We dreamt about our impending day-trip to Highclere Castle.
England was brightened by another day, and we left our comfy hotel and walked to Paddington Station. Thanks to the hotel's great location, it was merely a few streets away.
A month ago, Lewis made an online purchase for our train tickets aboard the Great Western Railway, departing from Paddington to Newbury. We also pre-booked a visit to Highclere Castle! As fans of the world-renown series, Downton Abbey (it won more awards than you can shake a stick at), we were exhilarated to step inside the real castle. (In Downton Abbey, a fictitious earl inhabits the castle. In truth, a real earl lives in the castle). As historical enthusiasts and cultural adventurers, Lewis and I also love how the 343-year-old castle is cared for by its owners and its community. Since 1953, it was a historic landmark—with the highest grade that means "a building with exceptional interest". Thanks to the television show, it is now a national landmark.
*To see the time that we visited the Downton Exhibit that travelled through New York, please use this link...
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2018/01/christmastime-experiences.html
[Incidentally, the fictional nobleman is the Earl of Grantham. In truth, that was a real title held by a Dutchman named Henry de Nassau. He was related to (Dutch-born) King William III of England, and the king conferred the English title on him. King George I appointed him to serve as a Lord Chamberlain].
Due to our train's early departure time, we decided to buy breakfast at the station and eat it during our journey. We did not use the several eateries inside the station; we used one of two grocery stores in the station (as every commuter station should have). Relying on the delectably nutritious—and affordable—food at the Marks & Spencer "Simply Food" market, we bought ready-to-eat items. (M&S operates Food Halls, clothing stores with grocery markets, and simplified food stores, such as this. It's a marvelously inspired range!)
Americans falsely claim that London is expensive, but look at these affordable prices for well-made foods...
Compare that to the overpriced food sold in NYC...
Delighted with our affordable purchase, we crossed the gloriously-designed station and bought £1.30 herbal tea and a £2.50 latte from FCB Coffee. Their food looked good, too.
We sat on curvy wooden benches—with conveniently attached tables...
...and sipped our beverages while waiting to see which track our train would arrive on. Notice this close-up of the girl's bag: quite conscientious for animals...
In June, citizens of the UK enjoyed a four-day weekend to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee! Now, they enjoyed a three-day "bank holiday" (national holiday) to celebrate the end of summer. See these ads...
It was also the final day of a Caribbean holiday named Notting Hill Carnival (like the Carnival season of Brazil and New Orleans). Hosted by London, it's the biggest in Europe.
People with Caribbean heritage mingled with visitors from those island-nations; lots of people convened on the capital's Notting Hill neighborhood. Don't worry; just like its Pride Parade...
... the festivities in the UK are managed better than any heritage parade we ever saw in Manhattan: no destruction of property, vandalism, looting, riots, or public sex. Managed well, there are few road closures, and less incidents of indecency on the transit system.
Whereas, American train stations would be full of (overpaid) police equipped with "riot gear" and assault rifles, London's huge station behaved regularly. A few uniformed Transit Constables palavered through the area. All was calm. Nonetheless, it was good timing for us to visit the countryside.
Many Londoners did the same thing—evidenced by people in the station with hiking gear, camping equipment, backpacks, and Nature Walk ("rambling") sticks.
The best part: instead of using cars, they used public transportation... a European habit. We think the Great Western Railway is a lovely way to travel! This is its logo...
It's easy to buy tickets at the station. Supplementing the ticket machines...
...well-dressed railway employees stood everywhere and politely sold tickets with portable credit-card readers and handheld printers.
We like that, so we can get answers to our questions while buying our tickets and planning our journey. (You don't get that level of convenient service at Grand Central Station or Pennsylvania Station). A well-mannered gent at the Information Desk informed us that our train was arriving.
NYC had a similar skylit station by the best architects, McKim, Mead & White, in 1910...
...but it uncaringly demolished it to build an ugly stadium...
...and it stuffed the overcrowded station under it for 60 years.
It's like a third-world city.
Every time we visit other countries, we never see the needless rushing/trampling that New Yorkers do to get on a train. Despite its "big city vibe", London has a population with priorities, and pushing/shoving isn't one of them. Bless them.
Seen below, the train was fully powered by electricity.
