Sir Stirling Moss was one of the founding patrons of the Festival of Speed, and a regular competitor at the Revival.
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
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
The oldest existing rules for the game were drawn up for a match between the 2nd Duke and a neighbour
The oldest existing rules for the game were drawn up for a match between the 2nd Duke and a neighbour
The replica of the original Axminster carpet is so lavish that the President of Bulgaria came to visit it before its departure!
The stunning fish which adorn the walls of the main corridor are hand crafted and represent the fishing documents from Gordon Castle of 1864-1898.
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
From 2005 to present there has been a demonstration area for the rally cars at the top of the hill
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".
The Fiat S76 or "Beast of Turin" is a Goodwood favourite and can usually be heard before it is seen at #FOS
We have been host to many incredible film crews using Goodwood as a backdrop for shows like Downton Abbey, Hollywood Blockbusters like Venom: let there be Carnage and the Man from U.N.C.L.E.
For safety reasons F1 cars can no longer do official timed runs so instead perform stunning demonstrations!
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
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 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
King Edward VII (who came almost every year) famously dubbed Glorious Goodwood “a garden party with racing tacked on”.
King Edward VII (who came almost every year) famously dubbed Glorious Goodwood “a garden party with racing tacked on”.
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.
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
Flying jetpacks doesn't have to just be a spectator sport at FOS, you can have a go at our very own Aerodrome!
One of the greatest golfers of all time, James Braid designed Goodwood’s iconic Downland course, opened in 1914.
Flying training began at Goodwood in 1940 when pilots were taught operational flying techniques in Hurricanes and Spitfires.
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.
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.
One of the greatest golfers of all time, James Braid designed Goodwood’s iconic Downland course, opened in 1914.
The iconic spitfire covered almost 43,000 kilometres and visited over 20 countries on its epic journey and currently resides at our Aerodrome.
Flying jetpacks doesn't have to just be a spectator sport at FOS, you can have a go at our very own Aerodrome!
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.
We have been host to many incredible film crews using Goodwood as a backdrop for shows like Downton Abbey, Hollywood Blockbusters like Venom: let there be Carnage and the Man from U.N.C.L.E.
David Edney, head Butler dons a morning suit "and a smile" every day and has been woking at Goodwood for over 25 years!
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.
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
One of the greatest golfers of all time, James Braid designed Goodwood’s iconic Downland course, opened in 1914.
As the private clubhouse for all of the Estate’s sporting and social members, it offers personal service and a relaxed atmosphere
Testament to the 19th-century fascination with ancient Egypt and decorative opulence. The room is richly detailed with gilded cartouches, sphinxes, birds and crocodiles.
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
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.
Flying training began at Goodwood in 1940 when pilots were taught operational flying techniques in Hurricanes and Spitfires.
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
Just beyond Goodwood House along the Hillclimb, the 2nd Dukes banqueting house was also known as "one of the finest rooms in England" (George Vertue 1747).
In March 1941 the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisnau were taking refuge in the French port of Brest. They were joined by the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen which had recently left the battle-cruiser Bismarck to its fate at the hands of a British Navy who were determined to avenge the sinking of HMS Hood.
Flying
Responsible for heavy losses of allied shipping in the North Atlantic, these ships were subject to constant surveillance and regular air raids from the other side of the Channel. The British ensured they remained bottled-up on France's Atlantic coast, which was one of the reasons the Scharnhorst and Gneisnau had been unable to assist the Bismarck.
Adolf Hitler needed his ships for the defence of German occupied Norway and for intercepting supply convoys bound for the Soviet Union, so he ordered their return to Germany. A plan was developed to get the ships out and make for Germany via the English Channel, through the Straits of Dover. Some thirty escort ships accompanied the cruisers.
On 11th February 1942 under cover of darkness, the cruisers slipped undetected into the English Channel and made for the Straits of Dover at speed. Operation Cerberus got underway, this was later to become known by the Allies as the Channel Dash
129 (Mysore) Squadron were based at RAF Westhampnett from 29th August 1941. Little did they know they were to be involved in a very costly operation that was to see significant losses as the allies tried to stop the German Pocket battleships.
129 (Mysore) Squadron with cannon armed Spitfire Vbs were scrambled from RAF Westhampnett initially to escort cannon armed Hurricanes from RAF Manston. They arrived on the scene in the afternoon of the 12th February in poor visibility and were thrown into the thick of the action. The Luftwaffe always had at least 16 fighters over the flotilla day and night and the sky would also have been full of RAF fighters and bombers. In total the RAF put up 398 fighters over the period of the dash and over 300 bombers. Sergeant Drew of 129 was almost immediately shot down and another Sergeant Pilot Mick Wilson lost a third of his wing to flak from the enemy ships. Using a Spitfires cannon to try and stop these ships would have been like throwing a tennis ball against a brick wall.
Ray Sherk, one of the veterans of the operation who is still alive and flying in Canada remembered this day vividly “We were called to readiness at noon (without dinner) and took off at 1:15 p.m. to escort some cannon armed Hurricanes of No 1 Squadron to shoot up some shipping off Calais that turned out to be the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau with some destroyers. Several aircraft missing, Dixie Davis was shot down and killed in action, McPhie got a bullet in his shoe which grazed his heel and had several bullet holes in his aircraft. Sergeant Mick Wilson bailed out over Ipswich after losing part of his starboard wing. Bowman got two Bf 109s damaged. It was a pretty shaky I do recall avoiding ship masts. I was involved in the melee but was not hit although a shell from a destroyer just missed me! Upon our return, the intelligence officer Flying Officer Chapman was very interested in our individual recollections and we were interviewed extensively. It was much later on that we learned the full extent of the operation”.
41 Squadron who were also operating at Goodwood alongside 129 similarly took part in the operation as recalled by Wing Commander Bob Middlemiss DFC:-
“February the 12th 1942, 41 Squadron escorted Hurricane Bombers carrying 250 lb bombs against the German Battleships Scharnhorst, Prinz Eugen and Gneisenau that travelled from Brest up through the English Channel to German ports in Wilhelmshaven. The squadron on this operation was led by S/L Hugo who destroyed one and damaged another enemy aircraft. Pilot Officer Roy Frank Cambridge destroyed a Bf 109 and Flight Sergeant Ronald Edward Green destroyed one of the enemy aircraft. Sergeant Bruce Paul Dunstan was listed as missing on this operation”.
It was also during this air battle that the Royal Navy put up their Swordfish torpedo bombers in a last ditch attempt to stop the ships, Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde RN lead the raid and was killed in action along with the loss of his entire detachment of torpedo bombers. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Only five of his crewmembers survived out of eighteen.
All in all not a very successful operation, but yet another important chapter in the history of the airfield. Both Bob Middlemiss and Ray Sherk returned to Goodwood for the Revival in 2009 to share their memories of flying from this historic wartime base, sadly Bob passed away in 2014.
Flying