The Motor Circuit was known as RAF Westhampnett, active from 1940 to 1946 as a Battle of Britain station.
According to Head Butler at Goodwood House David Edney "Class, sophistication and discretion".
As the private clubhouse for all of the Estate’s sporting and social members, it offers personal service and a relaxed atmosphere
The famous fighter ace, who flew his last sortie from Goodwood Aerodrome, formerly RAF Westhampnett has a statue in his honor within the airfield.
Each room has it's own button to ring for James (your butler) whenever and whatever you need him for.
Easy boy! The charismatic Farnham Flyer loved to celebrate every win with a pint of beer. His Boxer dog, Grogger, did too and had a tendancy to steal sips straight from the glass.
For safety reasons F1 cars can no longer do official timed runs so instead perform stunning demonstrations!
Spectate from the chicane at the Revival to see plenty of classic cars going sideways as they exit this infamous point of our Motor Circuit.
Spectate from the chicane at the Revival to see plenty of classic cars going sideways as they exit this infamous point of our Motor Circuit.
Inspired by the legendary racer, Masten Gregory, who famously leapt from the cockpit of his car before impact when approaching Woodcote Corner in 1959.
Goodwood Motor Circuit was officially opened in September 1948 when Freddie March, the 9th Duke and renowned amateur racer, tore around the track in a Bristol 400
The red & yellow of the Racecourse can be traced back hundreds of years, even captured in our stunning Stubbs paintings in the Goodwood Collection
One Summer, King Edward VII turned his back on the traditional morning suit, and donned a linen suit and Panama hat. Thus the Glorious Goodwood trend was born.
The first public race meeting took place in 1802 and, through the nineteenth century, ‘Glorious Goodwood,’ as the press named it, became a highlight of the summer season
Leading women of business, sport, fashion and media, take part in one of the most exciting horseracing events in the world.
The red & yellow of the Racecourse can be traced back hundreds of years, even captured in our stunning Stubbs paintings in the Goodwood Collection
The first public race meeting took place in 1802 and, through the nineteenth century, ‘Glorious Goodwood,’ as the press named it, became a highlight of the summer season
The first ever horsebox was used from Goodwood to Doncaster for the 1836 St. Leger. Elis arrived fresh and easily won his owner a £12k bet.
For the last two years, 5,800 bales have been recylced into the biomass energy centre to be used for energy generation
The first thing ever dropped at Goodwood was a cuddly elephant which landed in 1932 just as the 9th Duke of Richmonds passion for flying was taking off.
Whoa Simon! A horse so determined and headstrong, he not only won the 1883 Goodwood Cup by 20 lengths, but couldn't be stopped and carried on running over the top of Trundle hill
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
The iconic spitfire covered almost 43,000 kilometres and visited over 20 countries on its epic journey and currently resides at our Aerodrome.
One of the greatest golfers of all time, James Braid designed Goodwood’s iconic Downland course, opened in 1914.
Ray Hanna famously flew straight down Goodwood’s pit straight below the height of the grandstands at the first Revival in 1998
Ray Hanna famously flew straight down Goodwood’s pit straight below the height of the grandstands at the first Revival in 1998
Ray Hanna famously flew straight down Goodwood’s pit straight below the height of the grandstands at the first Revival in 1998
After a fire in 1791 at Richmond House in Whitehall, London, James Wyatt added two great wings to showcase the saved collection at Goodwood. To give unity to the two new wings, Wyatt added copper-domed turrets framing each façade.
Ensure you take a little time out together to pause and take in the celebration of all the hard work you put in will be a treasured memory.
King Edward VII (who came almost every year) famously dubbed Glorious Goodwood “a garden party with racing tacked on”.
The iconic spitfire covered almost 43,000 kilometres and visited over 20 countries on its epic journey and currently resides at our Aerodrome.
As the private clubhouse for all of the Estate’s sporting and social members, it offers personal service and a relaxed atmosphere
The oldest existing rules for the game were drawn up for a match between the 2nd Duke and a neighbour
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
Built in 1787 by celebrated architect James Wyatt to house the third Duke of Richmond’s prized fox hounds, The Kennels was known as one of the most luxurious dog houses in the world!
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
The first thing ever dropped at Goodwood was a cuddly elephant which landed in 1932 just as the 9th Duke of Richmonds passion for flying was taking off.
Goodwood’s pigs are a mix of two rare breeds (Gloucester Old Spots and Saddlebacks) plus the Large White Boar.
During the five years of operational squadrons based at RAF Westhampnett, now Goodwood Aerodrome, many aces, high-ranking officers, war artists, members of parliament and even royalty were to visit; the list is a who's who of World War II. "Johnnie" Johnson, one of Douglas Bader's section operating at RAF Westhampnett in the summer of 1941, went on to be the RAF top scoring ace of the war and eclipses all others.
“Johnnie” Johnson not only flew 700 Spitfire combat sorties during WWII but he went on to score 38 confirmed victories, some of which were claimed whilst flying from RAF Westhampnett. He also was awarded a staggering three Distinguished Service Orders (one award below Victoria Cross), two distinguished flying crosses plus other awards from other allied countries.
His first ‘innings’ at the airfield as a pilot officer started when he was with the 616 Squadron at RAF Westhampnett in May 1941, flying as part of the ‘Dogsbody’ section. On the 26 June, he was to score his first success against a Bf 109 and his score started to build rapidly, destroying two more aircraft on the 6 and 14 July 1941. His success as a fighter pilot was now legendary. He was on the operation that Douglas Bader was shot down on the 9 August 1941. Post the loss of Bader; he famously had painted a slogan on the cowling of his Spitfire after stating “Bader Bus Co Still Running”. By September of 1941, he had claimed his fifth and sixth confirmed victories.
He was posted as squadron commander to 610 (County of Chester) Squadron in 1942. The squadron was to return to RAF Westhampnett after its first tenancy in 1941. Arriving in January of 1943 and staying until April of that year. “Johnnie” Johnson claimed his eighth and ninth victories at this time whilst leading his pilots from the airfield.
His success continued as did his luck and he was promoted to Wing Commander to lead the Kenley Wing. He subsequently led a Canadian Wing of Spitfires in 1944, tasked with keeping the skies clear of enemy aircraft over the eastern flank of the D-Day invasion fleet. The replica Mark IX Spitfire owned and based at Goodwood pays tribute to Johnson and is painted just as his aircraft was on the 6 June 1944, coded JE-J.
Johnson was a truly formidable fighter pilot. He did not stop at the end of hostilities and went on to serve in the Korean War, remaining in the RAF gaining the rank of Air Vice Marshall. His book ‘Wing Leader’ is an inspiring read, and mentions his time at RAF Westhampnett both as a squadron pilot and leader. He was one of our most famous pilots and sadly passed away in 2001 aged 85.
Goodwood Aerodrome
Historical Flights
WWII
raf westhampnett