Informatively, our e-ticket said that our use of electric trains had a 68% CO2-emission savings, compared to using a car for the journey. On certain GWR trains, riders can reserve their seats when they buy them in advance.
Lewis selected a pair of seats, instead of the groupings of four that have a table. Yes, English trains are equipped with Cafe Cars and employees who sell nutritious/affordable food from trolleys...
Long-distance trains have Dining Cars with affordable meals served in high-style: 2 courses for £25 and 3 courses for £30.
For shorter-distance trains—like ours—the coaches have configurations of seats facing tables... as seen below. We liked the automatic glass doors that kept air-conditioning in and kept dust/noise out.
The train was immaculate, as trains ought to be. No vandalism, gum stuck on the seats, litter, stains, or smudged windows. We felt comfortable eating there, (and we left it as clean as we found it). Pardon our gushing excitement; it's rare to see modern/posh trains in the USA. Seen below are America's typical (dilapidated) ones...
On other American trains, legroom is terribly tight (and must be endured for 2-3 hour rides) because the railroads are greedy.
Meanwhile, the headrests of its seats are notoriously filthy. Please click the image of this newspaper article to make it bigger...
Something else that highly-overpaid train crews ignore is the prevalence of inappropriate behavior by slovenly riders—especially dirty feet on the seats. Please click this image to make the article clearer...
Away from that absurdity, we are happier overseas!
We used the foldable trays to enjoy our breakfast.
We shared a pork pie (the pie crust fully wrapped the filling)...
... that was filled with Lincolnshire pork shoulder, and we ate a wedge of Stilton with a freshly-baked baguette.
With the smoothness of a Bentley, the electric train glided out of the station, zoomed out of the capital, and skimmed through 70 miles of pastoral scenery. In America, properties alongside railroad tracks are neglected and full of rusty junk. In Europe, your train window allows vistas of beauty! Grassy hillsides, horses and cows on pastures, well-tended villages, river crossings, farms, and public-use football fields and cricket fields.
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Our destination was in the County of Hampshire.
Touching the south coast of England, Hampshire features the largest primeval forest. Famous in nautical history, its seaports of Southampton and Portsmouth conjure images of Titanic-era steamships and Royal Navy expeditions.
After a few stops, we reached the market-town of Newbury...
...and the train slowed to a dignified halt at Newbury Station.
The community was founded in the 11th-century, soon after the Norman Conquest. Cloth was its main export, and evidence indicates that England's first clothes-making "factory workshop" was there. The First (and Second) Battles of Newbury occurred during the English Civil War, and WWII brought destruction when a Nazi plane followed the railroad tracks from London and dropped bombs on it.
We are certain that tourism for Highclere ensures that taxis are always parked by the train station. As the company's website says, passengers tell their driver when they want to leave the castle, so the driver retrieves them punctually for their homeward trains. When in Europe, Lewis and I appreciate that many taxicabs are Mercedes-Benzes. In the USA, using a taxi that is a Mercedes requires a exorbitant fee, and ride-share companies like Uber add a "luxury surcharge": doubling the usual "minimum fare", doubling the "base fare", and doubling the "per kilometer fare". In England, using a Mercedes costs nothing extra; it is an everyday experience of safety, reliability, and comfort.
*In fact, we saw a plethora of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in London—varying from Student Driver cars to police vans and utility and sanitation trucks. That is a prosperous society.
Learning our lesson from the prior day, we approached the first of three cars. But that driver said, "Please use the other car; he was here first."
That type of civility and fairness never ceases to impress us. Our driver was locally-born and entertained us with tales of the castle and its castle-town. Unlike NYC cabbies who enslave themselves to regain the money they pay at the start of each day to their overlords, the English driver works part-time. His main career is a bricklayer in the community. If he wants extra income, he drives a cab and meets people visiting the castle. He described his house that he partially-built, involving his handiwork for bricks, carpentry, electricity, and plumbing. He spoke with gentleness and an unhurried rural accent. Please turn the sound on for my short video of his details of the castle...
