- The exhibition, held at Goodwood House, will tell the stories of women connected with Goodwood and the Gordon Lennox family.
- Highlights will include gowns from the Fashion Museum Bath and artworks by Angelica Kauffman and Sir Joshua Reynolds including from Castletown House in Ireland, home of one of the daughters of the 2nd Duke of Richmond.
- The exhibition will run from 5 May to 28 October 2024 at Goodwood House.
- Tickets are available at goodwood.com
Goodwood is pleased to announce the theme of its annual exhibition, held in the Long Hall within Goodwood House. ‘HerStory: Women of Goodwood’ will be a celebration of women, both past and present from across the estate.
For over 300 years, women have been central to Goodwood's history. The ‘HerStory: Women of Goodwood’ exhibition will place a spotlight on the women connected with the estate and the Gordon Lennox family, whose stories tell of passion, power, patronage, society, family, charitable work, and sporting interests.
It will shed light on women from the 17th to the 21st Centuries, including:
- Louise de Keroualle, favourite mistress of King Charles II and mother of the 1st Duke of Richmond, whose direct descendants live at Goodwood today
- Jane, Duchess of Gordon, a political hostess who rivalled Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire
- Charlotte, Duchess of Richmond, who hosted the famous Waterloo Ball which inspired artists, poets and writers including William Thackeray.
- Hilda, Duchess of Richmond, who saved the Goodwood Estate in the 20th century after crippling death duties
- The Duchess of Richmond, who lives at Goodwood today and set up the Gut Health Programme and the Organic Home Farm.
Proudly on display during the bespoke tour will be gowns loaned by the Fashion Museum Bath; artworks by Angelica Kauffman and Sir Joshua Reynolds, and historic photographs and documents detailing the stories of these women, plus many more who have influenced and defined Goodwood to this day.
Clementine de la Poer Beresford, Curator of the Goodwood Collection and the architect of this year’s exhibition said: “We are very much looking forward to welcoming visitors to Goodwood House this spring to discover the incredible women who have impacted the Goodwood Estate over the centuries. We have some wonderful stories to tell; these women have been decisively at the forefront of Goodwood’s long and rich history, inspiring not only the current Duke and Duchess and their family, but all the people who work across the estate year-round.”
How to book
The ‘HerStory: Women of Goodwood’ exhibition will be held in the Long Hall of Goodwood House and runs from 5 May to 28 October 2024 on all Open Days. Open Days take place on Mondays and Sundays. The exhibition tour can be experienced on its own, or as part of an Afternoon Tea and Tour package. Prices start from £34 and can be booked here.
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Notes to Editors:
HerStory: Women of Goodwood runs 5 May to 28 October at Goodwood House.
Buy tickets
Goodwood House Tour and Goodwood House Tea and Tour can be booked at goodwood.com or by calling the Ticket Office on 01243 755055.
Key Items for photographs featuring in the ‘HerStory: Women of Goodwood’:
- 1930s Molyneux Gown worn by Helen, Duchess of Northumberland. Helen was the daughter of the 7th Duke of Richmond, who from a young age hosted Goodwood’s glorious house parties during raceweek with her father. Her mother had died when she was only 11-months-old. Helen entertained royalty, including Edward VII and Queen Alexandra, as well as George V and Queen Mary. The gown is a green and pink sequin floor-length number, loaned from the Fashion Museum Bath.
- 1822 Wedding Dress worn by Lady Jane Peel on her marriage to Laurence Peel on the 20th July 1822. Jane was the daughter of the 4th Duke of Richmond, and Charlotte, Duchess of Richmond (who hosted the famous Waterloo Ball). Laurence Peel was the younger brother of the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel. Few objects relating to Jane survive, as is often the case with women of the past, and so the dress is a remarkable survival, allowing us a glimpse into her life and tastes.
- Letters Patent with the Great Seal granting Louise de Keroualle the equivalent of nearly £1,000,000 in today’s money annually. Louise was King Charles II’s favourite mistress from 1671 up until his death in 1685, facilitating the King’s conversion to Catholicism on his deathbed. She was known as the ‘spy in the bedchamber’, as she promoted French interests at the English Court, and she was given over 40 rooms by the King at Whitehall Palace.
- Letter written by King Charles II to Louise de Keroualle, in which he writes, ‘I love you better than all the world…’, with the King’s wax seal bearing their entwined initials ‘CL’.
- Portrait of Mary, Duchess of Richmond by Angelica Kauffman, 1775. Mary was married to the 3rd Duke of Richmond, and is shown wearing the then fashionable Turkish attire. A new discovery about the painting has recently been made by Goodwood’s Curator, which suggests Mary was more involved in the interior design of Goodwood than has previously been thought.
- Beautiful green fan used at the famous Waterloo Ball in 1815 hosted by Charlotte, Duchess of Richmond – the ball is dubbed the most famous ball in history and took place just a few days before the Battle of Waterloo.
- Guest list for the Duchess of Richmond’s Ball in 1815 - hosted by Charlotte, Duchess of Richmond - which mentions the Duke of Wellington.
- Silver plate breakfasted off by Napoleon on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo presented to Charlotte, Duchess of Richmond after the Battle of Waterloo for keeping morale high in Brussels by hosting the famous Waterloo Ball.
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Contact
For all press enquiries or interviews with Curator, Clementine de la Poer Beresford, please contact media@goodwood.com
Imagery and news from Goodwood are available from our Press & Media site.
Stay up to date with all future announcements and on-event action across our social channels:
X (formerly Twitter) | Facebook | Instagram
Follow Curator, Clementine de la Poer Beresford on Instagram: @the_history_gal
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About Goodwood
Goodwood Estate is England’s greatest sporting estate set in 11,000 acres of beautiful West Sussex countryside. Seat of the Dukes of Richmond since 1697, it is renowned for creating exceptional experiences and world-class sporting events, as well as hosting some of the largest and most anticipated occasions in the British social calendar: Festival of Speed, Qatar Goodwood Festival, Goodwood Revival and Goodwoof.
Alongside Goodwood’s rich history sits an estate-wide culture of protecting and promoting sustainability, creativity, and the environment. The diverse portfolio of businesses includes one of the largest lowland organic farms in Europe; a famous Battle of Britain airfield and aerodrome; a racecourse; a historic motor circuit; two golf courses; one of the oldest cricket grounds in the country; The Kennels members’ clubhouse; ten-bedroom luxury retreat, Hound Lodge; self-catering holiday cottages, The Pheasantry, Peach Tree and Crab Apple; Goodwood Hotel and Health Club; the Goodwood Education Centre; the award-winning sustainable restaurant Farmer, Butcher, Chef and, of course, Goodwood
