Highclere Castle, "the real Downton Abbey", Berkshire

the day after visiting Jane Austen's house, we went to Highclere Castle; the "real Downton Abbey".  Fans of period dramas wouldn't have missed watching Downton Abbey which has finished its 4th season last year and the shooting of 5th season began in early 2014.

Highclere Castle is one of England's most beautiful Victorian Castles set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland. The Carnarvon family has lived at Highclere since 1679, and the current Castle stands on the site of an earlier house, which in turn was built on the foundations of the medieval palace owned by the Bishops of Winchester for some 800 years. These Gardens and woods can be explored only when Highclere Castle is open to the general public from April to September.

Highclere Castle lies to the west of London, not far from the M4 and Newbury. Oxford and Birmingham are to the north, Winchester and Southampton to the south. you can get there on trains and coaches from London to Newbury and take taxi to the castle.

 

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