Downton Abbey & Highclere Castle - Small Group Tour from London
Our Downton Abbey and Highclere Castle small group tour departing from Central London takes you to the real-life locations used in the filming of the TV series and movie.
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Spend the morning visiting Cogges Farm and Bampton, two important locations that featured extensively in Downton Abbey. We also make brief stops at Portall Hall and Shilton village, the locations used for several scenes in the series.
Your passionate guide will point out key scenes filmed at these sites and share many stories from the making of Downton Abbey.
In the afternoon, soak up the elegance and grandeur of Highclere Castle. This is the real-life Downton Abbey, where you’ll be able to view the magnificent state rooms and beautiful gardens that make up the estate.
Enjoy 3 hours at Highclere Castle. Plenty of time to explore the house and gardens. Enjoy lunch in the café or tea room (lunch is not included). There is also a unique gift shop and a farmhouse shop.
Our Highclere Castle and Downton Abbey tour is led by an experienced tour guide and is available from London on selected dates throughout the year.
This small group tour with a maximum of 16 passengers offers a more personal experience. Travel is in a panoramic, air-conditioned executive mini-coach.
Please note that this tour is extremely popular, so it is recommended that you book early.
If you cannot find tickets available on your travel date, please have a look at our other Highclere Castle tours.
Downton Abbey & Highclere Castle Highlights:
Cogges Farm
Cogges Farm
Our first stop is Cogges Farm, better known as Yew Tree Farm, where the Grantham family lives. This period farm was one of the most authentic locations used in the making of Downton Abbey. Nothing much has changed here over the years, and it really feels like stepping back into a farm from the 19th Century. You’ll visit the manor house kitchen and farm buildings that featured in the storyline. We will also walk through the orchard and see the farm animals.
Enjoy exclusive private access to Cogges Farm, which opens early for us, before they open to the public.
Following your guided tour, you will have some free time to explore as well as watch a short movie where the Downton Abbey producers talk about their time filming at Cogges. There is time for a coffee break here.
Drive through the English Countryside
From Cogges Farm we continue our Downton Abbey tour with a drive into the heart of the English Countryside. This region is known as the Cotswolds, a protected landscape and area of outstanding natural beauty. Our small executive vehicles are perfect for driving along the narrow and twisty country lanes, taking you to places that larger coaches cannot reach.
Bampton
Bampton Church
Our next stop is Bampton, better known as Downton Village. Enjoy a guided walking tour of Bampton with your guide taking you to the key filming sites. Highlights include the church, graveyard, village green, Mrs Crawley’s house, the cottage hospital and the post office. You will then have some free time to explore this unspoiled and picturesque English village. There is a charming little tea shop where you can have a cup of tea, or enjoy some scones or homemade cupcakes. There is an antique shop and a village library, and you can enter the small church.
You can read more here:
Downton Abbey filming locations you can visit
The three villages of Shilton, Burghclere and Swinbrook
We make two brief stops in idyllic Cotswolds villages. At Burghclere village to see Portal Hall. used in various scenes, including the wedding reception of Mr. Carson and Mrs. Hughes. We also stop at the village of Shilton, which has been used in many countryside scenes. Also, we pass through the village of Swinbrook, where Lady Sybil and Tom Branson spent the night on their aborted elopement.
Highclere Castle
The Grand Entrance
The afternoon is spent at Highclere Castle, the highlight of our Downton Abbey tour. The castle is home to George Reginald Oliver Molyneux Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon and the Lady Carnarvon. We’ll spend the afternoon exploring the Castle and magnificent gardens.
As you make your way through the stunning state rooms at Highclere, you will see that it is still very much a private home as you view antiques and collectibles from all the many generations of the family as well as family mementos. You will recognise many of these from the Downton Abbey series. Highclere’s many staterooms include the Saloon, Library, Dining, Music, Drawing, and Smoking rooms. Taking the Red staircase upstairs, you can see some of Highclere’s elegant bedrooms as well as the Gallery before descending the Oak staircase back to the Saloon in the heart of the house. You can also visit the Parlour where the Crawleys take tea.
In each room, there is a knowledgeable guide who will be happy to answer any questions you may have about Highclere and the Downton Abbey Series.
Step outside to enjoy the spectacular castle grounds created by one of England’s leading garden designers. Finish the visit with tea and cake in the tea room and visit the Castle gift shop with its unique Highclere momentos.
The stunning gardens at Highclere Castle
This is our most comprehensive Downton Abbey tour from London, including visits to Cogges Farm and Portal Hall in addition to Bampton and Highclere Castle.
If you prefer a shorter day focusing on the main filming locations, you can view our smaller group tour visiting Bampton and Highclere here:
Departure locations & Itinerary:
This small group tour offers pick-up from three convenient locations in central London.
- 7.15 am: Outside the British Museum main entrance on Great Russell Street
The nearest tube stations are Holborn on the Central and Piccadilly lines or Tottenham Court Road on the Central, Elizabeth, and Northern lines. Both are a 7-minute walk. - 7.30 am: Outside the Cumberland Hotel main entrance, 19 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch. Conveniently located by Marble Arch tube station on the Central line.
- 7.45 am: Outside Gloucester Road Tube station. Meet at the station exit opposite Burger King. Gloucester Road Tube station is located on the District, Circle & Piccadilly lines.
- 9.30 am: Visit Cogges Farm, the location of Yew Tree Farm in the Downton Abbey Series
- 10.45 am: Pass Shilton and Swinbrook, two delightful villages that feature in the show
- 11.45 am: Head to Bampton, the location of Downton Village in the TV series
- 12.15 pm: Drive through the English countryside to Highclere Castle
- 1.15 pm Arrive at Highclere Castle, the real-life Downton Abbey
- 4.15 pm Depart Highclere Castle
- 6.30 pm: Arrive back in central London at Victoria Underground Station. This is conveniently located on the Victoria, District and Circle lines.
More info:
- The tour includes entrance fees, transportation and a tour guide
- This is a small group tour with a maximum of 16 people.
- Travel is in a panoramic, air-conditioned executive mini-coach.
- The tour does not include any food or drink
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There is a restaurant at Highclere where most customers have lunch
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There is also a cafe serving drinks and cakes at Cogges Farm and shops in Bampton. There are plenty of opportunities on the tour for food and drink
- Fully refundable up to 14 days before travel
- You can view the booking conditions during the booking process prior to confirmation of any booking
If this tour is unavailable on your preferred date, you can compare other options here:
Highclere Castle & Downton Abbey tours from London