This was a bucket list place for my wife and I was happy to help her realize this aspiration. While her motivation has to do with her love of the Downton Abbey franchise, I was interested in visiting both for the value of its status as a cultural icon and its historical significance as a magnificent castle. Built for and passed down through the succession of the Earls of Carnarvon, it was built in 1679 and renovated in the 1840s. It's a fascinating representation of upper class life in England. I was anticipating the fact that the castle would be memorable. What took me by surprise, however, were the grounds and how enjoyable they were to traverse. First of all, the vastness of the 1000-plus acre estate was almost overwhelming. There was so much area to explore that you could almost spend a full day hiking around. There were a few structural follies on the grounds such as the Temple of Diana and Heaven's Gate that were interesting. There were also tree groves and flower fields that were enjoyable. But the highlights of the grounds were the gardens. The Rose Garden was quite nice, but the main garden was magnificent. It features several types of beautiful flowers and the variety and quality were impressive. Upon walking through the castle, an appreciation of the architecture and decorative arts are a major part of the enjoyment. For Downton Abbey fans, how the physical set fits with beloved scenes from the show adds an extra dimension of meaning, of course. The castle features 200 rooms, many with breathtaking opulence. The self-guided tour takes you through several rooms including highlights such as the Saloon, the Library and the Music Room. There are descriptions for each room with staging indications in many of them for scenes depicted in Downton Abbey. The Egyptian Display is another noteworthy feature. Ancient Egyptian culture and history was a passion of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon. He ended up being a part of the effort that discovered the tomb of King Tutankhamun. The items displayed and the descriptions are interesting. It's an additional charge over and above the fee to visit the castle, but it's worth it. It's also worth noting that there is a food tent. The offerings there are decent quality and the prices are not unreasonable. The pleasant staff adds to the experience. There are sundry other refreshment opportunities as well, such as an ice cream stand. As far as practical considerations, you need to buy your tickets on-line before visiting. Entries are timed, so you need to choose the part of the day you want to visit. Visiting is perfectly doable on your own with little stress without a tour guide, but there certainly are guided tour packages available if you don't mind paying the extra cost. The location is remote, so driving is the most convenient way to get there. Parking is included with the fee and there are plenty of spaces. Public transportation is not a great option and a taxi or Uber would be relatively costly unless you are staying at one of the few hotels that are close by. But overall. I think both of my wife and I felt like this was a unique experience that was very enjoyable and it was particularly meaningful for my wife. We'd recommend it to anyone, especially those who are Downton Abbey fans. The fee is not cheap but also not exorbitant, especially compared to fees for places like the Vanderbilt Mansion. It's worth it for such something that will, for most people, be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. read more

See all

Went on a day trip here from London This is the castle from "Downtown Abbey" tv show It has beautiful Victorian architecture inside but I absolutely love the grounds - they host many events here I would love to attend a summer garden party- maybe one day! We enjoyed a tour, you can only see parts of the castle as it's still being used by an actual couple who live there day to day The highlight was afternoon tea in the patio with the castle in view read more

