The Kennels Newsletter- Edition 5

SPRING EDITION

Welcome to the fifth edition of Woof!

This edition of Woof marks the first anniversary for the newsletter. We do hope you enjoy reading them and would love to know what you’d like to read about in future editions of Woof. Please email me on ellie.cundy@goodwood.com with anything that you’d like to see.

In this edition of Woof, we are focussing on man’s best friend, the dog. We have some interesting stories about how our canine companions have featured heavily in the history of the estate, plus two new dog-friendly events coming up at The Kennels in March and April.

Other events to look forward to include a James Bond comedy evening, a talk with Matt Jones who flew around the world in the Silver Spitfire, and a Goodwood Farm Safari. We also have lots of returning events too like our ever-popular Quiz nights, Clay Shoot and Afternoon Tea.

We are delighted to announce that our Sunday lunch service will be running between 12pm and 4pm every Sunday. Enjoy a beautiful two or threecourse lunch whilst enjoying the picturesque views of the estate, making it the perfect Sunday afternoon. To book, please visit our website, call 01243 755132 or email kennelsreservations@goodwood.com

We look forward to seeing you at The Kennels very soon.

Ellie Cundy

The Kennels and Hound Lodge General Manager

WOOF HALL

There are ancestral portraits everywhere you look at Goodwood House; as in most country houses, the family tree is on the walls for all to see. And, alongside the ancestors are birds and animals: toucans on the Sèvres service, mythical beasts, like the stone sphinxes flanking Carne’s Seat, or Sheldon, a Chestnut Hunter, one of six paintings of hunters commissioned by the 2nd Duke from artist John Wootton. Critters everywhere, but most of all, dogs – an extraordinary variety of dogs, popping up like so many canine extras alongside whoever is meant to be the star of a portrait: the spaniels sprawled beside one of those hunters or cosying up to a Lennox family member, the Jack Russell perched on a house guest’s lap during Race Week, or the mysterious mutt (what is it – a corpulent greyhound, a giant bull terrier?) in Canaletto’s Allegorical Tomb of Archbishop Tillotson, commissioned by the 2nd Duke of Richmond.

At Goodwood, however, dogs are seldom precisely an extra; they have a tendency to thrust themselves centre stage. True, the white German shepherd dozing behind The Duchess of Richmond might have the flimsiest of cameo roles. But just try telling the lurcher at her feet that he is just a bit part. But all this doggy pre-eminence is only right and fitting, given that but for foxhounds – and the foxes they pursued – Goodwood House might have remained simply a small estate and house, rather than the seat of a great dynasty. For it was this emerging sport, and the nearby Charlton Hunt, that brought Charles Lennox, the 1st Duke, to Goodwood, where he initially rented the house for the hunting season, then bought it outright in 1697.

A love of dogs, sporting and otherwise, could be said to be in the 1st Duke’s DNA. His father was Charles II – a man who liked English toy spaniels so much, the breed was named after him. His mother was one of the King’s mistresses, Louise de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth. Louise’s portrait hangs in the ballroom at Goodwood – complete with pet spaniel, sniffing around in the shadows at the foot of the painting.

The pursuits of hunting was a key part of country life as enjoyed by generations of the Lennox and Gordon Lennox family on their land at Goodwood and later in Scotland – with generation after generation of foxhounds and gun dogs a familiar presence in their lives.

For centuries, the chase in England had generally meant the pursuit of deer, but in the 17th century, fox hunting emerged as an exhilarating alternative – and nowhere more so than at Charlton, just three miles from Goodwood itself. The hunt that first attracted the 1st Duke to the area was an elite, invitation-only affair – and thought to be the earliest documented. At one point its membership included half the knights of the Order of the Garter. Grandees such as the Duke of Devonshire and the Earl of Oxford kept hunting boxes in Charlton village and held a grand annual dinner there. The 2nd Duke turned out to be an even more enthusiastic huntsman than his father. In January 1738 he took up his diary to record “the greatest chase that ever was”, in which the hounds ran continuously for more than nine-and-a-half hours – covering some 57 miles of Sussex countryside over the course of one day. The Duke was one of only three riders to stay the distance.

We know the foxhounds’ names from the Charlton Hunt’s ledgers: Pompey, the offspring of Comfort & Pompey; Kitty, of Comely & Ranker, and so on. But sadly the pack was dispersed in 1750 – when the 2nd Duke died suddenly. But just seven years later the 3rd Duke took up the sport in a big way, bringing

back some of the bloodlines from the original pack and installing his hounds in the splendid new kennels he built at Goodwood, commissioned from architect James Wyatt. Along with Sir William Chambers’ splendid stable block, this gave rise to the running joke that at Goodwood, the animals always have the grandest homes – and true enough, the 3rd Duke’s hounds enjoyed an early form of central heating, an innovation that wouldn’t arrive at the main house for more than a century.

