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There are plenty of period piece movies and TV shows to love – The Crown, 2005’s Pride and Prejudice, Bridgerton, etc. But one that is an absolute household classic is Downton Abbey! Airing for 5 seasons since 2010 and followed by three movies, the story follows the Crawley family and their various feuds, as well as the servants that make up their doting staff.
It’s a classic TV show which showcases some of the UK’s most stunning estates in the backdrop. Visiting the Downton Abbey filming locations is one of the best things to do if you want to get a taste of regal architecture across the country and live a little Edwardian life yourself.
Downton Abbey filming locations – TV show
1. Highclere Castle, Berkshire
This is Downton Abbey. It’s in the background on the cover of all the DVD box sets and on all the cinema posters, and basically the face of the show (aside from Dame Maggie Smith, of course). The Castle was built in 1679 and has been owned by the Carnarvon family ever since, with the Lord and Lady heavily involved in the upkeep and maintenance of the building and the land. It’s a stunning example of Georgian architecture.
The exterior and top floors of Highclere Castle serve as the setting for Downton Abbey, and you can take a tour on one of the 60-70 days a year the castle is open to visitors! You’ll want to plan your trip to England accordingly.
Image source:Tim Alex / unsplash
2. Bampton, Oxfordshire
This village in Oxfordshire doubles as the fictional village of Downton where most of the show’s drama and events unfold. You can take a little day trip out from London (30-minute train ride, woo hoo!) and have a stroll through the quaint village, stopping by St. Mary’s Church and Bampton Library which feature prominently as Downton Abbey filming locations. You may recall Mary and Matthew’s interesting wedding at the former location…
3. Cogges Manor Farm, Oxfordshire
While in Oxfordshire, you can visit the county’s eponymous town Oxford, where other TV adaptations were filmed like Wonka, or you can head over to Cogges Manor Farm, better known as Yew Tree Farm, to continue your Downton Abbey exploration.
The farm has made a few appearances in the show, first as owned by Mr. Drewe, and then later again as Mr. Mason’s new farm. With an overhanging of wisteria and adorable sheep roaming the grounds, you can have yourself a classic English countryside day with a cream tea afterwards!
4. Basildon Park, Reading
The impressive Basildon Park is the setting for many events in Downton Abbey like Lady Rose’s “coming-out ball” and her later wedding to Atticus. It’s also where the interiors for Grantham House were filmed. This National Trust Property is a perfect filming location for any period piece, really, proven by its appearance in Bridgerton as well! Make the trip just outside of London and book yourself onto the daily Downton Abbey tour which will give you insights into the filming of the show only die-hard fans would know.
5. Inveraray Castle, Argyll and Bute
Moving up to Scotland, over by the shores of Loch Fyne, Inveraray Castle is an absolutely jaw-dropping home that would rival even the most luxurious and famous French Châteaux in looks and prestige. The sprawling grounds change colours with the seasons and are stunning any time of year, and the architecture itself is something to behold. The Gothic Revival Castle plays home to Lord and Lady Flincher as Duneagle Castle, and it is definitely one of the prettiest Downton Abbey filming locations.
Image source:Ray Harrington / unsplash
6. Lancaster House, London
Located on The Mall near Buckingham Palace and St. James’s Park, Lancaster House is not only a Downton Abbey filming location, but also one of the city’s hidden gems. In the show, Lancaster House was used to portray Buckingham Palace – it was also used for this exact reason in The Crown – with all the glamorous Victorian interiors. This makes sense as it was actually once a part of the palace grounds!
7. West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire
Only the interiors of West Wycombe Park are used in the show, making up the lavish rooms of Aunt Rosamund’s London home – but you should 100% venture out into Buckinghamshire for the day anyway. The house is unique, painted a bright and sunny yellow which conveys a warmth that old palaces and castles can sometimes lack, and the grounds are vast and filled with life all around. The estate is open from April to August, and definitely a summer must-do when in the UK.
8. Horsted Keynes Station, Sussex
A smaller filming location, but adorable nonetheless, Horsted Keynes Station was used to portray Downton Railway Station. Why bother mentioning a train station? Because it’s part of the Bluebell Railway, a heritage line in West Sussex which features 11 miles of old tracks and the remnants of steam and locomotive engines.
It’s definitely a niche experience, but if you’re interested in trains, random history, or just want a unique day out, then you should definitely visit this Downton Abbey filming location and the surrounding area.
9. Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Transformed to become Brancaster Castler where Lord Sinderby hosted a hunting party (rich people things us commoners cannot understand), Alnwick Castle is a gorgeous and classically English estate. Built in the 11th century, it has witnessed battles and rebellions and lots of tumultuous history, but today it’s an inhabited home and a popular filming location destination. Parts of Harry Potter were also actually filmed here!
