Highclere Castle - Newbury

Rose B.

I want to thank the owners of this place for letting the public in. You pay for the tickets which are not cheap. But the grounds are beyond wonderful. It's so quiet, and you can really get lost in aww here. There are no pictures once u go in but if your a fan of the show you kinda feel like am I really here?. I'm from ca and if it wasn't such a long flight I'd so go back way more.cheers

Ross P.

“Don’t touch this” Castle - that’s a proper name.

I have visited some National Trust castles, as well as other famous places, like Blenheim Palace or Henry VIII castle and I feel that Highclere castle is mostly overrated even for the Downtown Abbey fans. Almost every piece of the castle is signed “Do not touch” or “Do not take a picture” and you are always reminded that this place is not a museum, but a place for people living there. And I am not against it, there is just not much to see and experience. Even the history of the castle is barely covered. The main pieces of the castle tour are the printed out pictures of scenes from Downtown Abbey series. Expect to finish the tour like in 30-45 minutes. It would be better to watch an episode from the series to get a closer look of the interior, because there will be no signs DO NOT TOUCH IT and no no-cross-lines

The gardens are also kind of boring, unless you are a pure fan of grass. There is some grass, yeah.

There are maybe 2-3 places, like rose garden and garden with shaped bushes that are gorgeous in certain seasons, but mostly the Gardens is just freshly cut grass.

Summing up, I more enjoyed a car trip with my family to this place, than the castle and gardens

César C.

Absolutely beautiful and well preserved castle, either if you're a Downton Abbey fan or an English history enthusiast. The Egyptian exhibition is a must-see and strolling around the gardens is a quiet and introspective experience.

Christoph D.

Beautiful castle famous for being the filmset of Downton Abbey. I recommend to take a tour through the castle and also to explore the beautiful gardens around it by foot. The cedar trees surrounding the caste are amazing and also the herb garden is worth a visit.

Graham

We have just been to a Christmas evening here. OMG it's absolutely stunning at every angle in every every light. We arrived at 1635 hours and just minutes before it was pitch black to capture angles before the floodlights went on. Santa 🎅 came round to meet us all which was nice. We walked around the back to visit the gift shop before walking back before the big famous doors open. Everyone dressed so smart and dressed up which was lovely to see. Doors opened and was greeted by firstly our coats hanged up the champagne and canapés flowed. We then met the lord & lady carnarvon who did a small introduction. We then toured the rooms on all levels constantly been pampered by staff and beautiful food. The atmosphere was incredible and very festive. We also visited the Egyptian collection then back to the hall and stairs for Christmas carols which lady carnarvon joined in. May we say how incredible the staff were and gracious the lord & lady was. Thankyou from our hearts. At the end we collected our signed books and just left with joy and smiles. INCREDIBLE.

Joseph K.

Incredibly beautiful castle, home, and grounds - ! Aside from a very serious wasp problem during the tea, it was a wonderful experience. You need to see it to really believe it. Incredible. We even met the countess who was so very kind.

M H.

I've been a fan of the show from the beginning. We visited the site and am so pleased that we came and spent the afternoon from 2.30 pm onwards.

We purchased tickets for the house, garden, and Egyptian displays. You are not allowed to take pictures internally. From the silk and tapestry wallpapers, the furniture and the different rooms. History is definitely embedded throughout this home.

Jessica J.

Experienced mixed feelings about visiting Highclere Castle. Visiting from Australia, we’ve been wanting to come here for ages, due to the fact of being Downton fans! We booked in advance online, £28 pp. We got the early tour, 10am.

Walking up we were feeling very excited, you see the iconic house which is a highlight itself and it’s nice taking a photo to say you’ve been there.
However, when we got in, the lady told us strictly NO PHOTOS of inside the house, and even mentioned that phones would be better put away in your bag, (I guess so you aren’t tempted to take a cheeky photo) and you are constantly being told that throughout the house, with signs EVERYWHERE!
I was very disappointed about this as I had not previously read about it or checked the other reviews.
Some of the rooms looked tired and in need of some love. The gardens are ok. We loved the gift shop, but surprised that there weren’t any Downton Abbey themed gifts?

Maybe I just had really high expectations and that’s why I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped but at least I can say I’ve been.