Highclere Castle - Castles Near Me - Newbury, WBK

If you can visit, do. We had tried a few times over the years but it's not easy to book when living overseas especially as it's closed to the public through long winter. I won't write a huge amount about our visit. It costs over £1 million a year to staff and maintain. It's a working farm of 5000 acres compromising 2000 Arable, 1200 Parkland, 1800 Woodland and the Highclere Stud. There's a stunning painting of Charles I on horseback by Anthony Van Dyke from the 16OO's apparently worth around £60 million. They have a few paintings by him. This one was found on the estate after the death of Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell in 1658. It was rolled up and being used to prop open a barn door. We saw Napoleon's chair and table bought from the sale of his chattels after his death and living history back to Tudor times. They have a vintage French Citroen van on the estate called Josephine. What fascinated me hugely were the Egyptian artefacts that are still stunning to see thousands of years later. I e been to Egypt 5/6 times and I'm fascinated by that ancient world. Just an aside there was one tomb I wanted to get inside in the Valley of the Queens but they sold limited tickets on a first come first serve basis daily early each morning so I got one of the hotel waiters to queue for me in 46 centigrade for two tickets and by the time we got in it was 55c. It was spectacular within. I paid him £5 which was about the equivalent of 12 days pay then. He offered to queue for us every day. The main feature here is a 3,500-year-old sarcophagus of a noblewoman, jewelry, pottery, hieroglyphic stones, carved stone sculptures and Ptolemaic coins. The castle was used for movies like Eyes Wide Shut, Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, King Ralph and many more but the plumbing only allows baths. Guests are not allowed to take pictures indoors and they do apologise and explain why at the start of the tour (security & insurance) so it's perfectly understandable as the castle's contents alone are likely valued in the many thousands of millions of pounds but just imagine you can't take a shower in any of the 250 or so rooms. At the end of the tour we got quite good cappuccino and tasty cookies within the entry price in their cafe and a signed hardback book each about the Castle. The books weigh several kilos if you are flying home. We got there well ahead of our appointed tour time and freely strolled the huge grounds. There were very few people about, really only 2/3 and my wife had gone into the gift shop, I accidentally, briefly met the current and 8th Earl walking in the grounds. I asked him a particular question about the Egypt room and he was able to tell me with no hesitation and off he went in the direction of that room. As I said really worth visiting and the welcome we got was genuinely warm. read more

See all

Love love love visiting Highclere Castle when I come to the UK. If you are a fan of the show Downton Abbey then you will very much enjoy jumping onto a tour to get the full experience. Walking the grounds is a very relaxing activity and should be done without being rushed. The Secret Garden is an absolute pleasure. Once you make it into the house you realize the grandeur of these old manors. The flow of the interior tour is not rushed but doesn't dawdle either. Take your time and enjoy yourself and yes pay the extra to get into the basement to view the Egyptian exhibit. read more

See all

Absolutely beautiful. I highly recommend booking ahead as they book very quickly. Prices were the highest we have paid in comparison to other estates and castles and palaces but trust me when I say you will not be disappointed. Easy directions to follow from google maps. Have your tickets ready to allowed access to the parking area. We did not printed them, just showed the badge on my phone. As you drive in, the green grounds and the sheep will be on both sides of the car. It beautiful and enchanting. We were welcomed by gloomy weather and some drizzle but it made it even more magical. John the manager of the state, who works closely with lord and lady Carnarvon, was so down to earth and so welcoming and genuinely appreciative of our support. Such a nice guy. The tour was split into three groups. The guides were so knowledgeable and approachable. If you are a Downton abbey fan, you'll appreciated that almost everything as far as furniture, paintings and decor is all authentic so you get to see it and recognize it all. Such a beautiful state and grounds. Even when flowers were not in full bloom, still beautiful to look at. The house itself is smaller than you think but so impressive with the architecture and details and love continually being poured to preserve it. Bathrooms available (not in the house I'm afraid) and a little gift shop. The tour was "The Earl and the Pharaoh" so we were able to learned about the discovery of Tutankhamun as well. We were treated with a light meal, which everything was delish. Photos from outside castle are welcome but none inside sadly. So do take your time to soak it all in. Fun fact, the estate next to Highclere is owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Truly, if you have the chance, make a trek to this place. Absolutely captivated me. read more

See all

Calling all Downton Abbey fans - yes, the castle is as beautiful in person as on camera, if not more. Find yourself a way to get out here and check it out for yourself! I found a tour out of London that first stopped in Oxford and then came to Highclere, that was a nice way to get the Downton experience. There are no pictures allowed within the castle, but you are able to take as many as you want outside. I challenge you not to take tons - I couldn't help myself, every view of the castle and grounds is beautiful! I will caveat my review with this - the castle is not a set, it is a real place with a real family looking after it. So, you are visiting Highclere, not Downton. They have a few photos from the show throughout the castle to highlight scenes that were shot on location, but don't expect much more Downton trivia than that. read more

