Where was Downton Abbey filmed?

Now world-famous thanks to its starring role as Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle has become one of England’s most visited destinations. Open to the public between July and September, be sure to book in advance to explore the Jacobean manor house with ornately-decorated rooms. For the ultimate Downton treat, book a stay in an on-site lodge and soak in the morning views of one of England’s most iconic houses.

Bampton’s quaint streets and period housing made it the perfect location to bring the fictional Yorkshire village of Downton to life. Scenes from across the series were filmed in the village, with real-life locations including Churchgate House and the parish church of St Mary the Virgin visible in various Downton episodes.

Although no actual Yorkshire villages feature as a filming location for Downton Abbey there are plenty that could fit the bill, including Ripon with its ancient cathedral and pretty shopping streets, and Helmsley famed for its artisan eateries and castle ruins.

Restored and preserved with a 1930s theme, Horsted Keynes Station was the ideal shooting location for the fictional Downton Station. Everything in Horsted Keynes has been designed to accurately reflect the period, from the advertising boards to the newspapers on display in the buffet area, making it one of the best spots in the country to step into the world of Downton Abbey.

Sitting high above the scenic town of Alnwick in Northumberland, Alnwick Castle became the fictional Brancaster Castle for two Downton Abbey Christmas specials. Take an ‘on location’ tour of the castle to see the State Rooms that were used for filming, before learning about the pivotal role Alnwick Castle plays in the Harry Potter film series.

Lacock Village’s stone buildings made it the perfect place to recreate a 1920s livestock market in Season six. Some scenes in the Downton Abbey movie were also filmed in Lacock, firmly cementing it as a key filming location for the series. Hidden away on the edge of the Cotswolds in Wiltshire, Lacock is a perfect place to stop and explore while adventuring through the south-west.

Also found in the Cotswolds, Cogges Manor Farm is better known as Yew Tree Farm to Downton fans. Featured in Season four and five of the show, Cogges Manor Farm has a display dedicated to Downton in its manor house, showing exactly how the site was transformed into Yew Tree Farm. It even features a unique piece of memorabilia – the birth certificate of Lady Edith’s illegitimate daughter Marigold.

Eagle-eyed Downton fans will immediately recognise the rich red walls of the Octagon Room in Basildon Park. Scenes from the season five finale were shot in the room, and promotional images featuring the main cast were also taken here. Explore the grand interiors of this stately home – the location of many glamourous parties – and take in the splendour of the restored 18th-century house followed by a bit of butterfly spotting in the surrounding gardens and parkland.

This unique open-air museum is a living recreation of the early 20th century, complete with costumed actors and authentic sights and sounds. This makes it a perfect setting for period dramas to film in, including Downton Abbey; Beamish was used for scenes in the upcoming film release.

Located in South Yorkshire, Wentworth Woodhouse is famous for having the longest façade of any stately home in the UK. However, it’s not its exterior that stars in the Downton Abbey film, but its ballroom, which was used as the setting for the ball during the royal visit. Built in the 18th century for the 1st Marquess of Rockingham, the manor has since been used as a military intelligence base in WWII and a polytechnic college. Nowadays, Wentworth Woodhouse is open for specialist house and garden tours full of fascinating facts, historical detail and anecdotes about the people who lived and worked there over the centuries.  

Season three of Downton Abbey sees John Bates locked up in York Prison for murder, but on closer inspection, the site of the cell turns out to be Lincoln Castle. Built by William the Conqueror in 1068, the Castle is the oldest of all the locations featured in the show. As well as exploring the towers and dungeons along Lincoln Castle’s Medieval wall walk, and stepping foot inside the imposing Victorian Prison, you can catch a glimpse of the legendary Magna Carta, which dates all the way back to 1215.