Aerial photograph of Highclere Castle, the offical residence of the Earl of Carnarvon. This stately home, located 6 miles south of Newbury, was also the location for the beloved television show and movie Downton Abbey
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The theatrical sequel to the beloved TV series brings us back to the home of the Crawley family. Downton Abbey’s role, in the movie as well as in the six-season series, is performed by Highclere Castle, a country house in Hampshire, England. It is the country seat of the Earl of Carnarvon, who has struggled to keep the vast estate standing.
In 2009, the castle was in need of major repair, with only the ground and first floors remaining usable. Water damage caused stonework to crumble and ceilings to collapse; at least 50 rooms were uninhabitable. Repairs needed for the entire estate were estimated to cost around £12 million, £1.8 million of which was urgently needed just for the castle.
Today, Lord and Lady Carnarvon say that an increase in the number of paying visitors has allowed them to undertake major repairs on both Highclere’s turrets and its interior. The family attributes this increase in interest to the on-site filming of Downton Abbey.
On both sides of the Atlantic, the owners of big houses struggle to keep them standing. Paying visitors are only the beginning.
“Nothing we own is on the scale of Highclere Castle, but even with more modestly-scaled houses, you can’t budget for their upkeep with only admission fees,” says Peter Gittleman, Visitor Experience Team Leader at Historic New England. The venerable non-profit owns 37 house museums across five New England states and serves more than 198,000 visitors and program participants each year.
“You need to supplement admissions to bring in revenue,” Gittleman says. “Typically, that means rent it. A number of our sites are in great demand for weddings. At the Nickel-Sortwell House in Wiscassett, Maine, we have turned the back ell into an Air B&B. It was booked 27 days in August and is bringing in thousands of dollars we otherwise would not have.”
At other Historic New England properties, sources of revenue include concerts, crafts shows, farmers’ markets, yoga classes and outdoor movies.
The Trustees of Reservations, a Massachusetts nonprofit conservation organization, also owns a number of historic houses, the largest of which is Castle Hill on the Crane Estate, a 59-room Stuart-style mansion overlooking the sea in Ipswich, Massachusetts.
The Great House at Castle Hill is not as large as Highclere Castle, but a daunting maintenance challenge all the same.
Courtesy of The Trustees Archives & Research Center.
“We get revenue from visits, and are fortunate that the estate includes a very popular beach,” says Peter Pinciaro, Director of the Crane Estate. “Beach admission fees are an important part of our operating budget.”
The Crane Estate accommodates weddings at a number of indoor and outdoor sites. Revenue is also generated by guided hikes, a children’s summer camp and an annual Roaring Twenties Lawn Party, which has become a very hot ticket.
“We are also fortunate to have a ten-room luxury inn on the property,” Pinciaro says. “And, Castle Hill has become a desirable location for photo shoots. Recently, a fashion shoot with Downton Abby stars took place here.”
It is a fitting reminder of the glamour and the romance that we associate with castles and their inhabitants.