Behind the scenes at the “real” Downton Abbey!

Nicola here! Last week I had the pleasure of a visit to Highclere Castle in Hampshire, which is the location where much of the hit TV series Downton Abbey is filmed. I was pretty excited about this trip as not only do I enjoy the TV programme very much I also love visiting historic houses so this was combining two of my favourite things.

With Downton Abbey the house is far more than just a setting; it feels like a character in itself. As we drove towards it the house was immediately recognisable. It’s enormous (fifty bedrooms!) and grand in a way that only a Victorian mansion can be (it was built in 1838). It’s not the first building on the site. There was a medieval hall at Highclere, a manor house and a classical Georgian mansion before the transformation that created the current castle. It is said that the grand central tower of the house cost a fortune and Lord Caernarvon’s land agent warned his employer that the plans were “pregnant with the most alarming danger to your Lordship’s pocket.” Despite this, the 3^rd Earl was determined on a grand plan and when the house was finished it dominated its surroundings in the most dramatic way.

Before we went on our tour of the house we strolled across the parkland and admired the cedar trees that were part of the landscaped grounds created in the 18^th century. We had Rochester the Guide Dog Puppy with us and as he is a Yellow Labrador we thought we would do our own version of the Downton Abbey opening credits, filmed on my mobile phone with my husband standing in for Lord Grantham. Alas Rochester was not as majestic as Lord Grantham’s Labrador Isis, who had her own storyline in the second series, but he did love wandering through the park. Although NBC was also filming that day at Highclere I think I can claim that Rochester was the star of our particular show. He was made very welcome by staff and visitors alike and the sight of this small guide dog puppy descending Highclere’s fabulously grand central staircase as though he was to the manor born was very funny.

The interior of the house was also instantly recognisable from the TV programme. I loved the dining room, where so many of those splendid dinners in Downton Abbey take place, and the magnificent oak staircase that ascends from the Saloon up to the Gallery and the Gallery Bedrooms. It is around this landing that some of the bedrooms are situated that are used in the filming. We saw “Lady Grantham’s room”, “Lady Edith’s room” and “Lady Sybil’s room” and also the room given to the cad and bounder Kamal Pamuk in the first series. This is decorated with bright red flock wallpaper and is known as the Stanhope Room. It was refurbished in 1895 for the visit of the then Prince of Wales. It was also great to meet some of the room stewards who had their own anecdotes to tell of the Downton Abbey cast and the filming. Mrs Patmore the cook, Mr Carson the butler and the Thomas the footman were their favourites!

Highclere wears its Downton Abbey connections lightly with only a few signboards in the rooms to tell visitors of a specific link to the TV series. This leaves plenty of room for the “real” history of the house. I loved the Library, which resembled a gentleman’s club and was furnished with Georgian and Regency desks and tables. My favourite room though was the lovely south facing drawing room, which felt warm and intimate because it was comparatively small. I could quite imagine the ladies withdrawing there for tea and a chat!

The Castle became a centre of political life during the late Victorian era and in the 20^th century it saw different uses during the two World Wars. During the First World War it was a hospital for wounded officers. In this the storyline in the TV series mirrored the real history of the house. 

My favourite part of the visit was discovering about the life of a servant at Highclere during the Edwardian era. Once again, Downton Abbey mirrored reality perfectly. Guests at Highclere ranged from Royalty to politicians, Egyptologists to aviators. Behind the green baize door (there really was one, and a stone flight of steps leading down to the servants’ hall) the butler reigned supreme with Lord Caernarvon’s valet and the housekeeper also at the top of the pecking order. The butler ran the castle, looked after the wine cellar and waited on the family at dinner. He was also expected to announce visitors, take calling cards, escort departing visitors from the premises, organise the post and oversee the secure closing of the house each night. The valet managed the Earl's personal accounts as well as his wardrobe and travelled with him. The Highclere footmen had navy coloured livery and buttons sporting the family crest. They were all required to be clean-shaven and the more handsome and presentable the better it reflected on the family! 

After lunch in a marquee on the lawn – with Rochester being offered a drink of water out of special Highclere china! – we took a tour of the gardens. The Monks’ Garden has surviving Georgian walls and arches and is a beautiful and tranquil place to walk. The grounds are dotted with "follies;" decorative ruins in classical style designed to enhance the view.

We finished the day climbing Beacon Hill to the grave of the 5^th Earl of Caernarvon, the Egyptologist who with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Highclere Castle was framed in the distance, the perfect view to end a wonderful day.

Is there anywhere that has featured in a film or TV programme that you would like to visit? Have you even been “behind the scenes”? I am offering a copy of Dauntsey Park, my Edwardian-set book, to one commenter between now and midnight Thursday!

Comments

[Liz Bailey]

What a fab trip, Nicola. Sounds like themost amazing place. Hasn't Rochester grown??

[Jennifer Tanner]

Hi Nicola!

This rabid Downton fan would love to see Highclere Castle. I wonder if the hospital story line was included after Julian Fellowes learned about the history of the house. Fifty bedrooms? I can't imagine how many servants they employed when they had house parties.

