Inside Highclere Castle The Real Life Downton Abbey House

From its connection to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb to its claim to fame as the home of the fictional Crawley family, Highclere Castle’s history is as rich as the treasures that adorn its walls.

Fans of the period drama Downton Abbey will surely recognize Highclere Castle as the primary setting of the show. Located in Hampshire, England, the manor’s fairy-tale Jacobethan architecture makes it a standout among castles. It also has an impressive historical list of residents.

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1 of 34The current Lady Carnarvon (Fiona) walks her dogs on the grounds of Highclere Castle. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 2 of 34The front door of Highclere Castle.Twitter/Highclere Castle 3 of 34Details above the front door. ThisParticularGreg/Wikimedia Commons

4 of 34A view from the staircase into the entrance hall. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 5 of 34A view from the entrance hall leading into the saloon. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 6 of 34The saloon features gold-embossed leather wallpaper from 17th-century Spain.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 7 of 34The dining room features a massive painting of King Charles I of England.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 8 of 34More portraits in the dining room.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 9 of 34Highclere Castle’s magnificent library.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 10 of 34The Earl’s desk. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 11 of 34A hidden door from the library to the music room. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 12 of 34Highclere Castle’s music room.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 13 of 34A detail of the painted ceiling in the music room. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 14 of 34Tapestries adorn the music room wall. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 15 of 34The formal drawing room. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images 16 of 34Napoleon’s chair, purchased by Highclere Castle from his estate. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 17 of 34The castle has more than 50 bedrooms.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 18 of 34The bell system used to summon servants. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images 19 of 34Countess Carnarvon and Egypt’s Ambassador to the UK, Ashraf El Kholy, study the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars of Highclere Castle. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images 20 of 34One of the exhibits in the Egyptian Exhibition. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images 21 of 34An Egyptian artifact. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images 22 of 34The Temple of Diana, one of the follies on the grounds of Highclere Castle. SarahTz/Wikimedia Commons 23 of 34Jackdaw’s Castle, another structure on the estate. Pam Fray/Geograph 24 of 34An old chapel on the grounds of Highclere. Graham Horn/Wikimedia Commons 25 of 34Highclere Castle is also known for its beautiful gardens. Basher Eyre/Geograph

26 of 34The Monk’s Garden features these stately brick arches. Pam Fray/Geograph 27 of 34Highclere Castle was a stand-in for the exterior shots of Misselthwaite Manor for the Hallmark Hall of Fame’s 1987 version of the film The Secret Garden. The castle also appeared in the 2001 sequel, Back to the Secret Garden.Mark/Flickr

28 of 34The view through some yew bushes in the garden. JB + UK_Planet/Wikimedia Commons 29 of 34Highclere Castle is set on 1,000 acres of sculpted parkland, designed for the 1st Earl of Carnarvon by the famous 18th-century landscaper Capability Brown.Pam Fray/Geograph

30 of 34Details of the castle exterior’s archways. calotype46/Flickr

31 of 34A view from below. calotype46/Flickr

32 of 34A turret of a tower. Mike Searle/Wikimedia Commons 33 of 34A misty view from high above the regal Highclere Castle. Wikimedia Commons

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33 Photos Of Highclere Castle, The Real-Life Downton Abbey House View Gallery

Perhaps most notable was the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. He financed archaeologist Howard Carter’s excavations in Egypt that uncovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun. Highclere Castle has its own museum showcasing many artifacts from the trip, along with some reproductions.

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30 of 34Details of the castle exterior’s archways. calotype46/Flickr

31 of 34A view from below. calotype46/Flickr

32 of 34A turret of a tower. Mike Searle/Wikimedia Commons 33 of 34A misty view from high above the regal Highclere Castle. Wikimedia Commons

34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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Like this gallery?Share it:

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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:

The Real Downton Abbey

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25 Jaw-Dropping Photos Of Oheka Castle, The Real ‘Gatsby’ Mansion On Long Island

30 of 34Details of the castle exterior’s archways. calotype46/Flickr

31 of 34A view from below. calotype46/Flickr

32 of 34A turret of a tower. Mike Searle/Wikimedia Commons 33 of 34A misty view from high above the regal Highclere Castle. Wikimedia Commons

34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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Like this gallery?Share it:

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And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts:

The Real Downton Abbey

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30 of 34Details of the castle exterior’s archways. calotype46/Flickr

