Goodwood House
Goodwood House is a huge country house commanding fine views of the West Sussex countryside. It is the traditional seat of the Dukes of Richmond and contains a fine collection of paintings, porcelain and antique furniture. The surrounding estate is famous for horse-racing and motor racing events.
The first Duke of Richmond had the original Goodwood House built in 1697. He was the son of Charles II through one of his mistresses. Portraits of the king’s entourage hang in the vast ballroom. At the end of the 18th century it was remodelled by James Wyatt with neo-classical interiors. Know as the ‘destroyer’ it was his intention to create a unique octagonal layout, but only three of the eight sides were built, leaving the present day building a hotch-potch of curious angles.
The landscape features a racecourse, famous for its annual Glorious Goodwood festival, one of the highlights of the English horse racing calendar; and Goodwood motor-racing circuit; which hosts the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed, an event for classic cars. The Rolls-Royce factory is also on the estate, and the glass-panelled walls enable visitors to see the famous motor cars as they are being built.