Wondering how they heat the house. Fireplaces?

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Liz! Yes, Rochester is starting to look like a small dog rather than a puppy now. He has also been to Chedworth Roman Villa with me and I fully intend to get a photo of him coming down the stairs at Ashdown House, as well as taking him to lots of other historic sites. It's very good for him - lots of people, interesting smells and lots of distractions (he did try to chew Lady Caernarvon's rug in the drawing room at Highclere!) He will be the most heritage-trained guide dog puppy in the country!

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Jennifer! Glad to hear you are such a Downton Abbey fan! I think Julian Fellowes is a friend of the family and so he probably knew about the use the house had been put to in the First World War. I bought a book by Lady Caernarvon about Almina, Countess of Caernarvon during the Edwardian period, who turned the house into a convalescent hospital during the First World War. It's fascinating to read the "real" story.

The heating at Highclere was very efficient on the day that we were there but I imagine you would want to stay very close to the fire in the days before central heating. That or do what a lot of the characters do in my books and invite one of the dogs to sleep on your bed!

[JessS]

I'm so jealous! I just started watching Downton Abbey and it is AMAZING!! I've never been behind the scenes of anything before, and I'm not really sure there's anywhere specific I'd want to go. Oooh except the set of Firefly! If it's still like alive, because they actually made the whole inside of the ship, and seeing it would be awesome! Books do usually make me want to travel places though. Like I'd love to go to Dublin now that I've read Karen Marie Moning's Fever series.
Thanks for the giveaway, I'd love to enter if it's international.

jessicamariesutton(at)msn(dot)com

[Carla (@CassiaDeWarren)]

Unfortunately I had no direct information about what Downtown Abbey was when they broadcasted it in Italy, in 2011.

I know they will broadcast again in September 2012, so I'm ready, with a complete "background of information" and blog's comments from online female friends all over the world, completely mad for the series.

Thank you for posting all these useful infos about the location, that is really dreamful!

[Gigi]

Hi Nicola,
What a fantastic trip you had. I am a BIG fan of Downton Abbey I have both seasons one and two on DVD. I have read the book the current Countess wrote on the Countess Almina. Amazing history.

Rochester looks like he could take Isis's place if an understudy is ever needed.

I have never had the pleasure to visit anything like Highclere Castle. The grandest thing I have would have to some of the Plantation houses in my area one being Pebble Hill and Melhanna (aka Coalson name change). The Original Gone With the Wind was shown a special screening building called the Showboat on the Plantation.

gigihicks(at)windstream(dot)net

[Cate S]

I was lucky enough to have a family member stationed in the UK... this means no hotel bill!!! So we visited two different times and loved seeing the castles and stately homes... I would like to return and see more of Yorkshire because we so enjoyed the "All Creatures Great & Small" series. Did you enjoy Leeds Castle? Beautiful setting...and lovely interiors!

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Jess! The set for Firefly sounds well worth a visit! I love it when a book so inspires people that they want to visit the place it's set. I feel like that about all Susanna Kearsley's novels and plenty of others too.

[Nicola Cornick]

Hi Carla! It sounds as though you are all set for when the series makes it's return to Italian TV. I hope it lives up to the expectations. I'm sure it will!

Gigi, isn't the book about Almina fascinating? It was very interesting to hear her story and the Countess of Caernarvon came to my local history society to give a talk too.

I love the sound of the those plantation houses you mention. That sounds wonderfully elegant to me, to visit a place with connections to Gone with the Wind.

[Nicola Cornick]

Cate, it sounds as though you were able to do the Grand Tour! I love Yorkshire very much as it is my home county and there are so many beautiful castles and houses to visit. The All Creatures Great and Small series was a lot of fun, and beautiful scenery. I do love Leeds Castle. Anywhere with a moat feels very romantic!

[Liz]

Rochester is adorable. Small wonder everyone made a fuss over him.

Places to visit: Paris and Rome, with too many sites in each city to enumerate.

[Pageturner]

I'd love to visit Winchester, and pay my respects at Jane Austen's tomb. I did visit Bath, but not nearly for long enough, and I'd love to go again.

[email protected]

[MJ]

Rob James-Collier as Thomas the footman must be an incredible actor if he is a favorite with the Highclere staff. He's so manipulative in the series, I just want to slap him and tell the family, "Get rid of him! He's eeeeeeviiiilllll."

[Margot]

I've been hearing about Downtown Abbey everywhere, and now I'd rather like to see it... Except I look at it, and it just seems so long. (I am terrible about watching anything unless I happen to catch it on TV, and I don't watch TV often at all.)

I did go see a couple places where Harry Potter was filmed on my one trip to England, which was interesting, but again, not being a big movie person, I was a bit underwhelmed.

[Alison]

I would love to get to Chatsworth, which of course has been in a lot of things like recently The Duchess and Pride and Prejudice. But then, I've always wanted to go there and Blenheim.

I'd love to see my favourite house Audley End actually in a film!