See all

I am a big fan of the Downton Abbey show so I was really excited to visit the Highclere Castle where it was filmed. We took the direct train from London Paddington to Newbury (55 minute ride), then a 12 minute ride in a cab. The castle itself is as beautiful as the show projected it. The tour inside the castle took about one hour. The rooms were the show was filmed had poster size pictures with scenes from the show. It was really cool to see the red couch in the drawing room, the beautiful library and also the dining room. I wished we could visit the kitchen (Ms. Patmore's domain) but we were told that all kitchen scenes were not filmed in the castle but in an off site studio. After the tour, we had lunch in a cafeteria next door and then of course, we stopped by the souvenir store. We went around the castle and took a lot of pictures and recorded a lot of videos. The weather was pretty great so we enjoyed the entire experience immensely. It was a bit challenging to get a cab late in the day, so be sure you make arrangements with the cab driver when you get dropped off - you can ask them to come and pick you up in three hours. read more

See all

This was quite a haul over from London by tour bus but was well worth the journey. As avid "Downton" fans we opted for a tour where we got to drive over and back for a day tour that came with lunch @ Highclere (and at Bampton, too). We were able to go on a special day when there was a musical presentation and theme at the start in the main hall. After its conclusion, we were broke up into 4 groups and went throughout the house for all open rooms with a guide. The guides were insightful and very over-the-top concerning the "no photos!" thing but other than that a great learning experience. Everything inside is kept very well and was awesome to see. A great pleasure to get to view. Lunch was from another part of the grounds on around from the castle and was good, liked the cupcakes especially. After lunch, we took advantage of the remainder of our time to bask of the grounds and double-back to the Egyptian findings exhibit that they had opened up due to the rain that day. Quite a sight and story behind how they found so many things on a claim no one expected them to find it on. If you ever can do go, ESPECIALLY if you are a "Downton" fan. They are well versed in the show and will answer every question you have. read more

See all

One of the highlight of our visit to the English countryside was attending the Christmas decorating special tour at Highclere Castle. Included was a presentation and Q&A with Lady Carnavon. Following our tour of the castle (which unfortunately doesn't allow photos indoors) we enjoyed a classic English afternoon tea, complete with scones, finger sandwiches and mini Victoria sponges. After picking up a few treasures at the Highclere gift shop, we strolled the beautifully kept castle grounds. As huge fans of Downton Abbey, visiting Highclere Castle was a dream come true. read more

See all

A great tourist spot. They don't overly play up the show Dowton Abby but they do have a few pictures of the shows and a scene in the rooms. The grounds were nicely manicured. The tea and scones were good also. Although if you eat outside the bees/ wasp will attack. There is a lot to see and take your time and enjoy it all. read more

My visit to Highclere Castle was the highlight of my trip to London. I booked my visit through a tourist group and that went very smoothly. I'm a huge fan of Downton Abbey. If you're expecting a lot of Downton while you are there, you may be disappointed. There are no guided tours but there are people in each room there to answer your questions about the family who actually lives there as well as the filming of the show. They are quite knowledgeable. The castle is stunning and take your time going through the rooms. I stood in each room for a long time and just soaked it in. After you go through the house you can walk the grounds which is stunning. I walked through the secret garden and it was a wonderful moment. There is a gift shop and you can purchase refreshments, so I enjoyed a nice glass of sparkling rose, but as others have mentioned on a nice day the bees are out in full force. It was a memorable experience and thankful I had the opportunity to visit. read more

Beautiful. Breathtaking. Loved everything about it. The grounds were also perfectly manicured. The staff was super knowledgeable, kind and helpful. No pictures allowed inside the castle, which is a bummer, but all else was divine. read more

Highclere Castle - Castles Near Me - Newbury, WBK

"What is a weekend?" - The Dowager "Why does every day involve a fight with an American?" - The Dowager "Do they realize they are playing different songs?" - The Dowager Fans like me will love this place. On the outside, its as awesome as it looks on television. As with all "castles" I've visited, everything is going to be old and worn down, especially the interiori! Apparently, before the show took off, £12 million in repairs were needed. (http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2015/sep/19/downton-abbey-highclere-castle-tourist-cash-funds-repairs) The place still needs some TLC, so hopefully fans will continue to visit and support the castle long after the show is over. Also, if you're not a Downton Abbey fan, why bother taking the time, energy, and money to get out here? Go visit Windsor Castle or Stone Henge instead. Plus you're taking up precious limited space of a Downton Abbey fan! Also fellow Americans, be respectful and don't touch anything you're not supposed to. read more