Being a friendly fellow, he asked if I had any English lineage? I do, and I told him that my grandmother's surname was Titus. He was impressed and startled, and he blurted, "Bloody hell! (meaning "Oh my god") That's an old English name!" It is, and my ancestry goes back a long time in America and England. In the 1550s, the Titus family gained prominence in England. Born in 1600, Robert Titus relocated from Hertfordshire to The Colonies in 1635 and settled near Boston, Massachusetts, which was founded in 1630. In 1648, he became Commissioner for the Court of Plymouth. Unlike other colonists, he did not detest Quakers, and he got in trouble from Puritans for defending a Quaker family due to their "evil fame". He moved to Long Island. In the 1650s, other branches of Tituses became Quakers and settled in Flushing (which was founded by the Dutch in 1645). They lived there for centuries. Most were landowners, and some were squires and gentry. Descendants spread to Duchess County, and others founded Titusville in New Jersey. In 1840, Henry Titus was Overseer of Highways in Hempstead County. In 1907, Epenetus Titus moved to Orange County as Chairman of the County Agricultural Bureau. He lived in a community named Little Britain. When the Village of Floral Park began on Long Island in 1874, Tituses were some of the first residents. My grandmother lived there and married my grandfather, and they resided there for the rest of their lives.
The cab fare was £28 for a 15-minute scenic ride.
Our taxi sped along the highway, entering the borough of Basingstoke & Deane. Its first mayor was appointed in 1641, and it was the birthplace of everyone’s favorite Regency-era author: Jane Austen. We breezed through a woodland named Great Pen Wood, and our driver mentioned that the Highclere Parish Council had long-term forestry plans for it to preserve rural ambiance.
For a few minutes, we followed a truck that belonged to a logistics company named Downton Delivers... which was coincidentally amusing.
Founded in 1955, that multinational company operates a fleet of 600 trucks across the UK's distribution hubs. Perhaps the creators of the Downton Abbey TV series saw the trucks near Highclere and were inspired to name the show for it? We think so.
Using quiet country lanes, we drove past the Village of Highclere, which has origins that predate the Norman Conquest of 1066. In old-English, the word “clere” meant clear/bright. By England’s standards, the whole area is considered “Outstanding Natural Beauty” and it's designated for conservation. (A local business involves willow-fencing, which is more eco-sustainable than using timber).
The earldom still oversees the village, and the current earl and countess influence governance. Unlike the castle-towns that we visited in Japan, France, and Denmark, the castle is far from the villagers. Truly a country estate, it is secluded in its own parkland. Harkening from feudal days, some of the village's buildings, houses, and cottages maintain the color-scheme of the estate that they belong to. Supposedly, the blue doors are repainted upon the succession of each earl. As an "estate village", it seems neat and well-maintained. There might be some restrictive covenants from the estate-owner at the castle, which preserve the integrity of the village's appearance.
The castle was built on a historic site. In 749, a Saxon charter decreed that Winchester Cathedral was the landlord of the local citizenry. Since a bishop was in control, the area was called a bishopric. As “lord of the manor”, the Bishop of Winchester built a medieval palace named Bishop’s Clere. His bishopric was important and had its own shire reeve. That role is now called a sheriff, but unlike in the USA...
... English sheriffs retain uniforms from the 1600s. The modern shrievalty (sheriffdom) is now overseen by the High Sheriff of Hampshire: Phillip Rodney Sykes.
Appointed by the monarch, High Sheriffs are the monarch's judicial representative in each county. *In conjunction, Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire is Nigel Atkinson.
A Lord Lieutenant is the monarch's personal and military representative for that county.
Bishops of Winchester were powerful advisors of kings. In 1213, King John stayed in the area; in 1320, King Edward II stayed there. In 1554, the cathedral hosted the wedding of England's Queen Mary to Spain's King Phillip—the world’s most powerful man. (He was King of Spain, King of Portugal, Duke of Milan, King of Naples, Lord of the Netherlands, and son of the Holy Roman Emperor). However, in 1533, King Henry VIII secretly got married to his second wife (who was pregnant) before he divorced his first wife. The Pope refused a divorce or annulment, so the King broke away from the corrupt Catholic Church in 1534 and created the Church of England that he governed. (The monarchy remains the Head of the Church). To raise funds, the Crown seized assets and land that the Catholic Church owned. Catholic cardinals and bishops owned tremendous swathes of land, which they drew tax-free incomes from as landlords, while also corruptly making profits from selling Indulgences (pretending to forgive sins) and by pretending to remove souls from Purgatory (a fictitious
place above Hell that they invented).
In 1551, the next king was Edward VI...