31 of 34A view from below. calotype46/Flickr

32 of 34A turret of a tower. Mike Searle/Wikimedia Commons 33 of 34A misty view from high above the regal Highclere Castle. Wikimedia Commons

34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

Flipboard

1 of 34The current Lady Carnarvon (Fiona) walks her dogs on the grounds of Highclere Castle. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

2 of 34The front door of Highclere Castle.Twitter/Highclere Castle

3 of 34Details above the front door. ThisParticularGreg/Wikimedia Commons

4 of 34A view from the staircase into the entrance hall. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

5 of 34A view from the entrance hall leading into the saloon. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

6 of 34The saloon features gold-embossed leather wallpaper from 17th-century Spain.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

7 of 34The dining room features a massive painting of King Charles I of England.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

8 of 34More portraits in the dining room.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

9 of 34Highclere Castle’s magnificent library.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

10 of 34The Earl’s desk. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

11 of 34A hidden door from the library to the music room. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

12 of 34Highclere Castle’s music room.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

13 of 34A detail of the painted ceiling in the music room. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

14 of 34Tapestries adorn the music room wall. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

15 of 34The formal drawing room. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images

16 of 34Napoleon’s chair, purchased by Highclere Castle from his estate. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

17 of 34The castle has more than 50 bedrooms.Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

18 of 34The bell system used to summon servants. Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images

19 of 34Countess Carnarvon and Egypt’s Ambassador to the UK, Ashraf El Kholy, study the Egyptian Exhibition in the cellars of Highclere Castle. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images

20 of 34One of the exhibits in the Egyptian Exhibition. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images

21 of 34An Egyptian artifact. Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty Images

22 of 34The Temple of Diana, one of the follies on the grounds of Highclere Castle. SarahTz/Wikimedia Commons

23 of 34Jackdaw’s Castle, another structure on the estate. Pam Fray/Geograph

24 of 34An old chapel on the grounds of Highclere. Graham Horn/Wikimedia Commons

25 of 34Highclere Castle is also known for its beautiful gardens. Basher Eyre/Geograph

26 of 34The Monk’s Garden features these stately brick arches. Pam Fray/Geograph

27 of 34Highclere Castle was a stand-in for the exterior shots of Misselthwaite Manor for the Hallmark Hall of Fame’s 1987 version of the film The Secret Garden. The castle also appeared in the 2001 sequel, Back to the Secret Garden.Mark/Flickr

28 of 34The view through some yew bushes in the garden. JB + UK_Planet/Wikimedia Commons

29 of 34Highclere Castle is set on 1,000 acres of sculpted parkland, designed for the 1st Earl of Carnarvon by the famous 18th-century landscaper Capability Brown.Pam Fray/Geograph

30 of 34Details of the castle exterior’s archways. calotype46/Flickr

31 of 34A view from below. calotype46/Flickr

32 of 34A turret of a tower. Mike Searle/Wikimedia Commons

33 of 34A misty view from high above the regal Highclere Castle. Wikimedia Commons

34 of 34Like this gallery?Share it:

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33 Photos Of Highclere Castle, The Real-Life Downton Abbey House View Gallery

33 Photos Of Highclere Castle, The Real-Life Downton Abbey House

View Gallery

During World War I, Highclere was used as a hospital for soldiers wounded in battle, just as portrayed in Downton Abbey. When World War II came around, the castle housed children evacuated from the horrendous bombings in London.

Today, the castle itself, its six follies (exterior structures or buildings), and its gardens all come together to make a stately manor rich in history. However, the amount of actual riches needed to upkeep the property is astounding. Therefore, the current owners, George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon, and his wife Fiona, 8th Countess of Carnarvon, are thankful for the increase in paying visitors that Downton Abbey has brought to their home.

The Early History Of Highclere Castle

The first written record of the estate dates back to 749 C.E. An Anglo-Saxon king gifted the 5,000-acre parcel to the Bishops of Winchester, according to Encyclopedia Britannica. Bishop William of Wykeham then erected a medieval residence and gardens on the land in the late 1300s.

During the Protestant Reformation in 1551, King Edward VI confiscated the land from the Catholic Church and gifted it to the Fitzwilliam family, who sold it to Sir Robert Sawyer in 1679. According to the official Highclere Castle website, Sawyer was a direct ancestor of the current Earl of Carnarvon.

