Things Will Be Great When You're Downton

Last month I toured Highclere Castle with a group of friends. It was perfect timing as we were there days before the final season of Downton Abbey started airing in the UK. The house felt very familiar after seeing it on the show for the last 5 seasons. 

The actual Highclere Castle has a fascinating history. It has been the home to the Earls of Carnarvon since 1679. The current home stands on the site of the medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, who owned the land since the 8th century. 

The home was remodelled for the third Earl with designs by Sir Charles Barry after he finished the construction on the Houses of Parliament. Barry described the style as "Anglo-Italian" since his design was heavily influenced by Renaissance architecture. 

The library of the home is one that is used so much in the filming of Downton Abbey. The tour is limited to the dining room (where the Grantham family eats breakfast), the great hall, the library, and several bedrooms used by the Grantham family. 

The 5th Earl of Carnarvon was an amateur Egyptologist and even sponsored and accompanied the discovery of King Tut's tomb in 1922. His death in Cairo the following year led to the story of the "Curse of Tutankhamun" but he most likely died from an infected mosquito bite. British celebrities Katie Price and Peter Andre were married at Highclere Castle in 2005 and she blames the curse for her marriage ending in 2009.

The downstairs scenes of Downton Abbey were filmed in London as the basement of Highclere is filled with the family's Egyptian artefacts collection and several cafes where you can have afternoon tea or luncheon, as they would say on the show. 

It is estimated by the insurance company Aviva that it would cost over £500,000 each year to maintain the house and pay staff salaries. It has over 300 rooms including 60 bedrooms and 30 bathrooms plus 170 single glazed windows. The current Earl of Carnarvon and his wife live in the main house during the winter and stay in a cottage on the grounds during the summer to allow for tours to bring in the income needed for repairs. 

Our day at Highclere was so much fun. The grounds are beautiful and I really enjoyed seeing where one of my favourite tv shows is filmed. I love historic homes but especially on a beautiful, clear day.