Who owns the real Downton Abbey?

Today, Highclere is home to George Herbert and his wife Fiona, the 8th Earl and Countess of Carnarvon (Lord and Lady Carnarvon), owners of the 'real' Downton Abbey house.

How much is Highclere Castle worth?

mortgage experts say Highclere is valued at about 72 million British pounds, — or about $95 million dollars.

Does the Crawley family still own Downton Abbey?

The Crawleys are a wealthy aristocratic family who live in and hold rights to the Downton Abbey estate (which they have held since at least 1772, when the 1st Earl of Grantham was raised to the earldom). The subsidiary title of the Earl of Grantham is Viscount Downton.

Who currently lives at Downton Abbey?

The current (8th) Earl of Carnarvon lives in Highclere Castle with the Countess, his wife, during the winter months. They return to their cottage during the summer when the castle is open to the public and tours are going on.

Who will inherit Highclere Castle?

His eldest son Lord Porchester will inherit the Highclere estate after the Earl's death. His second wife Fiona Carnarvon is a former accountant with Coopers & Lybrand and is the eldest of six sisters.

The Story Of The Real Downtown Abbey | High Stakes At Highclere | Timeline

How much does Downton Abbey pay to use Highclere Castle?

In 2013, the New York Times wrote that it costs $1.5 million a year to run Highclere Castle. The Countess has done everything she can to make sure the estate continues to rake in that amount. With the help of Downton, they're on a steady course for being financially stable for years to come.

Does Highclere Castle still have servants?

The jobs of many of the 1920s staff at Highclere castle, which serves as Downton Abbey in the show and film, still exist today, albeit in more modern forms.

Is there a real Downton Abbey castle?

Highclere Castle, stately home in Hampshire, England, owned by the earls of Carnarvon. The castle has more than 200 rooms and stands on a tract of about 1,060 acres (430 hectares). It gained fame as the setting for the television series Downton Abbey (2010–15).

Is the Crawley family real?

Are the Crawleys of Downton Abbey a real family? The fictional Crawleys are based on the Earls and Countesses of Carnarvon, who still reside at Highclere Castle, where the series is filmed (though the fictional Downton Abbey is in Yorkshire, rather than Hampshire, where Highclere is).

Does Lord Grantham have an illegitimate child?

Cora decides who's inheriting – and it's not Lady Mary's son

She knows that Thomas is the illegitimate son of O'Brien and Lord Grantham – and the rightful heir to the house. She knows it will kill her husband to see an illegitimate child inherit Downton Abbey and she has waited a long time for this moment.

How rich are the Crawleys?

The Crawley family is excessively rich, with Forbes including the patriarch Robert Crawley's net worth at $1.1 billion on its “Fictional 15” list. The huge popularity of the show has also brought the cast members wealth and success.

Where did Cora Crawley get her money?

Cora belonged to a wealthy American family and she had her inheritance signed away as a dowry when she married Robert. Cora's fortune got tied to the Grantham estate and entailed away from the Crawley daughters, who could not inherit the money or the estate, being women.

Does anyone live at Highclere Castle?

In reality, it's home to just one family: the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon whose family has been living here since 1679.

How much does it cost to get married at Highclere?

Weddings at Highclere begin at $25,000; the library seats 100 people for dinner, and afternoon tea can be served for 150.

How many bedrooms does Highclere Castle have?

Highclere Castle sits on an estate that totals 6,000 acres. The castle covers 30,000 square feet and has a total of 300 rooms, with approximately 61 of these being bedrooms on the upper floors.

Can you visit the real Downton Abbey?

We are delighted to now be able to welcome visitors inside the castle for a variety of tours, the details of which can be found on the events page.

Who lives at Highclere Park?

The Highclere Castle we see today has been the home for the Carnarvon family since 1842. The changing of times from the Industrial Revolution's 19th century to the war-embattled early 20th century has largely diminished the noble family's wealth.

How much does it cost to stay at Downton Abbey?

The cost of a night's stay at Highclere Castle is $186.36. The reservation is first come, first served.

How much did a footman get paid?

His salary was around 30 pounds ($3,200) a year. Many footman's salaries were based one how tall they were rather than how well they did their work. The taller and more impressive they were the more they received.

Did Downton Abbey have toilets?

So the lavatories of even the really grand country houses were as nasty and as uncomfortable as was humanly possibly. Non-absorbant toilet tissue was available, but you were just as likely to get torn up bits of newspaper. Yes, even for the bottom of the Dowager Duchess of Grantham.

Is there a real Lord Grantham?

Earl of Grantham is a fictional title in the peerage of Great Britain. As of 1920, the current holder of the title is Robert Crawley. The Earl is addressed as "Lord Grantham" and the Countess as "Lady Grantham". The seat of the Earls of Grantham is Downton Abbey in Downton, Yorkshire.

Who is the current Lady Carnarvon?

A former auditor for Coopers & Lybrand, Lady Fiona Carnarvon is the wife of George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon. Today, she manages affairs at Highclere Castle, the grand country house that worldwide television audiences recognize as Downton Abbey.

How true is Downton Abbey?

The show is as historically accurate as possible.

While the Crawley family featured in the show is, in fact, fictional, Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton, has told ABC News that it was “very important” to him that the series be as historically accurate as possible.

How does Downton get its money back?

In season 3, when Robert had bankrupted the estate, Matthew had inherited the vast fortune of Reggie Swire, and offered to give it to Robert (it had taken Matthew a while to accept the money) to save Downton.