See all

If you are a Downton Abbey fan, Highclere Castle is worth a visit. Not too far from Oxford, it is easy to rent a car and drive out to the Newbury in about 20 minutes or so. Although they do not provide guided tours, the guides are very friendly and provide tidbits of history as you walk from room to room. They also have signs up for some of the rooms so you can identify each character's bedroom. The best part for us was seeing the library and the main staircase. The outside grounds are expansive but I expected a bit more. Most other castles we have visited have more impressive gardens. read more

If you are visiting this place during spring and summer i would recommend this : (Champagne Afternoon Tea in the Coach House - a selection of delicious scones, sandwiches and cakes with tea and a cold glass of Joseph Perrier 'Highclere Castle' Champagne) Remember it has to be prebooked. You cant take photos inside the mansion , before going watch the show Downton abby if you havent yet. Lots of scenes was filmed in this place. read more

Highclere Castle - Champagne afternoon tea - Castles Near Me - Newbury, WBK

See all

Our tour has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and I had a terrible experience trying to get a refund. I've tried emailing and calling about a several times over the past month and have not received a reply. Based on the reviews of others who have received a reply, it seems like the owners are hanging on to advanced purchases without the opportunity to be reimbursed, only to reschedule. Such a shame because this is out of our control and we won't be able to travel abroad for some time. I am just disappointed in the lack of compassion and customer service. read more

I cannot express how amazing of an experience you will have here. Words cannot describe the beauty of, not just the castle, but the entire estate. Getting a tour inside is even more impressive. Regardless of whether you're a Downton Abbey fan or not, you'll love this place. The castle is truly awe-inspiring and there is so much to explore on walks around the estate. If you go on one of their tours, you will be welcomed in to the saloon, split into three groups, and given a full walk around the castle. Outside of recognizing many of the locations from Downton Abbey, there's much more to take in. I particularly liked The Music Room. You enter it through a secret door in the bookshelf of the library. There is a beautiful baroque ceiling painted by Francis Hayman in the 1730's and the walls are decorated with 16th century Italian embroideries. The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. They have some fun stories as well. The Egyptian exhibition in the basement after the tour is icing on the cake. When you're all finished, you'll be given small bites, scones, and tea. Enough to fill you up. They were delicious and I was quite happy to find out their recipes were in Lady Carnarvon's latest book: "Christmas at HIghclere" (a free copy was included with our tour ticket). However, none of this compares to what truly makes this a memorable experience: the staff. Everyone I met was so helpful, kind, and friendly. They all worked so hard to make the end of the tour the most wonderful experience of my life: I proposed to my future wife. With their help, it was a resounding success. Specifically, I have to call out Sam, Stephanie, and Alison. Stephanie was extremely helpful with organizing the event and even recording it on her phone! Alison, our tour guide, gave our tour group a little extra attention and made sure we were the last to go down into the Egyptian exhibition. I could then dally just a bit longer so it was just my fiancé and I at the end. Last but not least, Sam was absolutely wonderful in getting arrangements together for us to have our bags locked up while there and have our accommodations ready at the London Lodge (which I highly recommend staying at if you can. It's one of the lodges they offer on the website). This doesn't even touch on the time she spent with us the next day touring the estate. Needless to say, she is a beautiful human being. They made two random Americans feeling like the most important people there (sorry Lady Carnarvon). We cannot wait to come back in the future. read more

Highclere Castle - Castles Near Me - Newbury, WBK

For my wife, this was one of the highlights of our trip to England. As a big fan of Downton Abbey, my wife wore a charming sun dress despite the fact the weather was chilly. I obliged and wore a suit jacket as well, just in case we were asked to tea. Descending the grand stairway was on my wife's "bucket list". Check! (In fact, we descended, backtracked, descended, re-ascended and descended again. So... check, check, check. One of the ladies working at the house thought we were practicing for a wedding entrance!) We booked the afternoon time slot, arrived earlier to wander the grounds and have lunch, then spent hours more in the house itself. If you have any interest in Egyptology, you may find the basement display interesting. Be aware that if you stay until closing time, you may have a hard time finding a taxi to take you back to the train station. We assumed there would be taxis waiting, but there were none to be found! Confronted with the possibility of roughing it outdoors in the English countryside, I hightailed back to the shop and the ladies there were kind enough to phone a car service for us. The gentleman who arrived to ferry us back to the station (Cliff Verrall of Four Oaks Cars - c.verrall@btinternet.com, 0747 8699313) offered fast and friendly service. If I were returning to Highclere or I had a friend visiting the castle, I would recommend they contact Cliff to see if he could provide transport to and from the station. read more

