Highclere Castle, stately home in Hampshire, England, owned by the earls of Carnarvon. The castle has more than 200 rooms and stands on a tract of about 1,060 acres (430 hectares). It gained fame as the setting for the television series Downton Abbey (2010–15).
Can you visit the real Downton Abbey?
Highclere Castle opens to visitors at various times of the year, although tickets do sell out quickly. Visitors who want to explore the house can walk through the lower floor state rooms which include the hallway, dining room, drawing room and library (all of which are used in the TV series).
Who lives in Highclere Castle now?
Lady Carnarvon
Today, Highclere is home to George Herbert and his wife Fiona, the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon (Lord and Lady Carnarvon), owners of the ‘real’ Downton Abbey house.
Can you visit the house Downton Abbey was filmed in?
Highclere Castle is best known as the real-life Downton Abbey, as it was where Downton Abbey was filmed. Many people visit to see the fictional home of the Crawley family and their servants.
How much does it cost to stay at Highclere Castle?
The cost of a night’s stay at Highclere Castle is $186.36. The reservation is first come, first served. What can you expect? The castle sits on more than 1,000 acres and boasts 300 rooms.
Is the Crawley family a real family?
Are the Crawleys of Downton Abbey a real family? The fictional Crawleys are based on the Earls and Countesses of Carnarvon, who still reside at Highclere Castle, where the series is filmed (though the fictional Downton Abbey is in Yorkshire, rather than Hampshire, where Highclere is).
How far is it from London to Downton Abbey?
Visiting Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) from London
Highclere Castle is situated about 45 miles (72km) west of central London. The nearest large town of any consequence is called Newbury which is connected to London by train. Highclere Castle is only open for between 60 and 70 days each year.
Did Downton Abbey have toilets?
Almina Herbert, the Countess of Carnarvon, installed about 12 indoor bathrooms after her 1895 marriage to George Herbert, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. Most of the bedrooms featured on the Downton Abbey TV show had en suite bathrooms. Yes, the toilets flushed.
Are there still servants at Highclere Castle?
The jobs of many of the 1920s staff at Highclere castle, which serves as Downton Abbey in the show and film, still exist today, albeit in more modern forms.
Does Highclere Castle still have servants?
While the programme’s staff appears to be quite small, the real life Highclere staff numbers some 60 to 150 persons. This includes gardeners, household staff, tour guides, electricians, carpenters, etc.
How far is it from Downton Abbey to the village?
Located a few minutes walk from the village rests Downton Abbey, the seat of the Earl and Countess of Grantham and the latter and the former’s main residence. Lord and Lady Grantham’s two eldest daughters and two youngest grandchildren live at Downton Abbey.
Why is it called Downton Abbey?
He had an estate in Wiltshire called Charford Manor and I thought of calling the series ‘Charford Abbey,’ but we decided it was too near Cranford, and so we settled on ‘Downton’ after Downton College of Agriculture which Wrightson founded in 1880 and which, for a quarter of a century, was at the forefront of
Where is Grantham House located?
BASILDON PARK, BERKSHIRE
The fictional Downton estate extends far beyond the Abbey itself, as the Georgian Manor Basildon Park in Berkshire provides the set for Grantham House, the location where the Crawley family reside when visiting London.
Does Highclere Castle bathroom?
Highclere Castle’s three floors hold eleven functioning bedrooms and more than twenty bathrooms. Apparently even Lady Carnarvon, the current mistress of the castle, is not sure of the exact number of rooms, because many, many rooms have been turned into offices or storage spaces or are in the process of being restored.
How many bedrooms are there in Downton Abbey?
Visitors at the castle are able to take a tour around 12 of the bedrooms, but in total there are around 40 to 50.
How is Highclere Castle heated?
Massive Highclere Castle, along with other historic homes in Europe and the U.S. that were once heated solely by fireplaces, is taking steps to save energy by installing efficient lights and nearby solar panels.
Is Thomas Lord Grantham’s son?
This is Cora’s long-term revenge on her husband. She knows that Thomas is the illegitimate son of O’Brien and Lord Grantham – and the rightful heir to the house.
How much was Cora’s dowry?
It’s difficult to work out from the facts given in the show how large Cora’s dowry was. Fans love to compare the famous tale of Consuelo Vanderbilt, whose dowry upon her marriage to the Duke of Marlborough is often estimated at more than $2 million — in 1895 dollars.
How old was Lady Mary Crawley when she married?
The corresponding article about Edith Crawley on this site says that Mary was 21 in 1912. Julian Fellowes announced that in 1912, Mary Crawley was 21, Edith 20, and Sybil 17.
How long did it take to travel from York to London in 1920?
Re: 1920s York to London
Mostly journey times were about 4 hrs 20 mins but it obviously depended on the number of stops. Down trains had similar timings.
Why is Lord Grantham not Crawley?
Q: On “Downton Abbey,” why he is called Lord Grantham but his family name is Crawley? A: Crawley is the family name. Earl of Grantham is the title held by Robert, which passes through heirs.