Where to stay near “Downton Abbey”

Since the beautiful castle featured in the “Downton Abbey” series is not available for vacation rental, our friends at My Favourite Holiday Cottages have a suggestion for accommodation nearby.

Now into its second season, Downton Abbey has proved to be hugely successful on both sides of the Atlantic as viewers are left to find out the fate of the characters both above and below stairs as they encounter the horrors of the First World War. Alongside the variety of interesting characters the show’s success rests heavily on the amazing house that is the fictional home of Downton Abbey; but just where is Downton Abbey filmed?

The fictional Downton Abbey is in fact filmed in the stunning stately home of Highclere Castle, located only a few hours drive from London in the county of Berkshire. The striking country house was constructed by Sir Charles Barry in 1838, who also designed the Houses of Parliament in London. The country estate is every bit as glamorous as what you see on TV, and visitors are welcome to the house and gardens during the summer holidays (from July to mid-September) where you can explore the Highclere Estate, and relax is the glamorous beauty of the house and its surroundings.

Although the ‘downstairs scenes’ were filmed at Ealing studios, visitors can have a guided tour around the main rooms of the grand house where the Grantham family live out their lives. Visitors are free to explore and picnic in the acres of landscaped gardens, which are the setting for the many of the outside shots, and an area for refreshments is available – although sadly there are no butlers to serve you drinks.

The Highclere Estate has a fascinating history extending back over a millennium. Among the different periods there is the history of Lady Almina who really did convert Highclere Castle into a hospital in 1914. Later on in its history, Highclere was also the home of the 5th Earl of Canarvon, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1922 along with archaeologist Howard Carter. An Egyptian Exhibition has been set up in the cellars of the Castle for guests to explore.

Although set in the glorious countryside of the Hampshire/Berkshire border, Highclere is easily accessible and is close to the main motorway which is connected with all the major London airports and if you are travelling by train, Newbury station is only 5 miles away.

To stay close to ‘Downton Abbey,’ Enborne Street Farm offers comfortable self-catering accommodation throughout the year. Only a couple of miles away from the Highclere Estate, the cottage can sleep up to 5 people in 3 bedrooms and has beautiful views out onto the surrounding countryside. The property is also ideally located to explore places such as Oxford, Windsor, Bath and many other towns with a history as rich and varied as as Highclere.

The third series of Downton Abbey is currently in production where viewers will be able to watch the lives of the characters at Downton as they enter the glamorous 1920′s.

Maybe you’ll run into “Lady Mary” at the train station…

Review our UK “Cottage of the Month” series for more great vacation cottage rentals available for your travels in England.

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