The Sun.
London, England, 1867-08-05 00:00:00

GOODWOOD.

BY LORD WILLIAM LENNOX.
(From Land and Water.)
The monster meeting at Goodwood, as it has been feli-
citously named, has attained so great a pre-eminenco in
the racing world, that it may not be uninteresting to our
readers to give a slight sketch of the house and domain of
the noble duke under whose auspices and those of his
father a tenth-rate country meeting has been transformed
to the first place of sport in the land. The domain of the
Duke of Richmond includes the throe contiguous estates of
Goodwood, Halnaker, and Westhampnett. The former
was purchased by the first duke, the son of Charles 11,
about the year 1720, from the family of Compton. Hal-
naker did not come into the family until 1765, when it
was added by the third duke to the other entailed estates.
Westhampnett, which compries upwards of 1,800 acres,
was also purchased by the same nobleman. Halnaker
House, which was built in the reign of Henry VIII., is
now a perfect ruin, and is the only specimen in this part
of the country of that castellated style peculiar to the age
of the Tudors. In one of those beautiful, yet ephemeral
works of the day, the Annuals, we find a legend of Hal-
necke, which contains a very graphic account of the visit
of the unfortunate Edward VI. to this place in 1551. The
park, which was formerly stocked with deer, contains
some magnificent timber, and a splendid avenue of
Spanish chestnut trees. The manor house of West-
hampnett, formerly the property of Sir Hutchings
Williams, Bart., who rebuilt it, is now converted into 4
union workhouse ; and let those who cavil at the present
poor law system visit this establishment, when they will
find that every comfort and attention that can bo paid to
the spiritual and bodily wants of their poorer brethren aro
here dispensed with a most liberal hand. See the aged,
happy and content; the children cheerful, well fed, and
neatly attired; test their knowledge in the "one thing
needful," and it will be found that many of those who are
considered pour in the eyes of the world are rich in trea-
sures far above earthly value. Return we to Goodwood,
which in the Burrell MS. is thus described:—" Rot, Par.,
26th of Elizabeth, Godinwood Manor, with its appendages
and two houses, four gardens, two orchards, two hundred
acres of park land, ten of arable, five hundred of pasture,
and three hundred of wood." The original mansion, a
Gothic structure, of which no print or painting is in
existence, was replaced by an edifice erected under the
direction of Sir William Chambers, and which now forms
part of the present building. In 1800 the third Duke of
Richmond, who was a great patron of the arts, and who
had expended a large sum upon the improvements of the
estate, now commenced those additions and alterations
which have produced the present noble domain.
The house consists of a principal front, with a colon-
nade, a portico of six Doric pillars supports another of an
equal number of lonic, of Portland stone, extending nearly
170 ft., and terminated by two towers with hemispherical
roofs; the wings, each presenting a front of 106 ft., are
also terminated by similar towers. With the exception of
the front, which formed part of the building erected by
Sir William Chambers, the whole of the new edifice is
built with square flints, collected from the neighbouring
downs, and which possess an advantage over Portland
stone, namely, that the longer they are exposed to the
weather, the whiter and harder they become. Near the
principal entrance are some fine specimens of the cork
tree, famed for their size and beauty. The house contains
a fine collection of pictures by Guido, Titian, Vandyke
Salvi, Peter Lely, Godfrey Kneller, Ostade, Le Nain, Bar-
ronio, Trevisani, F. Mola, Le 4ieur, Canaletti, Salvator
Rosa, Pneefs, Sir Joshua Reynolds, Sir Thomas Lawrence,
Gainsborough, Romney, &c. The tapestry drawing-room
is hung with magnificent Gobelin tapestry, presented by
Louis XV. to the third Duke of Richmond, when ambassa-
dor at the French Court. It represents the adventures of
Don Quixote. The state bed-room adjoining also con-
tains some beautifully preserved tapestry, the subjects
being taken from "IR iop's Fables." This suite of apartments
has been occupied by crowned heads —princes, potentates,
military, naval, and senatorial heroes. In the draw-
ing-room is an exquisitely finished work of art, the
production of John Bacon, the Canova of Eng-
lish sculptors, which was purchased frora him by 'the
third duke for 500 guineas. In the park and ornamental
plantations that surround the house, aro to be found some
fine timber, consisting of beech (which flourish greatly in
this soil), cedar, American oak, tulip trees, Turkey onads,
cypress, plane, and chestnut. The pleasure
g'
orangery, orangery, and conservatories are planned with
acbswonlyhndiisttethhhieoes
fliktvshiettechstlitteoeonsnesnuongissicasl
oercxduoweruani
rigot ssewwi
Agriculturalnhedg ulcehssntteroyirci
sseaodbage.edioecontAdtyoc: trtn;hos c:etgnva.donoert:badeleyt
t.extremityctheo'ensior_er
e
al
f
titles them to the " golden opb;!sonsare
employers.ltaht d o
thes
quarter of a mile from' the house;
have_
eon kept
at Good-
century since a pack of foxhounc s hat the
kannoi will bo
wood; yet sincerely do we hopefo tti
nd r, although the county
restored to its original purpose ;
acquisition to the
property to have a pack of
t
I i-uts a pack of harriers, and is
t f completenrTheer i
;'erected
kennelstr aenbtl
ni establishments nninae nnadt s
rising
ofti
sr: tigtinOgoi
now nearly
a,nwhio,E7ni
ftgoaaf-
well d'ccouut of several celebrated runs
Thor© is upon record a
too full of woods
s
Would bo a most
f March,
e
nod nflunt bad in former days; and
orwdoaffentVtSenhodusteseps s.Eioleirvaxh'treol)i.isnottd afforddan:bulnueilarpc gill:: furnishl: aien aifuissipi first-
of
that the old Goodwoo
resent generation ore a little
"faster" tl.ztu their ancestorcross the downs, with now
wood to wood,
gallop from
h burst over a well-enclosed country
and then ft Bina: I h
pleastire by every resident gentle-
would bo hailcdN
yeoman within 15 miles of the Duke's
man, fanner, and leP
were, wo still think that a
c'etheeair-
places o
althougflimpeeerthinegosa
tisiiotrGLootdhlartood. Ford
0.0 In ite.rc,ytoln;
nßbeeeul
td
fur
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not within di. .
meet-
ing rleBtu67rn
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teneot:
rous, the races were well contested, and the prizes were
worth contending for. Full particulars have already been
given of the racing, but We cannot refrain from remarking
tsPliirintPitirj)tn?iillltstuccessful gathering never before took place.
There were visitors ofeill ranks, of all countries in Europe,
and ono and all. eipreised their delight, not alone at the
excellent sport, but at the admirable arrangements mach
for the comfort of the visitors. Tho Duke of Richmond
and Captain Valentine were indefatigable in their exer-
tions, and wore ably aided by others. There was but one
drawback, the absence of the "Rose of Denmark ;" but we
hope that ere long the Princess of Wales will b 3 restored
to health, and again appear on the Goodwood Stand,
amidst a galaxy of beauty, herself the fairest, the "ob-
served of all observers."

THE WINNER OF TILE QUEEN'S PRIZE AT WIJI-
BLEDON.—Sergeant Lane, of the Ist Glocesterltire (City of
Bristol) Rifle Volunteer Corps, has just been presented by
Captain Williams, cf the 19th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers,
with a handsom3 silver salver "as a small token of regard
and esteem, and in acknowlaclgtnent of the able manner in
which he vindicated Captain Williams's selection of him as
one of the English 20, 18Gi and 1815, by becoming the
winner 9f hex Diajekty'lli prize in 1567."