Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle is best known as the filming location of the popular British TV drama Downton Abbey and home to the fictional Crawley family. In reality, the estate is owned by George Herbert, the eighth Earl of Carnarvon, and his wife Lady Carnarvon. The castle has been in the Carnarvon family for centuries, but it was remodeled from a simple mansion to its current grandeur between 1839 and 1842 by Sir Charles Barry, an architect known for his contributions to a Renaissance-revival movement.
Located in the rolling green hills of Hampshire, the estate covers over 5,000 acres of mostly parkland. It includes forests, lakes and decorative gardens planted with a wide array of plants ranging from climbing roses, lavender and geraniums to fruit trees and meticulously sculpted hedges. In the center of it all sits the great Victorian castle with its pinnacles and towers jutting into the air.
Highclere Castle boasts more than 300 rooms - Lady Carnarvon claims that even she doesn’t know the exact number - including smoking parlors, a saloon, a vast library, dressing rooms, between 50 and 80 bedrooms and a museum hosting several Egyptian artifacts recovered by the 5th Earl, who had accompanied Howard Carter during the discovery of Tutankhamen’s tomb.

Practical Info

Highclere Castle is located to the west of London, about five miles south of Newbury. There are direct hour-long trains from London Paddington to Newbury. Other connections require a change of train in Reading. From Newbury, you will have to take a taxi to the castle, and if you travel by car, use the 34A motorway and follow the brown tourist signs along the road. The castle is only open to visitors for 60-70 days a year over Easter, the May bank holidays and Sunday to Thursday from the middle of July to the middle of September.