The 3rd Duke’s soft heart when it came to dogs is also apparent in his portrait by Pompeo Batoni, in which his spaniel steals the show with that imploring paw placed on the Duke’s wide cuffs – in a gesture every spaniel owner would recognise – even as the Duke obligingly caresses his ear and scratches him, just where he likes, under the collar. We might think of the Duke as a grand seigneur and Enlightenment figure – a reader of Rousseau, man of science, Grand Tourist and collector of sculpture. But we see him here more as the originator of walks, of treats, and of downed birds, eagerly to be retrieved. What’s more, this is how the Duke commissioned this modish Roman artist to portray him while in the midst of that fashionable Grand Tour, and there’s even a companion picture of his much-loved brother, George, also with an adoring spaniel – suggesting that the Lennox boys took their favourite dogs with them on their travels.

Some of the 3rd Duke’s foxhounds are immortalised in a painting he commissioned by George Stubbs, The 3rd Duke of Richmond with the Charlton Hunt, in which we know the hounds portrayed are accurate portraits of known dogs. Stubbs also painted an equestrian portrait, now in an American collection, of The Countess of Coningsby in the Costume of the Charlton Hunt – and trotting behind the Countess’s hunter, perilously close to its hind legs, we can see what might just be a red Pomeranian, which would make the fashionable Lady Coningsby an “early adopter” of the breed, then only recently imported from Germany by Queen Charlotte.

A century or so later, Goodwood was one of the first places where another exotic breed might be spotted – surely one of the strangest spoils of war ever. Today, Pekingese dogs are popular pets all over the world. But for centuries the breed was kept exclusively by members of the Chinese Imperial Court – and bred for courtly life. In 1860, during the 2nd Opium War, the Emperor fled his Summer Palace as a joint British and French force approached. One of his elderly aunts remained, however – only to commit suicide as the troops stormed the palace. Her five pet Pekingese were seized by English officers, with one given to Queen Victoria (who named it Looty), two presented to the Duchess of Wellington, and a further pair given to the Duchess of Richmond. It is from these two Pekingese, called Guh and Meh – and possibly Schloff, one of the pair presented to the Duchess of Wellington – that the famous Goodwood strain of Pekingese evolved. And once again, they pop up throughout family photographs, sitting at the feet of the future 7th and 8th Dukes, for example, at a shooting party at Gordon Castle – a living, yapping relic of imperial China transposed to the Scottish Highlands and Sussex Downs.

The 7th Duke briefly reintroduced what was then called the Goodwood Hunt after a long hiatus in the 1880s. By then, Wyatt’s splendid Kennels was home to the Duke’s racing trainer, so the Duke housed his hounds just across the road at the newly built Hound Lodge. It lasted just 12 seasons which also saw the end of Goodwood’s long and close association with hunting.

From pampered foxhounds to Britain’s first Pekingese, canine companions have always played a prominent role in Goodwood life – as you can see from their frequent appearances in the Estate’s art collection.

Words by James Collard for the 2018 Spring edition of the Goodwood Magazine.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

MARCH – MAY 2023

Optimal Wellness For Your Dog

Wednesday 8 March

Lilo Ask-Henriksen is a holistic vet nurse who specialises in dog massage and will be offering a special masterclass to give you tips to bond with your pup.

Clay Shoot

Saturday 11 March

Enjoy a morning at the Goodwood Clay Shoot ground, before returning to The Kennels for a two-course lunch and a glass of wine.

Seasonal Sustainable Flowers

Thursday 16 March

Join us for a great Mother’s Day masterclass with Beachtown Blooms to create your own seasonal and sustainable floral display.

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea

Friday 17 March

Saturday 18 March

Celebrate Mother’s Day at The Kennels with a special afternoon tea in a beautiful setting.

Mother’s Day Lunch

Sunday 19 March

Honour every mother at The Kennels with a delicious two or three-course Sunday lunch.

Quiz Nights

Thursday 23 March

Thursday 20 April

Thursday 18 May

Quizmaster Jamie returns with questions on a range of topics, who will come out victorious?

Goodwood Home Farm Safari

Saturday 1 April

Explore Goodwood Home Farm for a Kennels exclusive visit to the energy centre and to see the pigs, cattle and crops before finishing at the Farm Shop.

Easter Wreath Making

Wednesday 5 April

Create a beautiful Easter Wreath with Beachtown Blooms.

Easter Sunday and Monday

Sunday 9 April

Monday 10 April

Celebrate Easter at The Kennels with a delicious two or three-course lunch.

