Highclere Castle — Downton Abbey Tour from London

Highclere Castle in Hampshire (RG20 9RN) is the ancestral home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon and the principal filming location for the ITV series Downton Abbey — both the original series (2010–2015) and the feature films (2019, 2022). The imposing Victorian mansion, designed by Sir Charles Barry (who also designed the Houses of Parliament), sits within 1,000 acres of Capability Brown-designed parkland approximately 65 miles west of London, 5 miles south of Newbury.

Highclere Castle has no direct public transport connection. The nearest train station is Newbury (approximately 5 miles away on the A343), from which visitors must take a taxi or arrange collection. There is no regular bus service to the castle. For the majority of visitors — particularly American fans of Downton Abbey who have travelled specifically to see this location — a private car from London is the only practical door-to-door option.

• The State Rooms
  The Drawing Room, the Library, the Smoking Room, and the Saloon — instantly recognisable as the Crawley family's reception rooms from the series.
• The Egyptian Exhibition
  The 5th Earl of Carnarvon co-funded Howard Carter's discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The castle basement houses the original Egyptian artefacts and exhibition.
• The Parkland and Gardens
  1,000 acres of Capability Brown parkland — the same landscape seen in the series exterior shots.

Bampton village in Oxfordshire (OX18 2JH) was used as the fictional village of Downton throughout the series — the village pub, the hospital (actually a private house), St Mary's Church, and the Downton village streets are all in Bampton. For dedicated Downton fans, combining Highclere Castle (morning) with Bampton village (afternoon) and returning to London creates an immersive full-day Downton Abbey experience. Bampton is 30 miles northeast of Highclere via the A338/A420.

Highclere Castle is open to the public on specific dates only — typically a limited number of weeks in spring (late April/May) and summer (late July/August/early September). The castle is privately owned and the opening calendar is published on highclerecastle.co.uk. Check dates before booking your transfer — we strongly recommend visiting the castle website and booking entry tickets before arranging transport. Entry tickets sell out quickly.

Central London to Highclere Castle takes approximately 80–90 minutes via the M4/A339 or the A34 from Oxford. From Heathrow, the journey is 60–70 minutes via the M4 — making Highclere an excellent first or last day destination for international visitors arriving at or departing from Heathrow.

All tour prices are provided as fixed all-inclusive quotes. Contact us with your starting location and preferred date.