The extensive WWI commemoration now underway in the UK isn’t limited to London attractions. It’s spreading out into the countryside, going so far as to touch Highclere Castle – or, as TV fans know it, Downton Abbey.
Highclere as stood in for the famous fictional house throughout the TV series’ run, becoming a massively successful tourist attraction for travelers and Downton Abbey fans. The 5,000 acre estate is on the WWI anniversary radar because it served as a hospital for wounded soldier during World War I (as many large country houses did).
Related: Imperial War Museum Honors WWI
Standing on its Hampshire land since the 1600s, the house and its grounds are still home to the Earl and Duchess Countess of Carnarvon. Its ongoing improvements and upkeep are largely paid for by visiting tourists. Lady Carnarvon remains heavily involved in the estate’s upkeep and in the community overall.
To honor Highclere’s history as a WWI medical facility, the estate will host Heroes at Highclere on Aug. 3, saluting the soldiers of World War One alongside the troops of today’s conflicts. The event will include a main stage for live music, food and drink, regional shopping, a celebrity soccer match, WWI vintage aircraft and special exhibits focusing on Great Britain’s heroes.
For Downton Abbey fans — or lovers of classic English country architecture, there’s a brief gallery of original Highclere Castle images below:
