Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey)

Highclere Castle is where Downton Abbey is set; the house is in Newbury.

I went for a quick visit with the family over christmas and got a few notes, pictures and leaflets from my visit.

The History of Highclere Castle

From some of the evidence around the Building there has been suggestions of the house being occupied over 1300 years. 

GEORGIAN/ VICTORIAN TIMES

Some rebuilding did begin within the late 18th/ 19th Century by the Carnarvon Family. It was changed to a classic Georgian house (mansion).

The structural work on the interior was completed by 1878 and the house became apart of political life within the victorian era. 

20TH CENTURY

The house during the 1st world war was actually used as a hospital, patients began appearing in september 1914. The countess of Carnarvon became adept Nurse and a skilled healer. 

However the house became a private home again within 1922. 

The house in world war 2 was used to home evacuee's getting away from the cities. 

Highclere Castle - picture 1

Highclere Castle - picture 2

highclere castle - Just a video I found on Youtube that shows the full outside of the Castle

tour of the real Downton Abbey - Lady of the house talking to the telegraph about the house and what Downton abbey uses each room for.

Reflection of Research

I thought that the best way to develop my work on the Downton Abbey side of things would be to go to the set. 

Highclere isn't to far from where i am from in Yorkshire so I thought I may as well go and see what I could find out. 

The house has many rooms full of artefacts that are seen on many occasions in the TV series.

There is also historical stories about the real family who lived there over the years and what the house has been used for.

I found this highly interesting and informative however I didn't have much time there and didn't get an awful lot of pictures.

I do feel this information helped me a little to understand what really went on in the house and I got to see what the producers have actually used out of the Castle's history.