The palace began passing down through Sawyer’s descendants, and in 1769, Henry Herbert inherited it. He was made the 1st Earl of Carnarvon in 1793, and he brought on famous landscape architect Lancelot “Capability” Brown to beautify the grounds. Brown even moved the entire village of Highclere in order to accommodate the redesign.

calotype46/FlickrThe exterior of Highclere Castle in Hampshire, England. Highclere is the filming site for the hit program Downton Abbey.

In 1838, the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon commissioned architect Sir Charles Barry to transform the palace into the towering Jacobethan estate it is today. The renovation took decades, but by its completion, the palace had become famous for its opulence.

The famed 5th Earl of Carnarvon, George Herbert, inherited the castle in 1890, and he brought with him many debts. He wasn’t sure how he’d afford to run the property — until he married an illegitimate Rothschild heiress who arrived with a sizeable dowry.

His new wife, Almina Herbert, was wealthy but charitable. When World War I broke out in 1914, she converted Highclere Castle into a hospital for wounded soldiers, with down pillows and fine sheets on every bed, according to The Paris Review.

After transforming the home into a refuge for children fleeing London during World War II, the Earls of Carnarvon lived quietly for a couple of generations — until Downton Abbey brought Highclere Castle into the spotlight once more in 2010.

Inside The Picturesque “Downton Abbey” House

Visitors to Highclere Castle can tour rooms featured in the hit television series Downton Abbey. Highlights include the double library with over 5,500 books, some dating back to the 16th century. In 1999, the famous orgy scene from Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut was filmed inside.

The formal drawing room is dominated by a 356-piece chandelier from the 1890s made of crystal. It was a wedding gift to the 5th Earl and Almina from her father, Alfred de Rothschild. The pale green room also contains an 1895 Steinway grand piano.

Steve Parsons/PA Images via Getty ImagesCurrent resident Countess Carnarvon (Fiona) in the Egyptian Exhibition located in the cellars of Highclere Castle.

Lastly, the bright music room has an ornate Baroque ceiling and simple oak floors. The walls are draped with 16th-century Italian embroidery. The centerpiece of the room, however, is Napoleon Bonaparte’s desk, which was purchased from his estate in 1827, according to the current Countess of Carnarvon’s blog.

For every beautifully furnished room, however, there is another that is in dire need of restoration.

How “Downton Abbey” Has Helped With The Staggering Cost Of Highclere Castle’s Upkeep

The current Earl and Countess of Carnarvon estimate that out of the 300 or so rooms in Highclere Castle, 50 of them are completely uninhabitable, according to Town and Country. Leaks, mold, and general aging have caused most of the damage, which will likely take $18 million to repair.

Meanwhile, it costs around $1.5 million annually just to maintain the palace and its expansive grounds. Previous inhabitants even sold off parts of the 5th Earl’s Egyptian art collection to pay for inheritance taxes and general upkeep.

Matthew Lloyd/Getty ImagesThe ceiling of the music room is reflected in a mirror in Highclere Castle.

Thankfully, the boom in Highclere Castle’s popularity that began when Downton Abbey first aired in 2010 has helped take some of the pressure off of the current Earl. While the producers paid for the estate’s use as a film set, the real money comes from the visitors who flock to the castle to see the setting of the beloved show in real life.

In 2019, The National reported that 90,000 people visit Highclere Castle annually. With tickets ranging in price from around $30 to $150 per person, the castle’s yearly maintenance could be paid with tour profit alone.

It may have taken a modern television show to bring this historic gem back into the public eye, but Highclere Castle now serves as a treasured relic of the past for future generations to enjoy.

After learning about Highclere Castle, discover Eltz Castle, Germany’s majestic medieval stronghold that remained unchanged over hundreds of years. Then, find out more about the historical accuracy of Downton Abbey.

From its connection to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb to its claim to fame as the home of the fictional Crawley family, Highclere Castle’s history is as rich as the treasures that adorn its walls.#

The Early History Of Highclere Castle#

Inside The Picturesque “Downton Abbey” House#

How “Downton Abbey” Has Helped With The Staggering Cost Of Highclere Castle’s Upkeep#

From its connection to the discovery of King Tut’s tomb to its claim to fame as the home of the fictional Crawley family, Highclere Castle’s history is as rich as the treasures that adorn its walls.

The Early History Of Highclere Castle

Inside The Picturesque “Downton Abbey” House

How “Downton Abbey” Has Helped With The Staggering Cost Of Highclere Castle’s Upkeep