Life in The Big House
Highclere Castle is a magnificent stately home in the heart of Hampshire that has gained global recognition as the filming location for the British period drama Downton Abbey.
The six seasons and feature film have enthralled audiences worldwide, where, through the magic of TV and cinema, this Grade I listed house has been turned into the Yorkshire mansion in which the aristocratic Crawley family live.
With this captivating property, its beautiful interiors, lavish costumes, and manicured country estate vistas, providing the most picturesque of backdrops, Downton Abbey tells the story of how Robert Crawley risks losing the family estate after his heirs die on the Titanic.
Soon, the Crawleys are introduced to Matthew, the next heir, who resists their way of life. The programme and subsequent films follow the family’s challenges as they adapt to the modern age, while focusing on the bonds that link the upstairs nobles with the downstairs servants, bridging the social class divide.
Parallels can be drawn between the fictional Lady Crawley and the 5th