[Susan/DC]

Nicola's virtual tours have been a fascinating introduction to historically interesting sites in the UK. I've been lucky that my husband has worked on a project with the London School of Economics for the past few years and I've been able to tag along on some of his trips to see some places in Real Life (these things are far more affordable when someone else is paying part of the airfare and hotel bills). We stay in London while he's working and then use it as a jumping-off place. We did a walking tour in Derbyshire precisely because of its literary connections, and one of the highlights was a tour of Chatsworth. The following year we did a walking tour of Shropshire and saw several castles. While in Ludlow, which has a large and very well-preserved castle, I bought "Shadows and Strongholds" by Elizabeth Chadwick, which takes place in there, so it was lovely to be able to see the setting as I read the book.

This year (which will, unfortunately, be the last of the LSE project)we will go to the Lake District and then to Yorkshire. I'm planning on a visit to Castle Howard, so if anyone has advice on what to see/do there, I'd very much appreciate it.

[Nicola Cornick]

I completely agree about Paris, Liz, and one day would like to visit Rome.

Isn't Bath wonderful, Pageturner, and Winchester is a lovely city and a visit to Jane Austen's grave very moving.

[Nicola Cornick]

MJ, he is a great actor - they all say he is lovely in person! It must be fun to act the part of such a villain.

Hi Margot! I loved Lacock Abbey, which is one of the places they filmed Harry Potter. There was a big exhibition about it but as at Highclere I was interested in the "real" history as well. So often it's just as fascinating.

[Nicola Cornick]

Terrible confession, Alison - I've never been to Chatsworth either! But I do love Blenheim, so much so that I have a season ticket. I'd love to see some of my favourite houses in films too!

Susan/DC I am so pleased you enjoy my virtual tours! Thank you. What superb trips you have been on. Am hoping to make it back to Yorkshire myself this year. I hope you enjoy Castle Howard. I have a friend who grew up with the Howards - how I envied her!

[Isobel Carr]

I had no idea Rochester was yours, LOL! I follow him on twitter.

[Judi]

Any Princess Bride fans out there MUST visit Haddon Hall (not far, actually, from Chatsworth). You can really recognize many of the exterior and interior scenes from the movie. Have fun storming the castle!

[Nicola Cornick]

LOL, Isobel! I hope you enjoy his tweets!

I went to Haddon when I was very young, Judi, and need to go back to appreciate it all over again!

[Jo Beverley]

A lovely account, Nicola.

I enjoy Downton Abbey and shake my head at the snooty fashion here to look down intellectual noses at it. I watched the new Upstairs, Downstairs, but without any great enthusiam, and it suffered in comparison, IMO.

Jo

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you, Jo. Yes, I'm sorry that Downton has its detractors who can't simply sit back and enjoy. I did like the first series of Upstairs Downstairs but didn't enjoy it anywhere near as much as Downton Abbey and I haven't watched the second series.

[Cathy Schultz]

I'm more interested in visiting places where real people have lived that I have found interesting because I feel "place' plays a big part in who they are.

[Mel K.]

Oh, Nicola...I am so jealous. How fabulous! Thank you for the story and pictures. I would love to visit Highclere Castle.
I was behind the scenes when PARENTHOOD was filmed in Orlando, FL. I would like to visit the location where they filmed THE WICKER MAN.
"Dauntsey Park" Brill! Crossing my fingers!

[Nicola Cornick]

An interesting point, Cathy. I like teh idea that place can make people what they are. That was one of the reasons I liked the fact that there was a lot of "real" history at Highclere about the people who had lived there. I got the best of both worlds!

Hi Mel! How exciting to have been behind the scenes on the film set! I had no idea where The Wicker Man was filmed until I looked it up and then I realised I'd been there! Amazing.

[Diane Sallans]

I re-watched the last 2 hrs of the 2nd season just last night (which included Isis's story). After that they played the documentary of the behind-the-scenes filming (I always find those interesting).
Several movies have filmed sections of their films not far from where I live in New Jersey (USA). 'The Family Stone' with Sarah Jessica Parker used Drew University in Madison, NJ for several outdoor scenes and 'Stepmom' with Julia Roberts & Susan Sarandon used a beautiful big Victorian house in Morristown NJ that I drive by sometimes. Not close to the grandeur of Highclere Castle which I would love to visit someday.

[Nicola Cornick]

I love all the behind the scenes stuff on films and TV programmes too, Diane! Love the sound of that Victorian house in Morristown as well!

[Carol Luciano]

I love Downton Abbey. Nicola, how wonderful for you. One of my dreams is to to go to England because of the amazing history.I would love to go behind the scenes for it all. lol
They have filmed a lot of movies and TV shows here in New Jersey. Thanks for sharing with us Nicola.
Carol L
Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

[marlon]

This rabid Downton fan would love to see Highclere Castle.

[Christina Courtenay]

Oh, Rochester is so gorgeous and he really looks like he was born to live at a place like Highclere! Sounds like a fabulous day :)

[Nicola Cornick]

Thank you, Carol! It sounds as though you are in a filming hot spot there in New Jersey!

Marlon, I'm glad you are a Downton fan!

Hi Christina! Yes, I do think Rochester looked very at home at Highclere!