I couldn’t resist. Highclere Castle, familiar to most as Downton Abbey, is just a 30 minute drive down the road. And as a huge fan of the show, I felt like I’d surely be letting the universe down if I failed to get there for a visit.
It was back in February when I booked the tickets for our visit, the current owners of Highclere clearly making the most of their home’s recent fame. Highclere is a private residence and only open to the public in a limited fashion.
And it was worth the trip. The fact that Downton exists and that so many of us have become engrossed in its stories only serves to make Highclere come alive. As you walk through its corridors and peek in its bedrooms you can easily imagine the lives and dramas that unfolded within its walls.
As we drove around the winding roads leaving the estate, we passed two vintage cars of the Downton era as they headed in the other direction and back toward the castle. And instantly, my mind raced to those horrible events that took place in the last moments of Season 3. Cousin Matthew, look out!!! Oh, it’s just too much.
