Goodwood House

Goodwood's Salvage Team makes history

11th September 2023

Goodwood's Salvage Team recently made history by taking down one of The Collection's precious 18th century tapestries

  • The Collection

  • Goodwood House

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Goodwood’s salvage team made history in September 2023 by taking down one of the precious 18th century tapestries that usually hangs in the Tapestry Drawing Room. The tapestry, which got damp due to flash flooding in the House, has only ever been taken down twice since being first installed in the 1770s.

It was first taken down during the Second World War, when it was moved to the Ice House on the Estate for safety, and more recently it was taken down again due to flooding. The damage this time was, thankfully, minimal and the tapestry will be going back up as soon as the wall it hangs on has fully dried out.

The tapestry is part of a suite of four gifted by Louis XV of France to the 3rd Duke of Richmond. The 3rd Duke spent nine months at the French court in 1765 acting as George III’s ambassador. Louis XV’s monogram appears in each top corner, and peacocks symbolise the French monarchy. The tapestries were enormously expensive, costing the King 15,483 livres and were made at the famous Gobelins factory, which was renowned for making French royal tapestries.

The Tapestry Drawing Room was commissioned by the 3rd Duke to specifically house the tapestries. The entire scheme of the room, including the ceiling, was designed to complement the tapestries which were framed in the French fashion.

Learn more and view the Tapestry Drawing Room and other State Apartment rooms at Goodwood House with a Guided Tour and Tea & Tour as part of our Open Days from March to October.

The Salvage Team handle the tapestry before turning it over to roll up.
The Salvage Team roll the tapestry up around a support, leaving the damp area exposed so that it dries out.

  • The Collection

  • Goodwood House