Ready to visit the Crawley family’s grand estate, elegant London, and stroll through the stately English countryside like a true Crawley?
The filming locations of the acclaimed series and its films: ‘Downton Abbey‘, ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era‘, and ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale‘ couldn’t be more irresistible: from majestic country houses in the English countryside to Scottish castles and charming villages in Oxfordshire, Yorkshire, and the very heart of London!
If you’ve ever dreamed of soaking up that classic “British charm”, imagining royal visits, elegant balls, strolls through the countryside… walking through the Crawley family home, stepping aboard a vintage train at the real Downton station, and enjoying a proper afternoon tea at one of the series’ favorite spots, this trip will sweep you off your feet! Let’s begin!
Highclere Castle, Hampshire: The Crawley family home.
If you’re planning to explore ‘Downton Abbey‘ filming locations, there’s no better place to start than Highclere Castle the grand house itself.
It’s mid-19th-century castle, located in Berkshire about 60 miles from London.
The Highclere Castle is owned by the Earls of Carnarvon (the Herbert family), and it’s a stunning Victorian mansion in Elizabethan style, and it’s also famous for other screen appearances for example, as Wayne Manor in Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight‘ trilogy.
Highclere Castle is open to the public, and the best way to visit is to book your tickets in advance to avoid long lines. If you’re not already in the area, the easiest option is to take a day trip from London.
🔗 Tour of Highclere Castle and the village of ‘Downton Abbey’ (from London).
The Village of Bampton: Downton’s fictional village.
The charming streets of Bampton, with their historic stone houses, provided the perfect backdrop for the fictional village of Downton in Yorkshire.
Throughout the series, many scenes were filmed in this picturesque corner of Oxfordshire, where real landmarks like Churchgate House and St Mary the Virgin Church appear in multiple episodes.
This beautiful village, nestled in the Cotswolds, has remained almost unchanged since the early 20th century, the perfect setting!
Once again, if you’re in London and fancy a day trip to explore the real filming locations of ‘Downton Abbey‘ (from the charming village to the Crawley family’s grand estate), we recommend booking your excursion in advance.
Plus, since it’s a themed tour you’ll also get fun behind-the-scenes stories, filming anecdotes, and little-known facts about the production and its cast.
🔗 ‘Downton Abbey’ filming locations tour (from London).
Basildon Park, Berkshire: The Crawleys’ London residence.
Basildon Park was used as Grantham House, the Crawleys’ London home, in Season 5 of ‘Downton Abbey‘ and the 2013 Christmas special.
Set in the peaceful Berkshire countryside, you’ll love its grand period interiors.
Lacock, Wiltshire.
The stone buildings of Lacock provided the perfect setting for a 1920s livestock market in Season 6.
Several scenes from the ‘Downton Abbey‘ film were also shot here, making it one of the key filming spots for the series.
One of the most memorable moments from the first ‘Downton Abbey‘ movie was filmed on High Street. Remember the spectacular royal visit? Yes, the King’s inspection of the Yorkshire Hussars, Lord Grantham’s regiment, took place right here!
Horse-drawn carriages, troops, and dozens of extras filled these picturesque streets! Lacock has also served as a filming location for ‘Harry Potter‘ and the ‘Pride and Prejudice‘ series.
Plus, it’s just a short distance from Salisbury, Bath, and Stonehenge, all great places to visit and popular filming locations for shows like ‘Bridgerton‘.
West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire: Lady Rosamund’s state.
West Wycombe Park, a true gem in the Chilterns surrounded by 18 hectares of countryside, is the stunning location used to portray Lady Rosamund’s elegant residence.
In fact, many of the interior scenes set in Lady Rosamund’s fictional London home at 35 Belgrave Square were filmed inside the elegant rooms of West Wycombe Park.
Kingston Bagpuize House, Oxfordshire: Lord Merton’s home.
Lord Merton’s house, Cavenham Park, is actually the majestic Kingston Bagpuize House in Oxfordshire. This impressive mansion appears in several scenes with Violet Crawley and Penelope Wilton during seasons five and six, as well as in a Christmas special.
Bowood House & Gardens, Wiltshire: Mr. Carson’s cottage.
Mr. Carson’s cottage on the ‘Downton Abbey’ estate was actually filmed here, at Bowood House & Gardens in Wiltshire. Its magnificent parkland was designed by the legendary 18th-century landscape architect Capability Brown.
Lancaster House, London: The “real” Buckingham Palace.
The elegant alternative was Lancaster House, with its richly decorated state rooms.
This isn’t the first time Lancaster House has doubled as Buckingham Palace, it was also used in the award-winning series ‘The Crown‘. And, of course, when it comes to grandeur, it also served as the spectacular interior of Queen Charlotte’s residence in ‘Bridgerton‘.
The Ritz, London: The perfect afternoon tea.
Palm Court at The Ritz is an icon of London’s luxury hotel scene, the quintessential spot for a traditional afternoon tea. Did you know it appears in the very last episode of the series, when Edith reunites with her former fiancé, Bertie Pelham?
Rules Restaurant, London: A Crawley favorite.
For a truly classic British dining experience, you can visit London’s oldest restaurant. It was one of the Crawleys’ favorite spots, and Lady Edith dines there in seasons three and six.
If you’re in the city, step inside this legendary spot and treat yourself to its exquisite traditional cuisine.
Middle Temple Lane, London: York in ‘Downton Abbey‘.
Middle Temple Lane, right in the heart of London’s legal district, is steeped in history. It’s part of The Middle Temple, one of London’s historic “Inns of Court” with roots going back to the Knights Templar.
The cobbled street, gas lamps, narrow passageways, arches, and adjoining Temple Gardens make it the perfect setting to travel back in time!
It’s also one of London’s most picturesque corners, which explains why it’s appeared in several quintessentially “British” productions. You’ll spot it in ‘Sherlock Holmes‘ (2009), at the beginning of the film when the characters head to St Paul’s Cathedral.
It was also featured in ‘Mary Poppins Returns‘ (2018) during the musical sequence “Trip a Little Light Fantastic”, where the cast cycles through the street and out the archway.
And of course, ‘Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason‘ (2004) and ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby‘ (2016) filmed here too.
Middle Temple Hall hosted the trivia night scene with Bridget and her friends in the Law Society’s grand hall. The film shows the characters entering through the main entrance, walking through the lobby, and heading into the grand hall where the event takes place.
In ‘Bridget Jones’s Baby‘ (2016), Bridget and Mark Darcy stroll along the charming historic cobblestones of Middle Temple Lane after a court hearing.
Ripon Races, Yorkshire: The Royal Ascot scene.
The latest ‘Downton Abbey‘ film brought us breathtaking scenes from the famous Royal Ascot horse races. These sequences were actually filmed at Ripon Races in North Yorkshire, adding even more cinematic charm to the story.