... and he seized the bishop's property during the Religious Reformation. In 1679, the medieval palace was rebuilt as a square-shaped mansion and occupied by the Attorney General to King Charles II (the king that NYC's Kings County/Brooklyn is named for). The man’s daughter married the Earl of Pembroke, and their son inherited it: Robert Sawyer Herbert. He started the portrait collection and gardens that Highclere has. His nephew and heir, Henry Herbert, inherited the castle in 1769.
In 1793, King George III elevated Henry to the “Earl of the Town and County of Carnarvon” in Wales. (In Welsh, it is spelled Caernarfon). This is the coat of arms.
That is how the Earls of Carnarvon governed the Village of Highclere and Highclere Castle.
*[The second, third, fourth, sixth and seventh earls were also named Henry Herbert. The fifth earl began another naming option: George Herbert, which is the name of the eighth earl].
In 1840, the third earl...
... hired an architect named Sir Charles Barry, who recently created a masterpiece in the capital: The Palace of Westminster—the finest governmental building in the world. Sir Charles replicated that awesome design for Highclere.
The foundations are 16-feet deep. Stones to construct the house were quarried at Bath and carted 82 miles to the site. The square-shaped castle was built over the mansion, and its ecclesiastical-looking entranceway harkens to the bishop’s manor. Constructed in Jacobean and Renaissance styles, it is a grand structure, indeed. It’s one of the most significant Victorian buildings in the UK. Here is Lewis' photo of it...
An unobtrusive sign directs cars inward to the estate, via a one-way bridge that spans the highway.
Crossing it seems to pass through a portal to history. However, don't expect to be greeted like this...
That is only staged for filming crews. :-)
Our taxi rolled through modest gates near a quaint house (perhaps initially the gatehouse). We found ourselves on a network of paved roads that crisscross over the estate, which has an expanse of 16 miles. Some roads branch off to a cluster of buildings that were probably the homes of the estate's employees: it looked like its own village.
The curvaceous driveway has a notable piece of reclaimed wood with artistic value. Our driver slowed to show us. An old tree fell during a storm, but local craftsmen etched and carved the tree trunk into beauty.
Parking occurs on a large lawn, but we were driven directly to the next gate. We left the cab and began our quest to explore the castle!
Seen below, a pair of interlocking C's are emblazoned on the gates to signify His Lordship's property. Through the treetops, we glimpsed his castle's towers and turrets. From the central tower, a blue-and-red flag fluttered to signify that the castle was the “family seat” of the Earls of Carnarvon.
The colors of the earldom are blue and red, and its coat of arms is topped with a wyvern: a mythological dragon with wings, two legs, and a tail.
Depictions of wyverns existed since antiquity, and they are featured on the castle's exterior and interior.
Please enjoy my panoramic video of the scenery...
We recognized the viewpoint angle as the one used by the television series and films. Trees obscured the nine large outbuildings and tennis court alongside the castle. Its crenelated walls stood majestically. If you presume that Downton Abbey is only popular with Americans, I shall inform you that it is well-known favorite of Queen Elizabeth, as well as her grandson and his wife: the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. (The series ends in 1925, and the Queen was born in 1926).
At the gatehouse, a young woman (uniformed with the Carnarvon crest) scanned the barcodes of our tickets and handed us maps.
Sweetly, she advised us how to navigate the acreage and where to start our tour. Smartly, Lewis and I chose the 10am-12:30pm time-slot because it gave an extra half-hour, as compared to the later time-slots. Each ticket cost £27.50 and gave us access to the castle, its gardens & grounds, and the Egyptian Exhibit. Arriving before the front doors opened...
...we used that time to explore the grounds.
You can see the special outfit that Lewis bought for the occasion. As an homage to Victorian-era and Edwardian-era attire that was worn at the castle, he wore a tailcoat. Yet, his was made of slate-grey denim. My handsome beau blended nicely with his surroundings.
In front of the castle, we noticed a ha-ha wall.
A ha-ha is an old French invention that provides a barrier against animals without marring the view of an ongoing lawn.
It was a reminder that the earls and countesses of Highclere were sheep owners... and still are. A ha-ha is an indicator that you're in woodland surrounded by grazing animals.