Hound Healing

Tuesday 18 April

Learn the benefits that Sound Bathing can have on your dog to help keep them relaxed and calm.

The Silver Spitfire

Wednesday 26 April

Join us for a fascinating talk, Q&A and three course dinner with Matt Jones. Matt completed an amazing mission in 2019 flying the Silver Spitfire around the world.

Bond Comedy Dinner

Wednesday 10 May

Join us for a fully immersive Bond spoof comedy dinner experience on The Putting Green.

To book your space on one of our events, please visit goodwood.com or email kennelsreservations@goodwood.com

We are also always looking for new ideas for events at The Kennels, so please do feel free to send recommendations or suggestions to ellie.cundy@goodwood.com

AFTERNOON TEA

We are delighted to announce all of our 2023 Afternoon Tea dates. Join us at The Kennels and enjoy traditional afternoon tea with your friends and family.

Afternoon tea includes sandwiches, homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, plus a selection of cakes. In addition, you can also enjoy a glass of Champagne to make the day extra special.

Dates for 2023 include:

Friday 17 and Saturday 18 March

Saturday 8 April

Saturday 29 April

Saturday 23 September

Saturday 21 October

Saturday 25 November

Saturday 9 December

DOGS!

Afternoon Tea is now open to members and non-members. Member price £30 per person, non-member price £35 per person.

For 2023, you now have the chance to buy a Dog Afternoon Tea! £20 per dog, it includes a selection of treats presented on an Afternoon Tea tiered stand of doggy bowls. This must be booked alongside a human Afternoon Tea. Fun for the whole family.

To book, please visit goodwood.com or call 01243 755132. Please let us know any dietary requirements at the time of booking and these will be catered for.

DATES FOR THE DIARY

80th Goodwood Members’ Meeting

Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 April

Horseracing: Season Opener

Friday 5 and Saturday 6 May

Goodwoof

Saturday 20 – Sunday 21 May

Horseracing: May Festival

Friday 26 and Saturday 27 May

Horseracing: Three Friday Nights

Friday 9, Friday 16 and Friday 23 June

Horseracing: Family Race Day

Sunday 11 June

Festival of Speed

The Kennels are delighted to be holding two exciting events at The Kennels in March and April which is all about you and your dog.

Wednesday 8 March

Lilo Ask-Henriksen, will be joining us at The Kennels. The event is designed to educate and inform dog owners on a holistic approach to your dog’s wellbeing. Lilo will share her own story which started over 14 years ago, about how nutrition and massage can support your dog’s health and wellbeing. She will focus on how it can be both preventative and curative and what to look for and what you can do at home.

Tuesday 18 April

Siobhan Swider, will be joining us to run a Sound (Hound) Bath with you and your dog. The houndbath session will be a unique experience. Siobhan will gently guide you and your dog through a sound bath using the gentle sounds from tibetan singing bowls, alchemy crystal singing bowls (made of crystal and other gemstones and minerals), gong, and harp to help relax you and your pets.

Dogs and humans are mandatory for these sessions! For more information or to book, please visit our website, or call 01243 755132 or email kennelsreservations@goodwood.com

Thursday 13 – Sunday 16 July

Horseracing: Qatar Goodwood Festival

Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 August

Horseracing: August Bank Holiday Racing

Friday 25 – Sunday 27 August

Goodwood Revival

Friday 8 – Sunday 10 September

Horseracing: Midweek Racing

Tuesday 5 and Wednesday 27 September

Horseracing: Season Finale

Sunday 15 October

OODLES OF POODLES

Coming to Goodwoof

The team putting together the second celebration of all things dog, Goodwoof, presented by MARS Petcare, are excited to see visitors, both human and canine, once again stream between the giant welcoming Goodwoof hounds and into the spacious showground to enjoy another weekend packed with surprises designed to delight the whole family. Set in the paddocks around The Kennels at the heart of the Goodwood estate, Goodwoof will take place on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May and will be even bigger and better than before.

The breed in the spotlight this year is the poodle. These amazingly stylish dogs never fail to turn heads as they saunter by and, at Goodwoof, there will be plenty of stunning examples to delight the eye, in the Saturday morning Poodle Parade. The Duke of Richmond says that the standard poodle has a very special place in his memories, “When I was a child, my grandmother, Betty, had a huge black poodle called Bruno. He was very much a part of my earliest memories of my time at Goodwood and so I have always had a soft spot for the breed. I’m very much looking forward to seeing as many poodles at Goodwoof as we can bring together.”

