The Goodwood Estate
Goodwood's sporting empire
Many of the most popular summer events in West Sussex take place on the the Goodwood Estate and this provides a major boost to the West Sussex economy.
Horse racing at Goodwood
For centuries Goodwood has been synonymous with high quality horse racing, especially the Glorious Goodwood Meeting in the height of the English summer. Glorious Goodwood brings large crowds to West Sussex from London and other parts of the UK.Racing at Goodwood started as a society event and there is still an area of smartness about horse racing events at Goodwood - even the more modest evening meetings which are mainly attended by local people.
Motorsport at Goodwood
Hotels for Goodwood
Goodwood: Where to stay
It can be a bit tricky finding somewhere good to stay during one of the big events at Goodwood. Demand outstrips supply.Save yourself time with our guide to hotels for Goodwood and tips on where to find bed and breakfast near Goodwood.
By the 1970s Goodwood Motor Cicuit had become unsuited to the dangers of high speed racing and faded from prominence. The current Earl of March set about reviving motorsport at Goodwood and - a quarter of a century later - you could say that the move has been something of a success.
The two great Goodwood events in the motor racing calendar are the Goodwood Revival Meeting and the Goodwood Festival of Speed.
The Festival of Speed is like a massive garden party with great cars, great drivers, an exciting hill climb against the clock - and tens of thousands of paying guests. The festival is one of the biggest events of its type in Europe and has helped to reinvigorate the fortunes of the Goodwood Estate.
If you like cars, look out for the Goodwood Breakfast Club meetings. These take place once a month through the summer and are a great way to spend a Sunday morning viewing unusual cars and motorbikes and talking with other car enthusiasts.
Other sport at Goodwood
The sporting focus at Goodwood is not confined to motorsport and horse racing.There are two golf courses at Goodwood, one a fine old downland course, the other being a newer parkland course. And Goodwood Aerodrome is popular with pilots of light aircraft and people learning to fly.
For almost two hundred years Goodwood was famous for another sport - fox hunting.
The Charlton Hunt, just over the hill from Goodwood House, was renowned as one of the finest in the country. Fox House in Charlton and the name of the Fox Goes Free pub in the village are lasting reminders of the importance of fox hunting to Goodwood.
Goodwood House
At the heart of this Goodwood sporting empire lies Goodwood House.While Goodwood House may not be the prettiest stately home in Sussex, it's a masterpiece of flintwork and accordingly one of the grandest examples of the use of a true Sussex building material.
Goodwood House is most deserving of note because of the wonderful collection of artwork it displays. The Goodwood Art Collection contains work by Canaletto, Stubbs, van Dyck, Reynolds, Raeburn and many other fine artists. Goodwood House also contains many fine pieces of furniture.
Sculpture at Goodwood
Another world class attraction on the Goodwood Estate is the Goodwood Sculpture Park which displays an impressive collection of large-scale modern sculpture in a beautiful woodland setting on Hat Hill.
Futher Goodwood information
Details of how to get Tickets for Goodwood events.
- Flying at Goodwood
- Motorsport in West Sussex
- Other stately homes in Sussex
- Other art galleries in Sussex