With a top-grade on the Register of Historic Parks & Gardens, Highclere Park consists of 172 acres. In 1770, the most-famous landscape architect in England’s history, Capability (Lancelot) Brown designed its flowing style. Two fishponds previously belonged to Bishop of Winchester. The tranquil countryside is hilly and offers sweeping vistas to admire. Geographically, it is part of the North Wessex Downs, which is well-regarded for its hiking, cycling, picnics, and stargazing.
Traipsing downhill, we approached the Walled Garden. From afar, we noticed the gates were closed and two signs were attached. Large red lettering on one sign said "Do Not Touch", so we incorrectly assumed that we could not enter. Fate works in mysterious ways; our mistake "steered" us farther downhill to another gate. That one merely had a discreet sign that said "Please close the gate after you". We entered.
On the opposite hill, we saw sheep grazing, so we figured that the gates should be closed to keep animals out of the castle's flowerbeds.
Venturing through the gateway, I saw iron trellises, and we headed towards them.
They led us through underbrush to the backside of the Secret Garden! (one of three adjoining gardens). That experience was a wonderful way to discover them!
Had we entered from the front, the suspenseful/uncertain discovery wouldn't be as remarkable. It discreetly connects to the Walled Garden. Instead of walls, the Secret Garden uses evergreens and shrubbery as its borders, and it gives a casually-unstructured milieu: curvy flowerbeds and no designated paths—only lush grass to step on.
Enraptured by the beauty of a classic English garden, I paused on the Dowager's Bench and immersed myself in the floral aroma.
The area exudes an aura of serenity and joy. Butterflies, honeybees, and songbirds darted through the bushes. Lewis and I had fun frolicking in the aristocratic garden with total privacy! Emitting lovey-dovey vibes, some of the rose blooms resembled hearts...
In the middle of a wall, Lewis found the iron gate to the Walled Garden. English gardens are known to create "rooms" that encourage exploration and create separate spaces with unique identities. It was a beautiful segue.
We breathed in the magic of the space. A walled garden is a haven for people and a sanctuary for vulnerable herbs and vegetation. The layout was imaginatively orchestrated by the 2nd Earl of Carnarvon. Over the centuries, its content evolved, but its foundations remain solid.
From there, we walked along a path and rounded a corner to enter the Monk's Garden. It is where the bishop's monks grew their medieval-era vegetables. Impressive hedges and topiaries are shaped into a series of archways and conical designs.
The garden was lush with fragrant blooms and brimming with lavender!
Lord and Lady Carnarvon use it for their brand of gin. Garden-grown ingredients are used for the food that is sold on the estate. It truly represents what you expect on a prestigious estate. After inhaling the scent of lavender, we strolled past the greenhouses.
Being adventurous, we trekked down through the Wood of Goodwill.
We meandered and discovered the Rose Arbor. Full of herbal plants and blossoming roses, it is a "cozy retreat" that seems ideal for a romantic rendezvous. Just like I kissed Lewis in the Queen's garden at Buckingham Palace, I shared a smooch with him in Highclere's romantic spot.
Ascending the hill, we admired how His Lordship's gardeners keep a portion of the lawn as a tall, natural meadow (just like Kensington Gardens does).
We were impressed with their technique to trim trees to create a straight-line under the canopies of leaves! We never saw that before.
The castle is at the highest point. Reaching it, we sat on a bench in the shade of a huge cedar tree. Referring to the TV series, it is nicknamed "Lady Mary's bench".
However, happier pairs of lovers sat on it... including us!
Beside it, a statue of Capability Brown signifies his skills in the landscaping. The view was gorgeous. Planted 300 years ago, there are 56 Cedars of Lebanon offering strength and shade to the property. Others are planted in Masonic combinations.
A glance at Lewis' Cartier wristwatch hurried us to the queue by the front entrance in the forecourt. Thankfully, we arrived before the line doubled in size.
We were impressed to see a wide range of ages and personalities paying to get admittance for self-guided tours of the castle. It wasn't mostly retirees; it included youngsters, university students, young adults in 1920s garb, Englishwomen in summery frocks, families, and several gay couples.