See all

Felt very privileged to be in the UK for the Highclere the Spring Opening. Had lunch in Andover and hit Stonehenge in the afternoon. It was thrilling to walk through the house, which is exactly like the show (or they just left it that way!) All of the docents on hand were kind and knowledgeable. The only disappointment for some might be that the whole "downstairs" part as well as Mary's bedroom were actually off-site sets near London, I believe. read more

Grounds and castle are stunning. Interior is surprisingly shabby but very fun to see for Downton Abbey fans!! Absolutely worth a visit--even just to take some photos of the castle and grounds. No photos of the interior are allowed. It is fun to see the art and the furnishings which seem untouched for centuries. There are also modern things like electric heaters that clearly aren't in the show. The below stairs servants' quarters and kitchen are not part of the tour and scenes from them in the show are filmed in a studio. Very cool to see the salon, the dining room and the bedrooms and the hallways where you can picture the DA family and servants walking about. read more

See all

I lucked out with the weather. It was absolutely perfect in May, which from what I understand from citizens, this is extremely rare. Thus, the pictures you'll see attached to this review are quite good in my opinion based solely off the fact that we got terrific weather. I didn't have enough time to take the tour inside, which would have been really cool, but I had a flight to catch back to the states. So, I just bought a grounds pass for $5 or something, and spent the next 15-20 minutes walking the grounds and taking pictures. It was breath taking. The Castle actually met my expectactions with its size and feeling of empowerment. It was kind of cool. Oh, and yes, there is definitely nostalgia if you're into the Downton Abbey show. You'll giggle like a 5 year old that you're in sort of a fantasy world. I didn't care...I let it all sink in and enjoyed it as best I can. If I ever get back (which is unlikely), I would like to try and have a bit more time to take the full tour inside, but I think my bucket list is suffice that I made it onto the grounds and were able to take some magnificent pictures with the impeccable weather we had that day. Highly recommend you venture out if the time of year is right and you can get tickets early enough or get to the Castle early enough for stand by, which is what I did no problems. TIP: Drive a capable car as you drive up dirt roads and park in a field. read more

See all

5p* Highclere Castle as in Downtown Abbey Booked up over a year in the advance Have Battle Proms in different local venues in England; one at Highclere Recommend buy tickets online; can purchase food hampers and hire table & chair rental online also Wide, wide open seating on grassy area; people bring own chairs and tons of food and drink There is a concert stage with an AV screen to the side Free parking; lots of portable toilets Food and drink concessions and exhibits Dress is very casual; and the event is very British Had lots of music and wartime commemoratives Cool Spitfire flyover/aerobatics read more

See all

I had to take $150 Uber from London to this place just to find out that the tickets that were bought for a sightseeing tour of the inside- The first disappointment was the fact that the use of cameras were not allowed in No photography allowed When we got into the castle it smelled very badly and we didn't even get an entire tour just a partial It was a total tourist trap there was nothing special about it in fact no one even lives in the house as they claim that the house is unlivable and you don't even get to see the kitchen Carpets are very run down And the tour is rushed for a mirror at 25 minutes and then the lead you to a small café where you can purchase items and have complementary sandwiches and then a very overpriced gift shop The best part about my families visits was the fact that the Uber driver actually waited for us to bring us back to London I would definitely not go out of my way again to go back to this place it was nothing like I would expect read more

