at the kennels first edition mmxv · warmest of welcomes. with your own private butler service you...
TRANSCRIPT
f i r s t e d i t i o n M M X V
h o u n d l o d g ea t t h e k e n n e l s
I do hope you will enjoy staying at Hound Lodge as much as the hounds certainly did.
As the home of the world’s first major foxhunt and also the very reason the first Duke of Richmond bought a house at Goodwood in 1697, The Kennels, and later Hound Lodge, were considered by the aristocracy of the time as ‘the most luxurious dog house in the world’. Indeed the Duke was renowned for spending far more time and money on his hounds and horses than on his friends and guests. So much so that he installed central heating in his kennels a hundred years before it was installed in Goodwood House.
By totally restoring Hound Lodge and putting back every creature comfort known to dogs, we hope we have created something very different. Whether you come to Goodwood to pursue your sporting passions or to spend time away from it all, we want Hound Lodge to be a very special place where you really can feel at home and be properly looked after. Something that was always perfectly normal for the hounds at Goodwood but now can be enjoyed by people too. It’s a dog’s life!
Earl of March
w e l c o m e
Away from everything and let off the leash there are 12,000 acres to explore across the Goodwood Estate.
The sense of freedom you find here is just one draw. For over three hundred years, friends and guests have been attracted to the Estate by its sporting reputation. Horseracing, motorsport, golf, flying, shooting and cricket were all introduced by enthusiastic, not to mention fiercely competitive, family members.
In the Festival of Speed, the Qatar Goodwood Festival, and Goodwood Revival, the Estate is home to three of the biggest sporting events in the British social calendar. Seen from the air out of the aerodrome or a racing car speeding around the circuit, few other places can boast Goodwood’s unique connection between past and present that gives life to this great estate.
t h e
g o o d w o o d e s t a t e
Goodwood is famous for horseracing, motor racing, golf, flying, shooting and cricket
As the most fashionable pursuit of its time, the Charlton Hunt attracted no fewer than fifty peers of the realm, there really was no other place for an eighteenth century aristocrat to be seen. Among them, the first Duke of Richmond enjoyed the surroundings of Goodwood so much that he decided to make it his home.
His hounds and those that followed were treated like royalty, enjoying spacious living quarters, first at the Kennels and later at Hound Lodge after the former was turned into accommodation. Here it was that the hunt would last for days at a time, with guests and hounds returning to Goodwood House and Hound Lodge in an equal state of excitement.
A h i s t o r y
o f H o u n d s a n d h u n t i n g
a t g o o d w o o d
The Charlton Hunt (recognised as the world’s first major fox hunt) by George Stubbs, 1759
Hound Lodge receives you as if you were returning home. Where else would you find a country retreat already full of the things you love the most?
You, your guests and your dogs are offered the very warmest of welcomes. With your own private butler service you will not have to lift a finger (or paw) as you are treated to everything you could possibly need to enjoy your time at Goodwood.
Yet true to its past, Hound Lodge also remains a fully functioning sporting lodge with a dramatic sense of history. In each of the rooms are dog bowls and baskets as well as original paintings and prints that reveal the significance of Hound Lodge and its hounds, and why they have never been forgotten.
A t r a d i t i o n a l
h u n t i n g l o d g e
f o r t h e 2 1 s t c e n t u r y
Step out through the arcade of flint and brick arches into the courtyard at the back of Hound Lodge and you will be plunged into a picturesque world. The mesmerising view of the woodland lies before you with breathtaking views of the Downs stretching beyond.
Hound Lodge and The Valdoe form the apex of the axial avenue dreamed up by the second Duke of Richmond in the early 1720s. Running west from Goodwood House, this axis completes the connection between Goodwood House, Hound Lodge and its glorious natural setting.
t h e
v a l d o e w o o d l a n d
When you step inside Hound Lodge for the first time everything already feels familiar. The cosy interiors instantly help you to shrug off the outside world and unwind. As your butler whisks your luggage off to your rooms, your dogs will already be searching out their favourite basket by the open hearth with its roaring fire. Meanwhile, you can settle into an armchair with tea and a toasted crumpet or set off to discover the other delights of your home at Goodwood.
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e n t r a n c e h a l l
Tapster, the Duke’s favourite hound by John Wootton in 1733
It is not only the plump mattress filled with wool from the sheep that graze on the Goodwood Estate that encourages you to rest that little bit longer at Hound Lodge. Each of your ten rooms is entirely unique and furnished with hand picked pieces that you will not find anywhere else. Here you will find the peace and solitude to nod off after a busy day. If your own dog chooses to leap from its covers and onto yours, lie back down and enjoy the prospect of reading the papers over a breakfast in bed unlike any other.
t h e
b e d r o o m s
After a busy day spent out of doors on the Goodwood Estate, here you will return to the hub of the household. Drop your boots on the flagstone floor and leave your things on the baize table to be collected and returned clean, taking the time to enjoy the fabulous teas or something a little stronger prepared by your butler. As your dogs shake off the mud and bound indoors you can look forward to sinking into your favourite sofa or retiring to your room before dinner is served.
t h e
b o o t r o o m
Ringing with the sound of laughter or the clinking of glasses, the magnificent dining room is a focal point at Hound Lodge. Here you can entertain at your leisure, with deliciously simple dishes or more intricate menus prepared by your own private chef. Carefully selected wines provide the perfect accompaniment to the meats, cheeses and other fresh, seasonal produce that arrives at the pantry door from Goodwood’s organic lowland farm. As always, your butler is on-hand to cater for your every need as you enjoy a night in the company of your guests.