It is an extraordinary occurrence to be allowed inside an aristocrat's ancestral home. The UK has more than other nations. The title of jarl (earl) originated in Germany as a rustic chieftain and was adopted in England as a rank above a count. Elsewhere, it has the same rank as a count, which is why females of both are still called countesses. The title of marquis went to a nobleman whose territory "guarded" the border of a kingdom. The British spell it as marquess (marchioness for a female). In 1385, King Richard II brought the title to England and ranked it above an earl and below a duke. Dukes and duchesses are the sovereigns of duchies, which are larger than earldoms and baronies. The title began as dux in the ancient Roman Empire for military commanders who ruled provinces. With similar Roman origins, the Latin word baro evolved into “baron”, and it initially indicated a mercenary: someone who was paid to lend military power. Medieval monarchs gave land to their barons, in exchange for soldiers.
Around the globe, folks are intrigued to see the interior, and they live vicariously via board games and video games.
England has a prompt culture, and the castle opened its doors on-time. Wearing a buttercup-yellow jacket and white dress, the greeter invited groups of eight people to enter at a time. That kept the flow of visitors at a comfortable spacing. As the line progressed, we overheard that the current earl divorced his first wife (daughter of an Italian princess) in 1998, retained custody of both children, and married a Londoner named Fiona Aitken in 1999. The new countess gave birth to a son within eight months. Her Ladyship has been a blessing to the estate.
For 20 years, the countess oversaw its detailed restoration, and her aesthetic as a former fashion designer helped the interiors of its castle and many outbuildings. Her Ladyship's skill is evidenced in the color-palate, carpets, needlework, drapes, and lights. She redid 60 houses on the earldom's estate: some can be rented. Her Ladyship also has an informative blog that is loaded with pictures. It illustrates everything—from restorations to delving into the Robing Room.
Renovations were funded the way my father did them: selling parcels of land. The earl inherited 8,000 acres. 600 were designated for the estate's castle and horse farm. Income and donations provide upkeep.
A godsend was the production of the historical drama, Downton Abbey, which occurred at the ancestral home in 2010. The series sparked a renewed interest in historical preservation and British heritage. Tourism to the castle helps its restoration immensely.
Whilst standing in the forecourt, we admired the exterior's ornateness. There are a lot of details to observe: Tudor roses, fleur-de-lis, wyverns, interlocked C's, and gothic drainpipes.
As we neared His Lordship's double doors, we noticed a pair of cast-iron wyverns that are used as shoe-scrapers, to keep mud off the carpets inside.
Made of walnut wood, the doors are impressive. Made of iron, a wolf's head—holding a deer's leg—is affixed to each door. The one on the left is a knocker, which we were allowed to use.
No, Carson did not answer the door.
Lewis commented that the doorway seems small for the big castle. As such, the main entrance is homey and humble—without steps, portico, or an awning.
Giddily, we crossed the threshold into an atmosphere of gentry. The foyer is colorful, thanks to its Gothic marble arches and vaulted ceiling.
We emerged into the Entrance Hall and glimpsed the grand staircase that we anticipated. It's very big, indeed. Our minds conjured images from the TV series, such as this...
It seemed that "time stood still" in that lovingly-preserved hall.
Enjoying everyone's expressions of wonderment, a smiley docent ushered us into the ante-room that adjoins the famous library.
In the corner, I showed Lewis a curtain that concealed the stairwell for one of the four corner-towers. The room has plenty of wood detailing and marquetry. From there, we proceeded into the elegant library.
Two richly-carved columns are on each side of the entranceway. The library's size is larger than two one-bedroom apartments in Manhattan (each costing $3,500 per month).
A gentlemanly docent announced that the library contains more than 5,000 books; the oldest were published in the 1500s. During times of austerity, many were sold to pay for the estate's upkeep. During the "Gay 90s" of the 19th-century, the finances improved dramatically. In 1895, the fifth earl...
... married Almina Wombwell, the illegitimate daughter of world-renown banker (and party-thrower), Alfred de Rothschild. Despite prejudices in Victorian British society, the earl didn’t care that she was Jewish or illegit. Her dowry equaled £61.4 million.
That echoed the plot of Downton: the wife's money saved the struggling earldom...
The couple had two children and became famous for breeding thoroughbred racehorses. (His grandson became the horseracing manager for Queen Elizabeth). During their occupancy in the castle, more notable names were added to the Guestbook: Winston Churchill and King Edward VII.
*[Whenever I sign a Guestbook, I write a rhyme: "Great food and lively guests. A lovely time: no regrets!" Feel free to use it, too].
