Having worked in advertising in London for over a decade, Miranda took on the E&H Head of Marketing role at Goodwood, combining her love of luxury hospitality, art, and content creation. She is passionate about shining a light on the wonder of every single day at Goodwood, telling the stories of the people who work here, the beauty of all 11,000 acres – from ancient woodland and grassland to Goodwood Home Farm – and the incredible experiences you can have across the estate.
Goodwood House has been the home of the Dukes of Richmond & Lennox for over 300 years. The 1st Duke of Richmond, son of King Charles II and his French mistress Louise de Keroualle, originally bought Goodwood as a hunting lodge, and subsequent Dukes enlarged the existing Jacobean house to create the magnificent house seen today, set in mature parkland against the backdrop of the Sussex Downs.
How would you describe Goodwood?
Where to start! Goodwood is a playground of incredible experiences, world-famous events and superb hospitality. Built on the sporting passions of the Dukes of Richmond past and present, you can experience the most extraordinary motorsport events at Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival, be part of the Summer horse racing season at Qatar Goodwood Festival and join in the most bonkers dog event at Goodwoof. But outside events season, the fun doesn’t stop, from two breathtakingly beautiful golf courses, hot lap track experiences around the motor circuit, a beautiful Health & Wellbeing facility with world-class retreats, off-road vintage Land Rover tours, flying in spitfires, jet packs, tree-climbing, the list goes on. Membership is an important part of Goodwood, be it for cars, horses, golf or health & wellbeing, and The Kennels, Goodwood’s private members club, serves as a home to all the members, with a delicious menu and thriving calendar of events where you can rub shoulders with the great and the good of West Sussex. That doesn’t even touch on the incredible experience of staying on the estate, from the beautiful Hound Lodge, the ten-bedroom exclusive-use property complete with a Butler and private chef, the charming self-serviced Goodwood Cottages with roaring fires and bunk beds just for the dogs and then, of course, The Goodwood Hotel, which encapsulates countryside charm and comfort.
Tell us something most people don’t know about Goodwood.
Sustainability and a farm-to-fork philosophy is central to what we do at Goodwood. The previous Duchess was one of the founding members of the Soil Association and her belief in organic farming principles still guides our farming practices today. That means that all of our pork, lamb and beef come from the estate and anything we don’t produce is sourced from local suppliers, helping the local economy but also ensuring that you will have travelled further than your food. Whatever you eat on the estate will therefore be seasonal, exceptionally good quality and, most importantly, taste divine.
What kind of people hang out here?
It’s a real mix of petrol-heads, horse-racing enthusiasts, glamorous couples staying for the weekend, families taking part in fun activities that range from den building to drone building and racing, fitness enthusiasts and art buffs.
Who has checked into Goodwood over the years?
We have many very well known guests coming to stay, from royalty to celebrities, however, we never talk about past guests, as, with great hospitality comes total discretion.
Who’s thrown parties here, any stand-out stories? And famous weddings?
We throw absolutely extraordinary parties here, both during our events and for private clients. From Studio 54 and the Wild West to the Egyptian Pyramids and beyond, Goodwood has seen (and built) it all. Every party we host includes our theatrics department and a dedicated team of event planners to ensure that everything is delivered to an impeccable standard. Our values—an obsession for perfection, a sheer love of life, derring-do, and authenticity—are showcased best at the parties we throw; they truly take your breath away.
Who’s the chef and what’s your favourite dish?
Mike Watts is the Executive Chef here and he looks after all of our restaurants, with Head Chefs in each. He loves Goodwood Estate lamb and Sussex asparagus with a pea and wild garlic salsa verde. There’s something about driving past the sheep grazing in the fields on your way to work and then being able to serve something so delicious, that is incredibly rewarding.
Any hidden corners at Goodwood?
As a guest of Hound Lodge, our ten-bedroom property tucked away in a quiet corner of the estate, you get exclusive access to The Valdoe, an ancient area of woodland. It really feels like stepping back in time as you walk through these historic trees, it’s incredibly restorative and peaceful and in the Spring the whole place is carpeted in bluebells and is just magical.
Favourite room to stay in at Goodwood?
Dido at Hound Lodge. Cindy Leveson is behind the interior design and everything has been chosen with comfort in mind. Dido is one of ten bedrooms, all with plump mattresses filled with wool from sheep that graze on the estate and all with their own distinctive feel. The bedrooms are named after ten hounds of the ‘Glorious Twenty-Three’ of 1738 hunt. Writing in his diary, the 2nd Duke of Richmond described it as ‘the greatest chase that ever was’. Dido has beautiful high ceilings and blue decor creating a feeling of total serenity.
What is your favourite piece of artwork from the collection?
The Van Dyck portrait of Charles I that hangs in the centre of the Ballroom is truly spectacular and makes history feel even more tangible, knowing that the young Charles II in the portrait is the reason why we’re all now here.
What kind of couples get married here?
Our couples are always incredibly diverse, which is what makes weddings here so exciting—we really can bring any dream to life. There are no hard and fast rules, as you might expect from such a historic building, meaning we can be very flexible with the rooms and the entire estate. We often see couples opting for three-day celebrations now, utilising different areas of the estate and incorporating unique experiences for their guests, which always creates an unforgettable sense of occasion.
And finally, what’s next for Goodwood…
We are working with a number of prestigious event planners to create three day weddings for their clients which I can’t go into too much detail about, but suffice to say they are incredibly exciting and include flying in to the event and experiences across the estate throughout their stays. Goodwood House is going to look absolutely beautiful.
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