Goodwood House tour and afternoon tea: A day out fit for a king

Goodwood House – credit Jonathan James Wilson

I’ve been bobbing around Sussex a lot this year exploring cosy country pubs, Michelin-star restaurants, vineyards and pretty much everything in between but I decided it was time for something a little grander, writes Nick Mosley.

I was particularly excited to see last month that Goodwood House had reopened after a winter rest so I called up my most cultured friend – Jan, the general manager of Brighton’s Toy and Model Museum – and we hopped on a train to Chichester on a gloriously sunny day for the first tour and afternoon tea date of the 2026 season.

Goodwood is a short taxi ride from Chichester Station so before we knew it we were marching up the gravel path to the elegant Palladian facade. I was a little surprised – bearing in mind that the family still have private quarters in the house – that we were welcomed through the front door by two very polite gentleman. It was all very Downton Abbey so I was glad I’d combed my hair and put my best trainers on.

Yellow Drawing Room at Goodwood House - credit Jonathan James Wilson

You could write a book about the history of Goodwood and the aristocrats, guests and below stairs staff who’ve lived and worked there; in fact there actually is a book which will give a far more detailed history than I can squeeze into this page but a brief potted version follows for context.

Ancestral home to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond and Gordon, construction of the house began in 1617 although it has seen additions added over the centuries. Most of interiors are in the Regency style and the art collection of over 300 paintings is a fascinating historical and aesthetic tour of British and European art including Canaletto, Van Dyck, Stubbs and Reynolds. There are also some impressive tapestries, porcelain displays and – of course – elegant furniture, much of which dates to the reigns of France’s Louis XV and XVI before they, literally, got the chop.

Located within 11,000 acres of farmland and countryside, the estate is famously home to Goodwood racecourse – one of the most beautifully situated horse racing tracks in the UK – and the motor circuit that was build by the car-mad 9th Duke and is still in use today throughout the year and for the renowned Goodwood Revival and the Festival of Speed.

Afternoon Tea at Goodwood House - credit KJR/Goodwood House

Both Jan and I really loved the tour of the house – our guide shared some really interesting anecdotes and knew every nook and cranny but by 3pm we were definitely ready for a sit down and our afternoon tea. We were guided into the majestic ballroom; undoubtably the grandest room I’ve dined in since Jan and I were part of the team that ran a Regency-themed charity banquet at Brighton’s Royal Pavilion a couple of years ago.

I’d say Goodwood’s afternoon tea offering is pretty good. Jan had the vegetarian option whilst I went for gluten-free. Starting from bottom up, for me a selection of finger sandwiches – smoked salmon and egg-cress alongside roast beef and cheese farmed and produced on the estate using traditional and organic practices. The fillings were tasty but as no fan of gluten free bread – I never eat it when I’m at home – I ended up eating the nice bits and leaving the carbs.

The mid-tier offered four assorted sweet pastries: carrot cake, coconut macaron, peach cheesecake and white chocolate lemon mousse. I loved the the former two but found the latter two a bit sweet for my palate but different boats for different folks and I definitely doff my hat for the creativity and execution.

The stand out was undoubtably the scones, and – lets be honest – if you can’t get this right on an afternoon tea then you should pack your chef whites and go home. Jan had regular scones, served warm and packed with raisins, she was slapping on clotted cream and strawberry jam with gay abandon. My gluten free scones were superb – structured yet light and not a hint of the claggy-texture that gluten intolerant diners dread. ‘Douze points!’.

The Tapestry Drawing Room - credit Johnathan Swann

I was a little surprised by the lack of options with the tea. I personally like a light and refreshing Darjeeling with my afternoon tea but had to make do with Earl Grey and lemon; perfectly acceptable so a minor moan on my part.

Its the cost of the Goodwood afternoon tea and tour that came as a complete shock to me because it was insanely good value for what turned out to be a full and fascinating afternoon that also saw us having a wander around some the estate grounds to explore sculptures by leading contemporary artists.

The stand-alone house tour – that lasts around 90 minutes – is £15, or combined with afternoon tea in the dramatic ballroom is just £37.50 per person. The house Champagne – Veuve Clicquot – is an additional £18 per glass, or you can sample Goodwood’s own gin or ale for around £6-7. Tours run Sundays and Mondays from now until October with more dates available during August.

Having had more than my fair share of afternoon teas in Sussex over the years – including in many a five star hotels – I simply can’t fathom how they’re making any money from the experience, but I’m not complaining and neither should you. It is tremendous value and a truly memorable day out that I can whole-heartedly recommend.

Goodwood House, Kennel Hill, Chichester, West Sussex PO18 0PX

01243 755 000 • www.goodwood.com