Seen below, the fifth earl was famous for investing in Egyptology...
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...and I'll explain that soon.
The antique sofas exhibited signs of wear-and-tear from usage, and that reminded us of Buckingham Palace: a "living building" with live-in people.
The grandly-sized fireplace and flamboyant multi-armed lamps enhanced its prominence as the best room. Every room seemed homey, thanks to framed photos of the earl's relatives juxtaposed with images of the Queen. Enhancing our experience, every employee and docent was hospitable. Many exceeded our expectations. None were tired of their jobs or dreary-looking. They were chipper and happy to share knowledge and gossipy tidbits.
Filled with excitement, Lewis and I used the secret-door from the library to the next room. It is disguised as a fake bookcase.
Every castle and mansion should have a hidden-door or a secret passage. The TV show only featured it three times, and viewers were never shown what was beyond it. That implied that the connecting room was unsightly. In truth, it's gorgeous. The Music Room conveys its 1700s inspiration.
Frescoed ceilings and inlaid floors—that groaned quaintly as we stepped on them—are illuminated by broad windows (a sign of wealth) that overlook the property. Another curtain hides the circular stairwell in that corner's tower. Originally, one tower was used by nannies to access the nursery.
Lewis led me into the drawing room—famously shown on Downton Abbey. It is resplendently decorated with damask patterns, silk-covered walls, gilded scrollwork on the ceiling, chandeliers that "drip" with crystals, and plush furniture.
It is a bright and pleasing room. The elderly docent in it gave details of how craftsmen attached the silk wall coverings, and how the countess refreshed the aging drapes with highfalutin style. Standing amidst such beauty, we remembered the TV scenes of the fictional aristocratic family socializing or scheming in it. Much of Downton's stylization and astounding historical accuracy came from Major-General Alastair Bruce. Famously knowledge yet approachable, he is related to two Scottish earls. In 1998, the Queen appointed him as a herald in the Royal Household, and she knighted him in 2008. In 2019, he became Governor of Edinburgh Castle. Last year, he married his boyfriend of 20 years as the highest-ranking UK Army officer with a same-sex marriage.
He also advised for the Victoria & Albert series and Oscar-winning films, The Young Victoria and The King's Speech. Viewers love his details; subconsciously they make shows come alive with authenticity.
Lewis and I recall scenes filmed in that room when the family sought refuge as their home was occupied by World War One soldiers.
In truth, the castle was a WWI hospital and convalescence home, operated by Almina who personally nursed the soldiers.
During WWII, it housed dozens of children who were evacuated from cities being bombed by the Nazis. Nazis never endangered Highclere, but Allied pilots did. Eight British and American planes crashed on the property, and one American survived from his B-17 Flying Fortress.
(The same thing happened to Manhattan during WWII).
Seen above, we entered the smoking room: a creation for its era's gentlemen, so they could gossip apart from women. The cheery docent who was stationed in it explained its simplified moldings and lack of plasterwork; when cigar and pipe smoke accumulated, it was easier to clean and repaint without decorative nooks-and-crannies. The young woman also gestured to the painted six-paneled screen. It was a souvenir from Italy—which every English gentleman was accustomed to visiting during their "coming of age" Grand Tour of continental Europe. The room was the previous earl's favorite, and a well-used leather sofa and armchair attest to it. A tray of decanters and a boxed set of "games" indicate a sociable scene.
Next to that room is a place reserved for ladies: aptly named the Pink Room. Pillows, upholstery, curtains, and a pattern of flowers on everything are befitting the room's name. It is the countess' favorite room: snug and comfy. No television. Plenty of her own published books.
Beyond that is the study and a secretary's office, but they were off-limits. Remember, it is a private home. Around the corner, Lewis and I ascended a red-carpeted stairwell.
Seeing the second level is part of the experience.
With ladylike hospitality, the countess operated the castle as a Bed & Breakfast and wedding venue, before the pandemic. We hope that resumes. Thus, several bedrooms were renovated for occupancy. First, we stood in a scarlet-colored one that was used for filming the sex/death scene of Lady Mary with a Turk named Kemal Pamuk: son of the sultan's minister.
Only the first season of Downton used the actual bedrooms. Eventually becoming too small/delicate to accommodate the film crews, the real bedrooms were ignored, and "bedroom scenes" were filmed at a studio, along with all of the "downstairs" scenes.