This is a must-see for Downton Abbey fans, but still an interesting place for those that just enjoy grand old English homes. It is well presented, and you are able to go through many of the key rooms like the Library, Great Hall, Dining Hall, and several bedrooms (Lady Grantham's, Lady Sybil's, Lady Edith's) amongst other rooms. Each room has a curator that can answer questions. Many rooms also have 1-2 behind the scenes photos showing the room being used in the TV show, which helps to picture it. If you purchase the Egyptian exhibit, you will also see some of the Egyptian treasures from the 5th Earl's time (1920s), and learn more about how he was the backer behind Carter's King Tut discovery. It also has a few additional displays about the family interest and hobbies. I was less interested in the Egyptian artifacts having been to the Cairo Museum, but found the additional family info well worth the fee. A few things to note: - No photos inside - Most people seemed to complete the house (Downton Abbey) portion in about 45 minutes, and the Egyptian in 30-45. - It is open in the summer and during certain other times in the year. Check before going. - It is recommended to buy tickets early - They have a few lovely tea rooms. You can buy a regular pot of tea as a walk-in, but it says you need to buy online in advance if you want the proper afternoon tea. read more

Being a Downton Abbey fan, I had to visit this castle. It took about 2 hours from London via train (we changed at Reading) and 10-15min on a taxi from the station. We arrived at the ticket office around 1:30pm and luckily they still had tickets for the castle & garden. There's only one way to go through the castle, so we just follow the crowd and looked at all the available rooms. It was such a great experience! Staff members were knowledgeable and they even had laminated copies of paper for us, explaining key objects in each room. There were photos of the current Earl and Countess everywhere! After the self-guided tour, we had tea at the renovated Coach House. There were 3 tea rooms on the premise, all serving lunch and tea. They didn't have the afternoon tea set like I imagined, but I still enjoyed their scone and jam-filled donut. We spent the rest of the afternoon walking around the castle. When you walk through the grass field, you can enjoy several well-kept gardens and lots of sheep! It was an amazing getaway from London. It's a little far from London and they only open the castle to the general public during the summer, but you won't be disappointed once you see this beautiful property. They even have a cute gift shop. read more

See all

Downton Abbey is a tale of people throughout levels of society working together and navigating a changing world. Highclere's staff on the other hand is intentionally ignoring the international crisis and using it to profit. Due to travel restrictions (not to mention being a responsible world citizen) I can't make my trip which was supposed to be today. I am of course, devastated. The tickets to highclere alone cost nearly a thousand dollars for me to go with my family. Of all our plans, they're the only ones who refused to refund or reschedule. They finally offered to change tickets to June or July but let's look at the facts: 1) I'm a medical resident (doctor) and I get three weeks off a year that are randomly assigned. I have to give up my vacation to be on the front lines and treat patients at my own risk. Now not only am I giving up my brief time off, but I'm paying for it. 2) I can't choose my vacation time. I'm a young doctor at the low end of the totem pole. I blatantly can't go then. 3) the tickets in June/July are much, much cheaper than ones I purchased in March. 4) is it reasonable to assume this will even be over in 3 months? 5) people in their defense are saying this is a family run business, but again, I'm a young doctor. My salary is about what a schoolteacher makes (which is a travesty in itself, but I digress). I won't make 'big bucks' for another few years, out of residency. I still have to work 80 hour weeks while this is going on, at risk of harm to myself and my family. The least you could do is refund me. 6) and lastly, how irresponsible. How could they ENCOURAGE people to travel in this state. Your borders are closed. Your prime minister is denouncing travel and leaving the house. Yet here you are, replying to emails saying that you won't refund because you won't close. People may actually die because of you, I hope you realize, because you're incentivizing people to not cancel their plans. I'm very young for the Downton audience, but many of your guests are among the most vulnerable population. I'm truly very disappointed. I thought of anyone, the spirit behind Downton would understand. Please reconsider refunding if not out of kindness, out of safety. read more

Visiting the location of Downton Abbey filming was surreal. Will recommend booking far in advance as this property is a private home and used in filming it is not open every day. Besides the extensive beautiful grounds do yourself a favor and have a SCONE... best scone of my life. I spent the rest of my trip trying to find something that came close and failed. Wish I'd had two! read more

They cancelled my tour because of the pandemic and are now refusing to return my money. They say I have a voucher, but I live in California. They suck. read more