Whatever engages and entertains a dog will be found at Goodwoof, making it the ultimate dog’s day out. Worldclass international competitors will demonstrate their superlative skills as gun dogs, sheepdogs and CaniCross competitors take to field and trail. These canines are at the absolute pinnacle of their competitive working lives and are mesmerising to watch in action. Visitors can marvel at the seamless action of these incredible dogs who seem to have an almost telepathic connection with their handlers. Nowhere else can you see so many champions come together in one place. The Studio, presented by Randox, is an oasis of calm where dogs and their owners can relax with sound-bathing, reiki, massage and doga. For the more spirited amongst us, the popular 50m dash is available to get the heart rate and competitive spirit pumping.

The Wellness Centre, presented by MARS Petcare, is at the centre of Goodwoof. It’s here that owners can find out everything they need to know to ensure their dog’s health and wellbeing is optimal. A brace of experts are on hand to advise on all aspects of nutrition, behaviour and health and there’s even the chance to find out about a dog’s DNA origins which helps owners to tailor nutrition, exercise and future proof potential health issues.

Our carefully curated retailers offer a wide range of lovely things, including fabulous black and white Pawtraits taken at the event by society photographer, Dan Stevens. There’s the chance to relax with a glass of Taittinger at the Champagne bar, find a deep sense of wellbeing whilst listening to canine tales of derring-do read by famous voices at Literary Corner, watch happy dogs taking a cooling dip in Fido’s Lido, teach yours new tricks in the Have a Go area, marvel at the skills displayed in the Action Sports arena, or simply picnic next to the Woofstock bandstand.

The Early Bird ticket offer continues to run, together with your membership discount. All activities and displays are included in the ticket price with children under 12 and dogs going free. To purchase tickets and to plan your day, go to goodwood.com

This recipe serves four people.

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

50g butter, cold

50g sugar

25g sultanas, soak in a little milk

150ml whole milk

1 egg

1 egg yolk for glazing

THE KENNELS SCONES

FROM THE KITCHEN AT THE KENNELS

With our delicious Afternoon Teas now on sale for 2023, we thought it would be the perfect time to share our scone recipe so you can try these out at home.

In a bowl sift the flour and baking powder together. Dice the butter into small cubes, then rub into the flour mixture, until all incorporated in a crumble like texture. Add the sugar and soaked sultanas and gently fold together.

Now pour the liquid into the flour mix and combine until a sticky dough forms.

Turn out onto a floured surface. Gently fold the dough until smooth.

Dust a cutter then cut out the scones. Place on a baking tray and brush with egg yolk. Bake at 170ºc for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool.

BARKITECTURE

This was made by Sanei Hopkins who designed the hut to echo the inward curling form of their young whippet, Nimroo. The kennel can be adapted to suit the size of your pet and indeed the number too! The roof is also available in a range of different finishes to suit the local environment and the personal tastes of your dog.

INFORMATION:

DOG

MEMBERSHIP

Don’t forget that your dog can become a member of The Kennels.

Whenever your dog visits us, they will be given their own personalised dog bowl that is kept at the clubhouse and brought out every time they visit.

They will also receive some tasty treats and walking maps, to help you navigate around the estate.

All profits are donated to The Kennels local charity Hounds for Heroes.

To find out more, please visit goodwood.com

INFORMATION:

EXCLUSIVE USE DATES

Please note that The Kennels will be closed on the following dates and times:

Friday 10 March

The Kennels will be closed all day.

Saturday 8 April and Thursday 13 April

The Kennels will be closed from 6pm.

Friday 19 – Monday 22 May

Goodwoof will be taking place on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May 2023. Please note that The Kennels will close from Friday 19 – Monday 22 May in preparation for the event. The car park will also be closed on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 May and will not be available to members.

We’re sorry for any inconvenience..

OPENING TIMES

We update our opening times regularly on our website with information about any exclusiveuse closures that may be coming up, so please do remember to check these before you visit us.

Our standard opening times are as follows:

The Restaurant

The Kennels Restaurant will be open as follows:

Lunch

Thursday to Saturday 12.00pm – 2.30pm Sunday 12.00pm – 4pm

Dinner Thursday to Saturday 6.30pm – 9.00pm

The Bar

The Main Bar, Drawing Room and Terraces will be open as follows:

MARCH

Sunday to Wednesday 7.00am – 6.30pm

Food served 7.00am – 5.00pm

Thursday to Saturday 7.00am – late

Food served 7.00am – 5.00pm

APRIL

Sunday to Wednesday 7.00am – 8.30pm

Food served 7.00am – 6.00pm

Thursday to Saturday 7.00am – late

Food served 7.00am – 6.00pm

For an up-to-date version of our opening times, please visit goodwood.com

The final kennel from the Barkitecture competition, which resides at Hound Lodge, is the Suffolk Sight Hound Hut.