September 10 - Day 23

Awoke to early morning mist.  Slept in as long as possible.  Downton Abbey Day!  We have the cab booked to take us to Highclere Castle (the filming site) but not entirely sure of getting tickets.  This is the last possible day for admittance so either we are successful or it will be a bust.  We skip breakfast after such a big dinner.  Our cabbie is bang on time and he is local born and bred.  Our accents get things garbled but he is very friendly and helpful.  He has never been to Highclere and just recently found out his Mum watches Downton Abbey.  The program is such an American sensation, hard to believe the locals are clueless.  Newbury is a very nice area, low crime, small town atmosphere.  We arrive at the castle in clearing mist and there it is!  We walk right in and are the second in line to get tics and up the path we go. Besides the highly recognizable castle there are the also recognizable giant cedar trees.  We are early and no one is really about yet.  We walk to the tea shop and have our scone, clotted cream and strawberry jam and coffee, outside under the trees.  The castle opens and we are very early in the line to go inside.  No photography allowed.  The entry, the library, the salon and main hall, some of the bedrooms and dining room are very recognizable from the program.  The servants’ stairway and the serving area are used.  But the below stairs kitchen and staff dining room are completely contrived and shot at the Ealing studios in London.  Highlights of the castle:  embossed leather walls in the main salon, tapestries from an Italian castle and Napoleon’s desk and chair.  One book in the library dates to 1538.  Other highlights are the high windows and how they look out onto the smooth green hills and large trees.  (Reminds Pat of Ashland County)  The fifth Earl of Carnarvon is credited with the unearthing of the Tutankhamun tomb in Egypt.  There is an extensive exhibition of his joint finds with Carter.  We see a part of the authentic collection the rest is found in the Metro Museum in NYC.  The other half of the collection are copies of original. In earlier days, Lady Almina had to sell some of the originals to pay the taxes.  The grounds contain incredible old, large cedar trees.  One is featured in the program anytime the drive leading to the house is shown.  The property is 5000 acres under the Earl of Carnarvon.  He and his wife are a team who work to preserve the property; she has an economics background and contributes in the running.  The family does not live in the castle anymore but have a house elsewhere on the property.   They use it for family Christmas gatherings.  It is rented out for weddings.  Two riders on horses pass in front of us, this is still a family operation and the family is visible at any time.  As we sit in the courtyard three women pass by into the private area, one is Lady Carnarvon, very smartly dressed in white jeans and blouse.  We believe the other two are daughters.  The property is closed until Christmas, it used to be an open house to the public for Christmas but now requires tickets and very desirable and hard to get.  Not only are the house and grounds decorated but there are small kiosks set up inside the castle with crafts and food for sale.  We decide to explore the grounds.  We take various lawn paths through fields.  We find a folly on the hill (a small building usually looking like a Greek temple).  In Scotland, we arrived during the last hurrah of wild summer blooms and left with the plants fading into fall.  Same is happening here.  Just like Scotland we see trees starting to turn.  Pat finds elderberries and remembers pies her grandmother made with the tiny berries.  We happen on to the secret garden, attached to the walled garden.  This property is not one of vigorous trim and geometric shapes.  It’s mostly very natural looking including the flowers and bushes.  We happen onto another folly only this one is a more formal Greek structure called Jackdaws Castle.  Again, no function just a place to walk.  However, the view back to the castle from this place shows a full side of the castle.  From this viewpoint we can see the herds of earl’s sheep.  The original castle was a property owned by the church.  It was fairly plain.  But the architect Barrie, who designed the British parliament, wrapped the building in a stone façade and applied a roof line that is similar to Parliament building in the 1700’s.  We stop at the tea shop for lunch, veg tart, chicken and sauce, both with boiled potatoes and steamed veg.  Shortbread and walnut cake eaten at a table under the trees.  A stop at the gift shop.  Not too much with reference to Downton Abbey which must have copyrights.  Most everything is Highclere Castle.  Buy a few things.  Hearing lots of American voices.  Oxford is not far away and we assume many Americans stay there.  Have spent 6 plus pleasant hours here in full sun and refreshing breezes, call a cab. We even get our same cabbie picking us up to take us back!   Back to the Hilton (without a lift).  Stopped at a Tesco (aka Target).  They have Krispy Creams and other recognizable brands.  We buy some snack items and plan to eat lighter for dinner in our room.  There’s a Pizza Hut and a McDonald’s nearby if we get desperate. LOL.  Downstairs sells Speckled Hen Ale, rare in the US but very tasty.  We plan a lazy evening.  Must pack up again in the morning, cab to the station and take the train back to London tomorrow.  This diversion was worth it.  We had a sunny warm day, easy entry and the castle/grounds didn’t disappoint.  Overheard locals say, we have to enjoy this sun, it will be the last!  First evening without any commitments and watching British DIY and flea market find shows.  Looking forward to London for the next 5 nights, no packing, no cabs, no trains.  Walking and underground will be the way.  The blog is a pain to keep up, especially during the bus trip, but we’re glad we did it.  Not able to keep up the pictures but will be plugging them in at some point.   Nighty Night.