Film location for Downton Abbey and one of Jordan's many wedding venues, it's a stately home not a castle. A previous Earl Carnarvon helped Howard Carter break into the pyramids and steal loads of ancient artefacts, which you can now see in the castle for £9 ticket (adults, under 4s free). The exhibition is in the servants' quarters, and was packed with coachloads of pensioners, so can get stuffy. This could also be to do with exhibition opening times of 11am to 5pm, which creates a bottleneck. The kids were very interested, and I had no idea how many national treasures they have in their private collection. Worth a one-off trip to exhibition if you're kicking around. The 'mummy' and sarcophagus was almost worth the ticket alone. Desperately needs updating though. Branded signage, places to leave comments, more outdoor seating. read more

My son and I had a great visit here! First, we loved the beautiful gardens. I loved seeing inside the castle where they filmed Downton Abbey. My son loved the Egypt exhibit. The tearoom/restaurant is amazing also! read more

Over priced and false advertising. The brochure and info sheet stated that for our over priced tour of 85 pounds, we would get to tour the castle and have a sit down with Lady Carnarvon and a staff member from Downton Abby. Neither of those folks appeared; instead we had a 45 minute talk from some author trying to sell her book. Box lunch was adequate but nothing special packaged sandwich from M&S, a cupcake and a bag of crisps. All in all an over priced and highly disappointing trip. Save your money. read more

Had a wonderful visit last weekend. Took the train from London to Newbury, and then a $20 taxi ride to Highclere, which was a 6 mile drive. It takes an hour or less to walk through the open portion of the castle. 10 bedrooms, the library, the sitting room, smoking room, dining room, etc, are open. Each has a staff member inside to answer questions & tell stories. You cannot take pictures inside, but they allow you to spend the whole day outside in the extensive gardens. We brought a bottle of wine and sandwiches and had a picnic outside. If you CANNOT get tickets, you can still drive to the castle when it's open, park in the lot, and take pictures. I'd also recommend spending part of the day in Newbury. Cobblestone streets and pubs - lots of places to choose from. read more

I had a wonderful visit here in August 2012. I went via BritMovieTours out of London, which was wonderful as we also made a stop in Bampton, the village that stands in for Downton in the Downton Abbey series. But it's easy to get to Highclere by train from London or Oxford - just take a taxi from Newbury station. Though a big fan of the series, I was pleased that they are not really exploiting the Downton Abbey connection - there are some signs noting that this room was so-and-so's bedroom etc. in the series, and some photos here and there (Before it was Downton it was Totleigh Towers in the 'Jeeves & Wooster' series with Hugh Laurie & Stephen Fry, but you won't find that out here either). You can tour on your own or go round with a guide. I had an information sheet from BritMovie so went around on my own. I understood someone to say the guides do not have information about DA filming, eirther. But, you're basically on the filmset; with a few exceptions, the furniture and décor etc that you see in the series is really part of Highclere: the red velvet sofas, the green silk wall-covering in the drawing room, the Van Dyck portrait of King Charles I in the dining room, that great hall....! No photos of the interior are permitted. Also note while there is a nice gift shop, they do not carry any items (at least as of my visit), to do with the filming of DA. (but if you go to Bampton they sell a nice locally-produced booklet for 5 pounds at the village Library - which is the cottage Hospital in the series). The former servant's quarters below stairs are far more intact that I expected, and though not officially part of the tour, were very interesting. I especially liked the copper jelly moulds with the Carnarvon crest on them in the room that now serves as one of the tea rooms. They have very nice teas - hot dishes made fresh, or packaged sandwiches, and tea itself is served in a little individual tea pot - very cute (and prices are reasonable). There is another tea-serving area in a converted carriage house, and also a tent on the lawn, with some outdoor tables about. You can roam about the gardens as well, which are lovely. It's thrilling to see another intact Capability Brown landscape (...every tree is just right where it ought to be). There are not that many rooms in the castle available to tour, so you can see everything in a short amount of time. My friends came by train from Oxford, and asked the taxi to pick them up in 2 hours, but found they were ready to go after about 1 hour. The ladies on duty kindly phoned the taxi for them and he came right away, as he was already returning to the castle with another pair of tourists. I really enjoyed being there, and didn't want to leave. read more

