Goodwood Racecourse Established

1802

Horse racing at Goodwood began in 1802, when the 3rd Duke of Richmond established a racecourse on the downs above his estate north of Chichester. The location, on top of the Trundle hill fort with sweeping views across the coastal plain and out to the Solent, is widely considered the most beautiful racecourse setting in England. The Glorious Goodwood festival, held each July and August, became one of the highlights of the English flat racing calendar and drew fashionable society from across the country. The racecourse developed through the nineteenth century, with improved facilities, a grandstand, and an increasing programme of meetings. The association with the Dukes of Richmond gave the meetings a social cachet that attracted royalty and the aristocracy. Queen Victoria attended, and the Goodwood Cup became one of the most prestigious long-distance races in the calendar. In the twentieth century, the estate diversified. Goodwood Motor Circuit, a wartime airfield converted into a racing circuit, hosted motor racing from 1948 to 1966. The Revival meeting, launched in 1998 by Lord March (now the Duke of Richmond), and the Festival of Speed, held annually since 1993 in the grounds of Goodwood House, have become internationally significant events. Goodwood's proximity to Chichester means that the city feels the effects of major events through increased traffic, hotel bookings, and visitor spending.