Goodwood House facts for kids
Goodwood House is a grand old country house and a huge estate in Westhampnett, Chichester, West Sussex, England. It is the home of the Duke of Richmond. The house was built around the year 1600 and is a very important historic building, known as a Grade I listed building. The entire estate covers about 4,900 hectares (that's like 12,000 football fields!).
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About the Goodwood Estate
The Goodwood estate is a busy and exciting place, famous for many events and activities.
Fun Events and Sports
The house and its large grounds are home to the yearly Goodwood Festival of Speed. This is a huge event for car and racing fans! There's also the Goodwood Circuit, a motor racing track near Chichester/Goodwood Airport. This track hosts the yearly Goodwood Revival, which celebrates classic cars and racing from the past. The airport also has a Flying School.
Goodwood Racecourse is another big part of the estate. It hosts famous horse races, including "Glorious Goodwood." Besides racing, the estate has two golf courses and a cricket pitch, where the Goodwood Cricket Club plays.
Goodwood's Businesses
The estate also includes a hotel and a large organic farm that covers about 1,600 hectares. Goodwood is a major employer in the area, with over 550 people working there. About 800,000 visitors come to the estate each year! The main office for Rolls Royce Motor Cars is also located on the estate.
Nature and History
A long walking path called the Monarch's Way crosses the hills of the estate from west to east. It passes right by the racecourse. The beautiful parks and woodlands at Goodwood are also very special. They are listed as Grade I on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens, meaning they are historically important.
History of Goodwood House
Goodwood House has a long and interesting history, dating back centuries.
Early Days and New Owners
Goodwood House was first built around 1600. Later, in 1697, Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond bought the house. Over time, parts of the house were added or changed. Matthew Brettingham added a South wing, and James Wyatt added a North wing. Some people think there was a plan to build the house in a unique eight-sided shape, but only three sides were ever built.
Building and Development
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond was very active in developing the estate. In 1757, he asked Sir William Chambers to design the stable block. In 1787, he had James Wyatt design the Kennels. These were originally for the Duke's hunting dogs, but today they are used as a golf club house. The 3rd Duke also started Goodwood Racecourse, which opened in 1802.
Modern Additions
The Goodwood Golf Course was created in 1901. During World War II, Chichester/Goodwood Airport was built on the estate. In 1948, Frederick Gordon-Lennox, 9th Duke of Richmond created the Goodwood Circuit around the edge of the airfield.
In 1982, the Goodwood estate was chosen to host the World Road Cycling Championships.
A large collection of old documents from the Goodwood Estate, covering the years 1418 to 1984, is kept at the West Sussex Record Office.
See also
In Spanish: Goodwood House para niños
