Being Lady Mary Crawley for a Day — A Beautiful Visit to Highclere Castle
Making our way up the quiet country road and through the trees, this place where I had never been before started to feel very familiar. The car shook as we let out screams, ones typically reserved for only the most spectacular of boy bands, as the sharp points of the towers slowly became clear in the distance. The vast landscape opened up and there it was, DOWNTON ABBEY!!!
Of course, I was front of the line on opening day to watch Downton Abbey: A New Era, and as I expected, it was wonderful — don’t worry, no spoilers here. Seeing it on the big screen gave me goosebumps as the fond memories of my lovely visit there came rushing back.
Downton Abbey is not actually called Downton Abbey in real life, but Highclere Castle. It is located in Newbury, Berkshire, about an hour and a half from Central London, and is the home of the 8th Earl and Lady Carnarvon.
Highclere Castle was not built especially for Downton’s six seasons and two movies, but, in fact, has a lengthy and storied history dating back centuries.
