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".
Leading women of business, sport, fashion and media, take part in one of the most exciting horseracing events in the world.
King Edward VII (who came almost every year) famously dubbed Glorious Goodwood “a garden party with racing tacked on”.
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.
G. Stubbs (1724–1806) created some of the animal portraiture masterpieces at Goodwood House, combining anatomical exactitude with expressive details
As the private clubhouse for all of the Estate’s sporting and social members, it offers personal service and a relaxed atmosphere
For the last two years, 5,800 bales have been recylced into the biomass energy centre to be used for energy generation
A bell under each place at the table to signal if butlers can come back in to the dining room, a guests privacy is always paramount.
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
Festival of Speed is our longest-standing Motorsport event, starting in 1993 when it opened to 25,00 people. We were expecting 2000!
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!
FOS Favourite Mad Mike Whiddett can be caught melting tyres in his incredible collection of cars (and trucks) up the hillclimb
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”.
The first ever horsebox was used from Goodwood to Doncaster for the 1836 St. Leger. Elis arrived fresh and easily won his owner a £12k bet.
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 horsebox was used from Goodwood to Doncaster for the 1836 St. Leger. Elis arrived fresh and easily won his owner a £12k bet.
King Edward VII (who came almost every year) famously dubbed Glorious Goodwood “a garden party with racing tacked on”.
Sir Stirling Moss was one of the founding patrons of the Festival of Speed, and a regular competitor at the Revival.
Goodwood’s pigs are a mix of two rare breeds (Gloucester Old Spots and Saddlebacks) plus the Large White Boar.
A temple-folly guarded by two sphinxes, the beautiful shell house was built in 1748 with collected shells and the floor made from horse teeth.
Flying training began at Goodwood in 1940 when pilots were taught operational flying techniques in Hurricanes and Spitfires.
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.
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.
Flying jetpacks doesn't have to just be a spectator sport at FOS, you can have a go at our very own 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 Gordon Tartan has been worn by the Dukes and Duchesses over the last 300 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.
One of the greatest golfers of all time, James Braid designed Goodwood’s iconic Downland course, opened in 1914.
Flying jetpacks doesn't have to just be a spectator sport at FOS, you can have a go at our very own Aerodrome!
Inspired by the legendary racer, Masten Gregory, who famously leapt from the cockpit of his car before impact when approaching Woodcote Corner in 1959.
The iconic spitfire covered almost 43,000 kilometres and visited over 20 countries on its epic journey and currently resides at our Aerodrome.
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
Goodwood’s pigs are a mix of two rare breeds (Gloucester Old Spots and Saddlebacks) plus the Large White Boar.
A 20m woodland rue, from Halnaker to Lavant, was planted by our forestry teams & volunteers, featuring native species like oak, beech, & hornbeam
Our gin uses wild-grown botanicals sourced from the estate, and is distilled with mineral water naturally chalk-filtered through the South Downs.
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