For safety reasons F1 cars can no longer do official timed runs so instead perform stunning demonstrations!
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 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 red & yellow of the Racecourse can be traced back hundreds of years, even captured in our stunning Stubbs paintings in the Goodwood Collection
...plan strategy in an ancient woodland, enjoy award-winning dining then drive around a racetrack?
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!
The exquisite mirror in the Ballroom of Goodwood House it so big they had to raise the ceiling to get it inside!
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!
The famous fighter ace, who flew his last sortie from Goodwood Aerodrome, formerly RAF Westhampnett has a statue in his honor within the airfield.
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".
Sir Stirling Moss was one of the founding patrons of the Festival of Speed, and a regular competitor at the Revival.
Nick Heidfelds 1999 (41.6s) hillclimb record was beaten after Max Chilton in his McMurtry Spéirling fan car tore it to shreds at 39.08s in 2022!
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 red & yellow of the Racecourse can be traced back hundreds of years, even captured in our stunning Stubbs paintings in the Goodwood Collection
Leading women of business, sport, fashion and media, take part in one of the most exciting horseracing events in the world.
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”.
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.
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 ever round of golf played at Goodwood was in 1914 when the 6th Duke of Richmond opened the course on the Downs above Goodwood House.
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
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.
The iconic spitfire covered almost 43,000 kilometres and visited over 20 countries on its epic journey and currently resides at our Aerodrome.
...plan strategy in an ancient woodland, enjoy award-winning dining then drive around a racetrack?
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 first ever round of golf played at Goodwood was in 1914 when the 6th Duke of Richmond opened the course on the Downs above Goodwood House.
The first ever round of golf played at Goodwood was in 1914 when the 6th Duke of Richmond opened the course on the Downs above Goodwood House.
The famous fighter ace, who flew his last sortie from Goodwood Aerodrome, formerly RAF Westhampnett has a statue in his honor within the airfield.
...plan strategy in an ancient woodland, enjoy award-winning dining then drive around a racetrack?
...plan strategy in an ancient woodland, enjoy award-winning dining then drive around a racetrack?
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.
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!
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.
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!
"En la rose je fleurie" or "Like the rose, I flourish" is part of the Richmond coat of Arms and motto
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 famous fighter ace, who flew his last sortie from Goodwood Aerodrome, formerly RAF Westhampnett has a statue in his honor within the airfield.
Goodwood’s pigs are a mix of two rare breeds (Gloucester Old Spots and Saddlebacks) plus the Large White Boar.
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!
Flying training began at Goodwood in 1940 when pilots were taught operational flying techniques in Hurricanes and Spitfires.
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.
From humble beginnings helping his mother run a hardware shop, Alan wrote to the RAF in 1939, explaining his education had been curtailed at just 14, after his father had been lost at sea. He made it clear that he would be willing to attend night school to do everything he could to reach the required standard to become a pilot, and joined the RAFVR to attend lectures in the town centre three nights a week on technical subjects.
He was accepted and initially trained on the Tiger Moth in the spring of 1939, aged 22. He then went on to Miles Magisters and North American Harvards in 1940.
Alan joined No 616 Squadron as a Sergeant pilot in January 1941 as the squadron moved south to RAF Tangmere and it was soon in action over northern France on offensive sweeps.
On 18 March, Wing Commander Douglas Bader, previously of 242 Squadron, arrived to take command of three Spitfire squadrons of Tangmere wing including 610, 616 and 145 Squadrons, then based at Westhampnett, Tangmere and Merston. He always led 616 in his personal Spitfire marked ‘DB’.
Bader selected Smith to be his wingman which Alan was very surprised with as he was just a lowly Sergeant pilot. The Wing Commander's only comment on choosing Smith was
God help you if you let any Hun get on my tail.
Sir Douglas Bader
Alan went on to survive the war and became a successful fighter pilot himself.
Sadly, Flt Lt Sir Alan Smith CBE, DFC and BAR, DL passed away just before his 96th Birthday, the last survivor of ‘Dogsbody’ section.
This story was collated by Mark Hillier who will soon be launching his book 'Best Foot Forward'. To order please visit www.frontline-books.com.
Goodwood Aerodrome
WWII
RAF Westhampnett