EXCLUSIVE: Specific’s deputy showbiz editor Jess Phillips headed to the real-life Cotswolds village the place the ITV interval drama filmed.
I visited the real-life Downton Abbey village (Picture: Jess Phillips) This text comprises affiliate hyperlinks, we’ll obtain a fee on any gross sales we generate from it. Be taught extra
Whereas Highclere Fortress could be the real-life filming location you first consider relating to Downton Abbey, the village of Downton is definitely situated greater than 100 miles away from the spectacular constructing. The solid and crew of the ITV interval drama filmed a lot of the out of doors scenes within the Cotswolds village of Bampton – which is definitely nowhere close to Highclere.
Once I was provided the prospect to go on a coach journey to the village the place so most of the exterior areas had been created, I jumped at it. Evan Evans Excursions affords a “taster” Cotswolds day journey – calling at Stow-on-the-Wold, Bampton and eventually Blenheim Palace for a whistle-stop tour of the native highlights.
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It’s Bampton, nonetheless, that I used to be most eager to discover. Leaving London’s Victoria Coach Station at 9am and solely departing its first cease in Stow-on-the-Wold at 1pm meant we didn’t have lengthy to absorb the sights, however fortunately our information Simon was readily available to level out all the pieces we would have liked to know, with audio guides accessible to make use of.
The church has hosted many a Downton wedding ceremony (Picture: Jess Phillips)
The church was additionally used for funeral scenes (Picture: ITV)
It’s really barely difficult to identify the Downton areas – so much has modified. The Cottage Hospital, for instance, used Bampton library as its exterior – however when you enter the courtyard, issues transitioned to an inside ITV set, so no filming came about past the stone wall border.
Now the library is dwelling to a small present store boasting Downton work, tea-towels, fridge magnet and even photograph calendars. It’s additionally the place followers can discover the native archive which holds additional details about Downton filming regionally.
Situated subsequent to the library is Bampton’s native church, St Mary’s. This was used because the set for St Michael and All Angels’ Church in Downton, the place Girl Mary and Matthew exchanged vows and the place Girl Edith was jilted on the altar.
The church bells had been ringing out as our tour approached; a real-life wedding ceremony was happening, that means we couldn’t go inside, however the church is recurrently open to the general public.
The Cottage Hospital in Downton is definitely Bampton’s library (Picture: ITV)
In actual life, the library is dwelling to a present store (Picture: Jess Phillips)
One factor that repeatedly struck me was how in contrast to Downton all the pieces appeared. Throughout filming, all of the native vehicles had been saved in a gated yard, leaving the cobbled streets empty and suited to the early twentieth century time interval.
Entrance doorways had been lined over with facades to make sure all of them matched, with themed indicators positioned over any of the fashionable commercials. One of many homes was became The Grantham Arms, with pub signage and an old school postbox constructed exterior.
In Bampton, you’ll additionally discover Isobel Crawley’s home. Its actual identify is Churchgate Home, the village’s outdated rectory.
Simon defined that for each fashionable ingredient that needed to be faraway from the homes’ exterior, householders would obtain compensation. If a TV aerial needed to be taken down, as an illustration, or one thing modified on a entrance door, ITV must pay out.
Bampton is a beautiful village in itself (Picture: Jess Phillips)
However the villagers ran right into a snag when it got here to a horrible storm that destroyed one of many native stone partitions. Assuming Downton producers would pay out to repair it, the native council left the wall damaged till the following collection began filming – just for the crew to assemble a false wall from fibreglass, positioned over the smash of the damaged one.
To make issues worse, they took the pretend wall with them when filming wrapped!
It wasn’t all dangerous, although. When Downton filmed its village honest exterior the church, producers rented a classic helter skelter for the solid to journey. When filming was completed, it was left standing for some time in order that the native youngsters of the village may have a flip.
Except you’ve gotten an eagle-eye, it’s fairly troublesome to identify the Downton filming areas at first look. Books can be found for £5 within the present store which embrace behind-the-scenes pictures from filming and level out the areas in actual life – one thing I’d advise for a primary go to.
Genuine props from the present are on show (Picture: Jess Phillips)
The encompassing villages even have Downton hyperlinks. Shilton – simply down the highway from Bampton – was the location of The Purple Lion pub, the place Mr Bates labored in collection two. Its precise identify is the Outdated Forge, situated close to to Shill Brook.
Just a few miles away, Swinbrook is dwelling to a cottage that was remodeled into The Swan Inn, the place Girl Sybil and Branson stayed planning their elopement to Gretna Inexperienced. And in Cogges you’ll discover historic farm buildings that made up the fictional Yew Tree Farm, dwelling to Mr Drewe.
Evan Evans Excursions affords day journeys to the Cotswolds and Blenheim Palace from London, with tickets accessible right here.
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