See all

A fine stately home that is famous for its role in the TV series Downton Abbey. There are associations with the discovery of the treasures of ancient Egypt in the 1920s and an exhibition about that. But most people want to see where Downton Abbey was made and you do get to see a lot of the familiar rooms. Also has tea rooms which were fine. read more

See all

If you're a fan of Downton Abbey or a history buff, this is the place for you! The gardens were expansive, the house was gorgeous inside and out and the food in the cafes/tea shops was amazing. I'll definitely come back next time I'm in England. read more

Visited in October 2016 for a half day. Well worth it on a beautiful day. It is quite easy to get to via National Rail from Paddington Station in London then a cab to the estate. The grounds are beautiful and the castle is well maintained. I am told they get as many as 1500 visitors a day in the summer. There is a small gift shop and cafe on the estate which is probably overrun in the summer. You can make reservations for tea and do spend some time in the beautiful gardens. At certain times of the year there is public access to walking paths through the estate. I would also consider a picnic on the grounds on a nice day. While no one lives in the main house, it is used for special events and is part of the tour if you have tickets. I am told that if you arrive early or late without a prebooked ticket, you can sometimes purchase one. If you are in the area, it might be worth it in the summer. Note that the website has the most up to date info about open days, hours, transportation, etc. read more

See all

Downton Abbey alive in front of you. The real Lady Carnavon welcomed the group and we toured the rooms we see on TV. Great sunny October day made a fabulous day out from London and a fun tour of this working estate. I soaked in all the ambience for all you fans at home. read more

Highclere Castle is only open to the public a few times a year, so getting a spot into the castle and afternoon tea is pretty difficult. (The house and grounds are fantastic, especially in good weather.) The afternoon tea isn't actually served within Highclere Castle, it's in one of the coach houses near the back of the building (on the second floor). Within the room, there are a number of photos from the filming of the show. Decently priced, especially if you book with access to the castle, the food was fresh and tasty. If you're planning on going to the Cotswolds and are able to go when the castle is open, this was a nice casual tea to go to. read more

I really enjoyed my trip to Highclere Castle. I tried to book tickets online for my visit 8 months prior to my visit but they were already sold out. I then tried to find a tour and they too were also sold out. I contacted the castle and asked them about the walk-up tickets available and was told they released tickets at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm. I arrived at the castle at 11:30 am to line-up for tickets in the afternoon so I could see the castle. I was a bit hesitant about my chances; however, much to my surprise, they let me buy a ticket when I arrived and walked in. The castle is crowded and sometimes the line to see the rooms is slow moving; however, it was well worth the slow pace. The castle is actually a lot smaller than it appears on TV, but grand indeed. I spent an couple of hours wandering the ground and the castle and the grounds. Total cost was about £70 pounds which included a train from London which is about the same cost as the tours I was looking at. £22 for train fare, £40 for taxi from the station (pre-book your return from the castle with your cabbie as there are no cabs waiting around), and £10 for entry. I was so concerned about not getting a walk-up ticket as the castle was only open for a couple of more days for the season but I had no problems whatsoever. Staff was wonderful and answered all my questions, so I highly recommend this attraction especially if you are a fan of Downtown Abbey. Please note that no photographs are also allowed in the castle but I got lots of great exterior shots. read more

This is the castle that's depicted in the popular Masterpiece Theatre series "Downton Abbey". The castle is lovely, from the gardens to the castle (you can see the rooms that are shown to be those of Lady Edith's and Lady Sybil's) to the Egyptology display, which was better than we'd anticipated. We are huge fans of the show, but I think one can definitely enjoy an outing here regardless of fan status. The fifth earl of Carnarvon was a patron of Howard Carter's (the man who discovered King Tutankhamen's tomb) and Howard Carter wouldn't have been able to undertake the discovery without Lord Carnarvon's financial support. We had lunch on the grounds in a white tent-very lovely. They had both hot dinners (chicken tarragon, potatoes, veggies, salad and cold sandwiches (egg and cress, cheddar Ploughman with pickles, ham and cheese) tea, scones etc. A great trip and easy to get to from London. They provide directions on their website. Try telephoning the castle if you're a huge Downton Abbey fan-it's priceless when they answer! read more