t h e
D i n i n g R o o m
Born of Madam and Mounter in 1737, Dido was the avowed leader of the pack. No one at Goodwood could remember a faster, leaner and more energetic hound. He was simply the most athletic of all the pack with boundless reserves of energy. Rather strange considering both his parents were notorious slouches after a long runabout.
d i d o
Despite his gathering years, records show that Pompey was still lithe enough to father one dog and four bitches just a few years before he passed away. By 1739 he was semi-retired but the master kept him on because of his knack of inspiring the younger members of the pack to run faster or jump higher.
p o m p e y
At Hound Lodge the bedrooms are named after ten hounds of the ‘Glorious Twenty-Three’ of 1738. Writing in his journal at the time, the 2nd Duke of Richmond described their 57-mile chase from 7.45am to 5.50pm on Friday, 26 January 1738 as “the greatest chase that ever was.”
t h e
g l o r i o u s h o u n d s
A rambunctious character from the first day until his early passing in 1740, Rifle inspired an unprecedented period of mourning among the pack. Probably the most free-spirited hound the Hunt had ever seen, his impulsive nature led him into trouble on more than a few occasions but he always managed to escape without a scratch.
r i f l e
More likely to be found at the foot of his master than out in the yard with the other hounds, Edmund was a faithful old-timer. By 1739, his eyes might not have been what they once were but he could sniff out the catch from a good distance and still prove his worth with extraordinary intelligence in the chase.
E d m u n d
Twelve years in the pack meant Peggy was accustomed to being spoilt by her masters. She was always first in line at supper time and rarely missed her chance for a second helping. A little on the heavy side, it didn’t stop her running full pelt with the younger members of the pack out on the Downs.
p e g g y
For all her father’s shielding from the other hounds, Ruby was a promiscuous young thing. Later she became the mother of Charlton’s most famous hound – Ringwood ‘41. Yet within three weeks of her introduction to the pack in 1739 she had already gathered a fine reputation for her bravery in the face of adversity.
r u b y
Despite his age, Musick was one of the more playful hounds in the group. As his name suggests, he was easy on the ear as well as being easy on the eye. His bark was never gruff and he seemed to glide over the fields. Guests were often heard to remark on his gracefulness, even as the pack was scrambling through hedgerows and briars.
m u s i c k
‘Drawn’ into the Hunt at a very early age, Walcut had won the hearts of each of the Whips with his work rate and sheer stamina. Fearless in the chase and quick to the kill, he was also a bit of a show-off. In his later years he seemed to mellow but never showed any signs of pulling up when it came to a flat race among the hounds.
w a l c u t
With a rather haughty nature, perhaps because he knew that he had been ‘cast’ by the second Duke himself, Ringwood was equally charmless and fearless. The father of Ruby, he was also fiercely protective of her around the other hounds and kept a watchful eye on any new blood introduced into the pack.
r i n g w o o d
Young, precocious and daring, you would often find Drummer out at the front of the pack. Unofficially Dido’s deputy, he later joined with Ringwood’s pedigree through Royster and Curious to Ranter, creating a lineage of distinction that would last for several decades at Goodwood.
d r u m m e r
t h e b e n e f i t s o f b e i n g
a h o u n d l o d g e r
An inexhaustive list of indulgences for all guests (human or hound)
Arrival by chauffeur from the aerodrome
Greeted on arrival by the Lodge’s private butler
A place to rest your paws
Tasty morsels from around the grounds
High-octane heritage
12,000 acres in which to roam free
Breakfast in bed – every day (ladies only)
Ultimate Driving adrenaline rides
Rubbing shoulders with history
Sight of Stubbs’ and Canaletto’s finest
No others to lay claim to your territory
Picnic hampers in the Downs
Anytime tee time on either course
Racing the legendary 1.16 mile hillclimb
Indulgent spa treatments
A vigorous rub down
Pushing the limits in a Spitfire
A cosy corner to curl up in
Getting lost in the long grass
Elevenses at any hour
Unlimited treats in the pantry
Muddy paws washed clean in the boot room
Afternoon tea ready and waiting
A private snug for lazy days
Nooks and crannies to explore
Roaring open fires
Medicinal tots to warm against the cold
Feet up on the sofa
A warm basket and rugs
A well-stocked wine cellar
The chance to dress up
The chance to dress down
Delectable seasonal ingredients
After-dinner drinks and cigars in the courtyard
Eclectic artefacts with a glorious past
Dog bowls in every room
Mattresses stuffed with wool from the Goodwood flock
Guns cleaned and ready for tomorrow’s shoot
A hand-drawn bath
Fine linen and plump pillows
Hot water bottles
Moonlit views of the Valdoe
Room to chase your tail
Bounding out of the back door at daybreak
A home away from home
Whether you come seeking thrills or simply the chance to relax, Hound Lodge offers you exclusive access to the entire Goodwood experience.
For golf enthusiasts, the clubhouse and first tee at The Kennels are just a stone’s throw from Hound Lodge. Complementary therapies and personal beauty treatments are available in-room, while your guests can enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the grounds as soon as they leave the front door.
For the more adventurous, the racecourse, motor circuit and aerodrome are close by, offering escapades on the ground or in the skies above. Take your party flying, off-roading, walking or shooting and come back to find everything just the way you want it.
Y O U R
C O U N T R Y R E T R E A T
1 Golf – The Downs Course2 Hound Lodge3 The Kennels4 The Race Course5 Goodwood House
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6 Home Farm7 Cricket Ground8 Golf – The Park Course9 Motor Circuit 10 Aerodrome
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To arrange a personal visit before coming to stay with us, please call Neil Georges on 01243 755076
Goodwood, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0PX
Design, art direction and production by Chris Bedson Creative
Photography by Stephen Hayward
GOODWOOD