Holiday Highlights

included Excursions

Lacock Village and Bowood House (full day)

Today we take a journey to the beautiful and historic National Trust village of Locock in Wiltshire. Considered to be one of the most photographed villages in the south of England and a firm favourite for TV and film production. Explore the charming streets with their classic Cotswold stone cottages and timber-framed houses and keep a lookout for familiar spots from the television series. For example, the outside street scenes filmed in season six for the livestock show and again for the Downton Abbey movie. Then the streets were filled with 350 extras, including locals from the village to film the impressive royal parade.

After enjoying time in Lacock Village, we make our way to the stunning Bowood House and gardens, home to the Lansdowne family for over 250 years. The gardens were landscaped by Capability Brown in the 1780s. The extensive gardens and an arboretum of rare trees are laid out over 2000 acres.

Highclere Castle and Basildon Park (full day)

We travel to Newbury for the highlight of our trip, an exclusive visit to Highclere Castle for JG Travel guests only! We also take in the castle’s spectacular Egyptian Exhibition which chronicles the 5th Earl of Carnarvon’s travels to Egypt and his role in the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, all documented in the Countess of Carnarvon’s new book The Earl and the Pharaoh which we all receive a copy of.

After an inspiring few hours at Highclere, we rejoin the coach and head to Basildon Park, the impressive National Trust-owned Georgian Manor House. The house, built between 1776 and 1784 by Sir Francis Sykes, was used extensively for the television series and the Christmas Special. All of the rooms on the first floor and various rooms were featured in the show, including the lavish Octagon Room.

Cogges Manor Farm & Bampton Village (full day)

Our first visit of the day is to the Witney and Cogges Manor Farm – a medieval farm museum. This fascinating piece of history is captured in time for all to experience. From the working farm to the 13th-century manor house and Grade II listed farm buildings there is much to see. A popular venue for film and TV, there is much to explore, for example, the place where the tenant farmer Mr. Drewe and his family raised Lady Edith’s illegitimate daughter, Marigold. Inside the house, we find a working Victorian kitchen range and many household objects that populated our favourite TV show.

Next, we journey to Brampton Village, the home of Isobel Crawley! Considered by fans to be the ‘real’ Downton Abbey village, there are many places featured on the show. Explore famous locations, such as the Downton Abbey Hospital – Bampton Village library, the Crawley home which can be found at Churchgate House and 17th-century St. Mary the Virgin Church where Mary and Mathew got married along with many other wonderful weddings and dramatic funerals.