Highclere Castle aka Downton Abbey by Sheila Johnson

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How many of you are Downton Abbey fans? I know there are a lot of us out there and after a new film came out just this summer our local bus company put on a trip to the real Downton Abbey - Highclere Castle this August and my friend, Maria and I got the last two places! But the weather was great and the castle lived up to all expectations. 


Owned by Lady Carnarvon, I'm sure the series and films have helped to fund the castle. The writer of Downton Abbey, Julian Fellowes, actor, writer and member of the House of Lords, has written other books too - Belgravia, Past Imperfect and Snobs and acted in many productions and plays, writing the script too for the popular film, Gosford Park. 

As well as enjoying the house and the lovely gardens - 


Monks and Secret gardens, Maria and I discovered another story behind that of the castle, one that is a little more tragic involving a certain statue of an airman.


Long before Downton was ever thought of or created, several planes and their crews crashed in the grounds of Highclere Castle during World War II. Unfortunately most of the crews were killed, although the most touching story is that of an American Lieutenant, Leonard Nitti, who, although dying eventually in 2018, survived the crash and returned to pay his respects to his colleagues lost in the war. Perhaps Julian Fellowes or one of our Christian writers, might find another story concerning Highclere Castle that is yet to be told?


Comments

  1. Philippa Linton12 September 2022 at 15:53

    I'm not a huge fan of Downton but I do love stately homes and their histories! I am blessed, living in Kent, to be so close to so many National Trust and English Heritage sites, including Lullingstone Roman Villa. Other notable houses I've visited are Cotehele, a gorgeous manor house on the banks of the River Tamar; Blickling Hall in Norfolk: Mount Stewart House in Northern Ireland; and the Austen family home in Chawton. I'd love to see Castle Howard in Yorkshire, where they shot the famous 'Brideshead Revisited' dramatisation of 1981. And Haworth, of course!

    Lovely post, thank you. That statue of the airman is very moving.

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  2. Sheila Johnson12 September 2022 at 16:39

    I've seen a few of these, Philippa - Chawton and Haworth. I also visited Coleridge's house in Somerset, Nether Stowey, it was the place I felt most at home in as I sat down by his fire place, I almost expected him to walk in and greet me!

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  3. Ruth Leigh13 September 2022 at 16:27

    Two confessions. I have never watched Downton. I have been to Highclere. I went there for a training session in the late 80s and it was fab! The history of the family alone would make a great novel

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  4. Olusola Sophia Anyanwu13 September 2022 at 17:19

    Lovely post. Some great history here! I have heard of Downton Abbey and never been to Highclere and that's it. So thanks for the info here. Blessings.

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