Goodwood Timeline
Key events from 2 July 1966 to present
Discover the key moments that shaped Goodwood. Explore the events that define our community.
2 July 1966
Final major race meeting at Goodwood
The Goodwood Motor Circuit held its final major race meeting. Rising speeds, increasingly powerful cars and the circuit's lack of modern safety featur...
18 September 1948
First motor race meeting at Goodwood
The 9th Duke of Richmond, Freddie March, opened the Goodwood Motor Circuit on the perimeter track of the former RAF Westhampnett. The first race meeti...
23 April 1962
Stirling Moss crashes at St Mary's
Stirling Moss suffered a career-ending crash at St Mary's corner during practice. The accident, caused by a mechanical failure, left Moss with serious...
1697
1st Duke of Richmond acquires Goodwood
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond and illegitimate son of King Charles II, purchased the Goodwood estate as a hunting lodge. The acquisition establ...
c. 1727
Cricket played at Goodwood
The 2nd Duke of Richmond, a keen patron of cricket, organised matches on the Goodwood estate. The Duke was one of the most influential figures in the ...
1790s
James Wyatt remodels Goodwood House
The architect James Wyatt was commissioned by the 3rd Duke of Richmond to remodel and enlarge Goodwood House. Wyatt's ambitious octagonal plan was onl...
1802
Horse racing begins at Goodwood
The 3rd Duke of Richmond established a racecourse on the South Downs above Goodwood House. The first meetings were private affairs for the Duke's gues...
1840
First running of the Stewards' Cup
The Stewards' Cup, a six-furlong handicap sprint, was first run at Goodwood. The race would become one of the most famous and fiercely competitive han...
c. 1845
The meeting becomes known as Glorious Goodwood
The summer race meeting at Goodwood acquired the informal title 'Glorious Goodwood', reflecting both the quality of the racing and the beauty of the d...
1940
RAF Westhampnett established as a fighter station
The airfield at Westhampnett was established as a satellite station for RAF Tangmere during the Battle of Britain. Fighter squadrons flew from the gra...
1940
Battle of Britain operations from Westhampnett
Pilots from 145 Squadron and 602 Squadron flew Hurricanes and Spitfires from RAF Westhampnett during the Battle of Britain. The airfield's proximity t...
1950
Stirling Moss wins his first race at Goodwood
The young Stirling Moss recorded his first victory at Goodwood, beginning a relationship with the circuit that would make him its most famous and succ...
1952
The Nine Hours race inaugurated
The Nine Hours endurance race at Goodwood brought night racing to the circuit, with sports cars competing from afternoon through darkness. The event t...
1958
Tourist Trophy moves to Goodwood
The RAC Tourist Trophy for GT cars was held at Goodwood for the first time, bringing the world's finest sports cars to Sussex. The TT would be held at...
1993
First Festival of Speed
Charles Gordon-Lennox, then Earl of March, held the first Festival of Speed on the driveway of Goodwood House. The event, using a 1.16-mile hillclimb ...
1998
First Goodwood Revival
The Goodwood Revival was held for the first time, reviving competitive racing on the motor circuit after thirty-two years of silence. The event's peri...
2001
Goodwood Home Farm begins organic conversion
The Goodwood estate began converting its 12,000-acre Home Farm to organic production, one of the largest lowland organic conversions in England. The d...
2014
The Kennels members' club opens
The converted Georgian kennels opened as Goodwood's private members' club, offering dining, a bar, health club and event spaces in a Grade II listed b...
2014
Members' Meeting relaunched
The Goodwood Members' Meeting was relaunched after a gap of nearly fifty years, reviving the tradition of club racing at the motor circuit. Open only ...
2017
Charles Gordon-Lennox becomes 11th Duke of Richmond
Charles Gordon-Lennox inherited the title of 11th Duke of Richmond following the death of his father. Having already transformed the estate through th...