Goodwood Estate to star in Mary Berry's Country House Secrets TV series

The rich culinary history of Goodwood, the sporting Estate in West Sussex, will be explored in the BBC One programme Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets which screens on 13 December.

During the episode, Mary will meet custodians, staff and farm workers from across the 12,000-acre Estate, unearthing secrets away from the well-trodden tourist path. Inspired by what she discovers, Mary will then create her own scrumptious dish that celebrates the heritage and legacy of this extraordinary home. 

Susan, Duchess of Richmond and Gordon and mother to the current Duke, plays a central role in the programme. She was one of the Soil Association’s earliest members and ran her kitchen garden on organic principles, passing this passion on to her family. As a trailblazer of the organic movement and champion of animal welfare, she has been instrumental in transforming Goodwood into a model of progressive farming. 

Food at Goodwood

Mary spends time with The Duchess, collecting eggs from her prized Bantam hens and discussing the history of food and farming at Goodwood. Mary also explores Goodwood Home Farm with farmer Tim Hassell, shears sheep under the watchful gaze of shepherd Nick Page and has a tour of Goodwood’s in-house butchery with butcher John Hearn. 

A visit to Goodwood would not be complete without a tour of the historic motor circuit, where legends such as Roy Salvadori, Sir Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio have all been put through their paces. A highlight of the programme sees the Duke takes Mary for a lap around the circuit in his grandfather’s iconic AC 16/18. 

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon said: “We’re very proud of our farming heritage at Goodwood; the farm was here long before any of our big events and it has inspired our food philosophy across all of our restaurants. It was an absolute pleasure to host Mary and have her shine a light on our food story.” 

Mary Berry’s Country House Secrets will air on BBC One on December 13, 2017, at 8pm. 

Other stately homes featuring in the series included Highclere Castle, otherwise known as Downton Abbey, the exquisite Powderham Castle in Devon and Scone Palace in Perthshire, Scotland.