Go: Tour Highclere Castle, England
In September of 2013, I took the train from London to Newbury to help my Downton Abbey obsessed traveling buddy, Betty, realize her dream of visiting Highclere castle where the Crawley family from the resounding hit TV show lived. I was a fan of the series, but I wasn’t a shivers going down my spine FAN. That all changed when our taxi driver came down the drive, and there it was, Downton Abbey, in all of its’ spectacular splendor. I could see Lord and Lady Grantham elegantly coming down the grand sweeping oak staircase, I could imagine Lady Mary and Lady Edith bickering in the entrance hall, I could hear Mr. Carson scolding one of the footmen, and of course there she was - Maggie Smith, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the drawing room sitting up tall, holding onto her cane, and gifting everyone around her with one of her priceless quips or facial expressions. It was a glorious day from start to finish. According to Lady Fiona, the current Countess and author of Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey, there are between 200 and 300 rooms at Highclere! Here are some highlights my friend and I actually visited.
The Library - This is the heart of the house for the Crawley family and also where the current Earl and Countess go to talk or enjoy a cup of tea. It houses over 5000 books.
The Music Room - This room features a baroque painted ceiling and 16th century Italian silk wall panels, and also has a lovely view over the lawn.
The Drawing Room - This room was decorated by Lady Almina, 5th Countess of Carnarvon, with 19th century green French silk. It’s used by the Crawley family and the Carnarvons for family gathering before and after meals.
The Saloon - This is a magnificent Gothic-style room with a 50 feet high vaulted ceiling, and gilded leather walls from Cordoba near the grand, sweeping oak staircase.
The Dining Room - This room is dominated by the huge formal dining table and many ancestral portraits and paintings.
Each room we entered had a docent standing inside to answer any questions anyone might have. When we visited, the number of people who could go in at one time was very small, and we could wander freely. It didn’t take long for everyone to follow me and Betty into every room we walked into, because she asked the best and most interesting questions. As a result, we were all entertained with the most wonderful personal stories of all of the previous and present inhabitants of this marvelous estate, including the Crawley family.
We were also able to go upstairs and see several rooms including Lady Sybil’s bedroom and Lady Cora’s bedroom. There are two more floors that were not open to the public at the time.
Much of the area downstairs where the kitchen and previous servants’ quarters could be found, is now used to house the Egyptian exhibition. You’ll remember from the book, Lady Almina, the fifth Earl of Carnarvon and his fellow archaeologist friend Carter discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun. The Earl amassed an impressive collection of artifacts. In 1988 the Carnarvon family had assumed the collection had been sold, but discovered several mysteriously wrapped packages in pigeonholes between the Drawing Room and the Smoking Room. They proved to be the ancient artifacts excavated between 1907 and 1920, and preserved for more than 30 centuries. They were put on display when Highclere Castle first opened its doors to the public.
There are beautiful expansive lawns, gardens, trees, and walking paths around the castle. Here are some highlights we actually visited…
Monk’s Garden and Walled Garden - This garden includes climbing roses, geraniums, lavender, and fruit trees.
The Secret Garden - this garden is full of beautiful flowers and is named after the film, The Secret Garden, starring Colin Firth and Maggie Smith, which was filmed on the grounds of Highclere Castle in 1987.
Cedars of Lebanon - These towering trees were planted in the mid 18th century and are often seen in the Downton Abbey TV series
Beacon Hill - This beautiful walk leads you to the memorial to the 5th Earl of Carnarvon who is buried at the top of the hill.
Lady Mary’s Bench - Next to one of the large cedar trees, this bench has been sat on by a number of cast characters, but particularly, Lady Mary. Another bench near the Secret Garden is called the Dowager’s Bench.
There is a long list of film and TV series locations throughout England and Scotland you can visit including Bampton village that doubles as the village of Downton and is used for many exterior shots, Ealing Studios where most filming of the servants’ daily lives take place, and the Scottish Highlands featuring Inveraray Castle doubling for Duneagle Castle.
I really enjoyed the book, I absolutely loved the TV Series, and I’m looking forward to the next Downton Abbey movie coming out in March next year. Treat yourself during safe travel times to explore the world of Lady Almina’s Highclere Castle and the Crawley’s Downton Abbey. Or if you have to wait a bit, for $2.99, you can get the App on Apple for a virtual tour of the Castle and Grounds narrated by Jim Carter, also known as our own dear Mr. Carson.
Don’t miss the READ and WATCH portions of this Downton Abbey Bundle!
