Highclere Castle

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Highclere Castle Home of the 8th Earl & Countess of Carnarvon and the film location of Downton Abbey Highclere Castle has been home to the Carnarvon family since 1679.

Built on an ancient site, the original house was recorded in the Domesday Book. The present day Castle was designed in 1842 by Sir Charles Barry, the architect also responsible for building the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The Castle’s history also includes a fascinating connection with ancient Egypt, as the 5th Earl, with Howard Carter, discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings in 1922. The Castle houses an exhibition that commemorates this historic event, including some rare antiquities from the 5th Earl's earlier Egyptian excavations. We welcome many visitors each year to view the Castle, the Egyptian Exhibition and the surrounding Grounds and Gardens. This unique setting is also available for private events, corporate events and film locations. We are open on set dates throughout the year. Please see our website for our opening times and prices - https://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/public-opening-times-and-prices .

24/10/2026

This is your reminder to turn your clocks back this evening 🕰️ The easy way to remember , is to fall 🍂 back and spring 🌷forward , so it is your chance, and that if the puppies, to kip for a little longer 🐾💤✨

22/10/2026

Last week, Dame Judi Dench joined us for lunch 🍽️ and we simply had such a fun time💕. I had first met her many years ago, when I worked for her agent Julian Belfrage - one of my father’s best friends🫶🏼

We were swapping stories from the past and just howling with laughter, plus a few Maggie Smith stories as well- of course ! 💜

Her autobiography is now on sale , ‘Is it too Late to Make a Run for it?’ 📚 and one you will just so enjoy reading 💕. Judi is so down to earth and entirely inspiring ✨.

20/10/2026

Today it is my darling Fiona’s birthday 🏰🎈, so I have taken over the Castle Instagram.

Sharing wonderful memories together from around the Castle and gardens, where every day is a special moment.

We all share the beauty and joy at Highclere, with nature and our friends from the world of animals, trees and flowers 🌸

Fiona does a marvellous job sharing the Castle with our lovely community, on what she would call, ‘Instagrammy’ and Facebook . I am sure you will all join me in saying or even singing happy birthday !

17/10/2026

Tradtionally breakfast is thought to be the most important meal of the day 🫶🏼and the clue is in the name! We are breaking our overnight fast. Whilst sometimes skipped in busy lives, eating breakfast, the research has concluded, is essential for keeping our body clock running on time 🕰️.

As usaul we can rely Winnie the Pooh 🍯:

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last 💕, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh 💛.
“What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting to-day?” said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
“It’s the same thing,” he said. 🥰

~A. A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh, 1926

16/10/2026

Sometimes a Friday evening at the Castle involves important decision making and much laughter ! 🤣✨

Luis very kindly made us 3 martini cocktails from which to choose 🤔, one was made using , one was martini was with and the third is the famous Vesper Martini 🍸. This was popularised by Ian Fleming in his James Bond novel Casino Royale 🕵️‍♀️

It is very special with both gin and vodka (entirely delicious) . Which would you have chosen? 🧐

Please do drink responsibility once you are more than 18 years old! ✨

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered our 2026 Book Readers and Writing Awards 📖🖊️ .This summer,...
16/10/2026

We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered our 2026 Book Readers and Writing Awards 📖🖊️ .

This summer, we invited readers and writers to review a book in one of our five chosen categories: travel, biography, history, novel and children’s books, submitting a review of between 750 and 1,000 words ✨ .

The winner of each category received £500, with the five runners awarded £100. We were delighted to receive more than 350 entries!! 🥰 It was extremely difficult to choose.

We are thrilled to announce this year’s winners and celebrate their talent, thoughtfulness and passion for reading reflected in the entries 🫶 .

The winners, who were able to join us in person, and were presented with their prizes at the Highclere Castle Literary Festival🏰 .

Congratulations to our winners and runners-up, and thank you once again to everyone who took part!

Thank you Viking for sponsoring the Book Readers’ Awards for the third year running ❤️ .

15/10/2026

Statesmen, Royalty, couples, those in love, whether upstairs or downstairs, have all walked through Highclere’s rooms and corridors 🫶🏼🏰.

There are so many wonderfully romantic moments in , from Matthew and Mary’s first kiss, 💋 to Sybil and Branson who defied every social boundary 🫶🏼, and Edith of course who was finally happily married 💍.

There were many moments of hands held just a little longer, stolen glances and words left unspoken - some love stories remind us that our hearts will write their own rules 🖋️❤️.

Comment ‘romance’ to find out more about valentines at Highclere 🌹. Join centuries of romantic tradition for a Valentine’s Tea at the Real Downton Abbey 🥰

I grew up with Winnie the Pooh 🍯. Listening to my father read his stories 📖, and so enjoying the short poems or playing ...
14/10/2026

I grew up with Winnie the Pooh 🍯. Listening to my father read his stories 📖, and so enjoying the short poems or playing Pooh sticks with my sisters from every available bridge on any walk 🥰. We hoped to find a Winnie the Pooh tree🌳and who does not want to explore 100 acre wood? 💚

There are so many wonderful characters, from Christopher Robin, Tigger 🧡, Piglet 💕, Owl🦉 … and even Heffalumps and Woozles! All of their names have now passed into our everyday language 🫶🏼.

His quotes are used all over the world, and that is because he has such wisdom 💛.

On 14th October 1926, a century ago, A.A. Milne published the first book of Winnie the Pooh 🐻. A honey loving bear, with marvellous friends, who we all very much adore . Thank you Winnie the Pooh 🥹

Much of our everyday life here is shaped by the changing seasons 🏰💕. The landscape at Highclere is the result of the ins...
13/10/2026

Much of our everyday life here is shaped by the changing seasons 🏰💕.

The landscape at Highclere is the result of the inspiration of successive generations who have lived here. It has been formed by personality and vision observing and celebrating the art of ‘Garden Making’ in England.

At heart the success is due to walking the land and living in and through the seasons. From the glorious promising gardens in springtime to the abundance of summer, the golden glow of autumn 🍂 and the quiet beauty of winter ❄️.

The changing colours, light, scents and scenery of the surrounding landscape makes each season entirely different and beautiful 🫶🏼. Each day is then the best day.

thnx Paul Mac 📸

Address

Highclere Park
Newbury
RG209RN

Telephone

01635 253 210

Website

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