The glorious gardens of ‘the real Downton Abbey’
Join us for a sneak peek into the grounds of one of the most famous homes in the country…
‘Highclere sits in 1,000 acres of Capability Brown parkland’
Home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, Highclere Castle hit the limelight more than 10 years ago as the location for TV show Downton Abbey. Now, after several series of the show and two films, Highclere’s current owner, Lady Carnarvon, explains in her new book the history behind the gorgeous gardens and what goes on there at this time of year…
‘There are some unique realities that come with living in a great 1,300-year-old landed estate like Highclere, a place with rich history spanning from its Anglo-saxon origins through 800 years as a medieval bishops’ palace and then into the great Victorian and Edwardian gardens of the “real Downton Abbey”,’ says the Countess.
‘Highclere sits within 1,000 acres of Capability Brown parkland and we look after farmland, downland and woodland comprising another 4,500 acres beyond that. One of the great treasures is the 18th-century English gardens, which have gone through as much transformation over the years as the castle itself.
‘Hidden behind shrubs and trees, and cloistered behind medieval walls, you’ll find several walled gardens. The Healing Herb Garden is on a south-facing slope to the south-east of the castle. This garden originates from the castle’s medieval period and would have been used to grow crops and herbs for eating and healing. Walking through the old walled garden today, you can see ancient foundations, the shadows of unused doors, coping stones that just extend out above the figs, crab apples and vines trained up the faded brick walls. Beds of lavender grow in abundance, while mulberry trees and a quince stand amid green grass. We’ve planted roses for scent and beauty, but also because they encourage us to smile and be happy.
‘Walk down the hill from the castle in the direction of Highclere village for about half a mile, through the wildflower meadow, and you’ll pass traditional cottages and the New Walled Garden. For much of my time at Highclere, it’s been overgrown and abandoned yet magical, sloping south-west with the
promise of adventure. It would have once been Highclere’s “supermarket”, providing produce for the house, owners and staff, until the end of the Second World War. Highclere was a proud participant in the Dig for Victory campaign and was also used as a hospital for injured officers, between which other gardens were grassed over for a time.
‘Walking along the eastern side of the castle, past the avenue of lime trees planted more than two centuries ago, you will find the Secret Garden tucked away by the slope of the land. Commissioned in 1962, it’s the work of renowned plantsman and garden designer James Russell, and features cherry blossom trees, kindly gifted to us by the Embassy of Japan in London. One of the ironies of Highclere is that the 1993 film The Secret Garden was shot here in our Secret Garden and starred Dame Maggie Smith who, years later, filmed here again, when it doubled as the Dower house garden in Downton.’