Many of the Downton Abbey filming locations have embraced their status as one, and Alnwick Castle is no exception. There’s a gallery dedicated to the TV show which showcases photographs and even costumes from the episode in which it features.
Image source:Jeffrey Zhang / unsplash
10. Kensington Gardens, London
One of London’s more beautiful and peaceful parks, Kensington Gardens is where Lady Mary and Lord Gillingham have a tender heart-to-heart talk, right by the bronze Peter Pan statue. The Gardens are decorated with various sculptures, as well as flower gardens, and the Serpentine Art Galleries, making it a great location to spend a quiet day in the sun.
11. Bowood House and Gardens, Wiltshire
Mr. Carson’s to-die-for cottage on the Downton Abbey estate was actually located in Wiltshire, at the Bowood House and Gardens – which are much grander than a simple cottage, to be honest. Designed by a famed 18th-century garden architect, Capability Brown, the grounds are magical with manicured gardens, large ponds, woodlands, and lots of flowers in the spring.
12. Lacock Village, Wiltshire
Initially used in season 6 of the TV series, Lacock Village was the location of a fictional 1920s livestock market, but it later became a central filming location for the 2019 Downton Abbey movie as well! Pretty stone houses line narrow streets, decorated in bunting and all the British charm you might imagine.
Downton Abbey: The Movie filming locations
Many of the filming locations from the TV show feature in the films, including Highclere Castle and Bampton – what would the franchise be without them? – but the first Downton Abbey movie added a few!
1. Harewood House, Leeds
This one’s an easy Downton Abbey filming location to remember as Harewood House plays itself! Indeed, the movie has the characters visit Harewood House where you can find a vast and intricate fine art collection, and tour the State Rooms where certain scenes from the film take place including the drawing room.
Image source:Rafik Wahba / unsplash
2. Wentworth Woodhouse, Wentworth
While the real Harewood House was used in Downton Abbey, some other locations were used to fill the interiors of the abode. Wentworth Woodhouse’s gorgeous ballroom stands in for Harewood House, and many of the interiors were also used to portray Buckingham Palace! The country house in south Yorkshire is complete with sprawling grounds that include statues, monuments, lakes, and roaming deer!
3. Beamish Museum, County Durham
Beamish Museum is an open-air museum which shows what industrial life was like in the northeast of England during the 19th and 20th centuries. This makes it the perfect place for the setting of the York Car Showroom and Mr. Bakewell’s shop.
Downton Abbey: A New Era filming locations
1. Villa Rocabella, Le Pradet
While Downton Abbey the show, and the place, are still definitely set in the UK, for A New Era (2022) we see Violet Crawley finding herself in the possession of a gorgeous villa in the south of France!
The gorgeous pearl-white villa is surrounded by lush greenery and palm trees – dreamy! But one of the villa’s key features is a FABULOUS pink staircase which is also included in the film.
2. Wrest Park, Bedfordshire
Because the movie was filmed during the pandemic, surrounded with lots and lots of uncertainty on travel, the cast and crew weren’t sure they would be able to make it to France, so, Wrest Park became the contingency plan! In the end, Villa Rocabella was usable, but these idyllic grounds in Bedfordshire, specifically the orangery, were the stand-in for the French villa’s gardens.
3. Royal Yacht Britannia, Leith
Just outside of Edinburgh, for fans of the royal family, or really big boats, you can visit the Royal Yacht Britannia! There are tours on offer for curious travellers, as well as rooms available for Downton Abbey filming. While the family sailed over to France, the sequences were filmed here – with a dose of movie magic.
4. Belchamp Hall, Essex
We see a beautiful little wedding in A New Era between Tom Branson and Lucy Smith which takes place in a stone church located on the Belchamp Hall estate. Classically English, flanked by green fields and small copses of trees, this is a beautiful area for a getaway – in fact, there are three holiday cottages available to rent!
5. The Electric Palace Cinema, Harwich
In A New Era, the Crawleys are introduced to Hollywood and movies! In one sequence where they are showed a new film, the family is taken to a beautiful vintage cinema (or, I guess it wasn’t vintage back then?) which is actually located in Harwich – a little town on the coast in Essex. The outside is lavish: white with embossed blue laurels and other ornate patterns and a grand red door. And the interiors are just as jaw-dropping.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale filming locations
The final instalment of the Downton Abbey franchise isn’t quite out yet (but soon!) so this list of filming locations may not be complete, but here we go. Along with the usual suspects, here are some new additions.
1. Great Yorkshire Showground, Harrogate
We’re not 100% why the cast and crew were spotted filming here in Harrogate and what the plot implications are – but when you see people milling about in 1920s garments, something’s definitely up. The nearby town of Ripon is also featured.
2. Ripon Racecourse, Yorkshire
A day at the races is featured in the trailer for the upcoming film, and once again suspiciously dressed actors and extras were spotted at Ripon Racecourse.