In truth, the real castle did not keep its servants underground, as seen in the TV series...
Seen in the blueprint below, a handsome redbrick wing exists on one side of the castle, and it housed the servants and included the kitchen, and "task rooms".
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However, the creators of Downton wanted another "upstairs versus downstairs" vibe for dramatics.
From there, we entered a bedroom that Downtown used for the earl and countess. I liked the tracery ceiling, and we admired the canopied four-post bed.
A chirpy gay docent arrived and gave us details about the room. (He and his boyfriend are fans of the show). New for its era, it featured closets. Beforehand, bedrooms used furniture to hold clothes: armoires, wardrobes, and trunks. The fellow indicated that there are few en suite bathrooms. In a corner of the castle, we saw one bedroom with its own bathroom. Oddly, it had wall-to-wall carpeting—including the bathroom (which is undesirable due to potential water damage and misdirected urine). In the corridor, we glimpsed a (presumably-shared) bathroom. All of the bathrooms have vintage fixtures and unchanged antique furnishings: bathtubs, toilet flush tanks, pedestal sinks, and light switches installed in the 1930s.
The corridors from the bedrooms form the gallery above the Great Hall (a.k.a. the Saloon).
From various viewpoints, we peered down at its majestic layout and repeatedly looked up at its double-height glass ceiling.
While encircling the gallery, we chatted with another friendly docent. The older woman was keen to describe the household staff employed by His Lordship. Seen below, in prior centuries, a sizable staff lived in the castle and in dwellings on the estate.
Now, two cleaners (a man and a woman) report to the housekeeper and perform ongoing maintenance. As soon as they finish, they start at the beginning again. A structure of that size provides steady employment for them. The family's butler oversees servers who are hired for social functions and soirées.
The largest party at the castle had a guest list of 1,000 people. The family's chef is another full-time employee.
Here is a photo of the current staff and groundskeepers.
We impressed the woman by knowing some of that from watching Mary Berry's episode of Country House Secrets!
While on the topic of guests, in 1866, the fourth earl (as the UK Colonial Secretary) hosted the Prime Minister of Canada (who signed the Guestbook) to create the British North America Act that created the nation of Canada in 1867. In 2017, Lord and Lady Canarvan gifted Canada's Prime Minister with a recollection of that event...
We began our stately procession down the grand staircase.
The hand-carved newel posts and bannisters had memorable intricacy! Some places impart a sense of decorum; that is one of them.
Arriving in the main hall again, we walked around the Saloon, happily admiring its imposing grandeur. The gothic arches imparted medievalism.
The room has a Gothic Revival style, with leather-covered walls that are embossed with gilt...
We envisioned many cocktail parties during the "Roaring Twenties".
In fact, photos of the sixth earl imply that he had a “1920s Brooklyn” swagger.
He claimed that his parents were unloving. Eight months after his father died, his mother remarried a soldier. (She was bankrupt by 1951, due to highfalutin living). Just before his father’s death, he married a New Yorker. (She was born in Wyoming to an Englishman who never expected to inherit his family’s title, so that man became a rancher in America. But he became the 8th Earl of Portsmouth, and he’s a descendent of the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon. He got his USA citizenship in 1904 and served in the U.S. State Legislature for Wyoming before inheriting his earldom in 1925, so he renounced his citizenship and stayed an English lord).
The seventh earl was favored by Queen Elizabeth for his stud talents, and they were chummy since their teenage years. Since his first title was Lord Porchester, his nickname was Porchey. He was born in the Lancaster Gate district—near our hotel. Educated at Eton College, he served in the Royal Horse Guards. He continued his family's dynastic success with horse breeding. As a lover of wildlife, he farmed the estate with knowledge gleaned at the Royal Agriculture College. By royal decree, he was appointed as the Queen’s horse racing manager. We knew those details from watching episodes of The Crown.
From 1969, he held that job throughout Her Majesty’s reign, until he died on the day of the September 11, 2001 attacks in NYC. Trying to avoid having her "royal presence" overshadow a grieving family, the Queen rarely attends funerals, but Her Majesty attended his.
The Queen became the godmother to his heir (seen above), and she hired his son-in-law (below) as her new racing manager.
As we progressed with our tour, the castle's grandiosity continued into the dining room.
Seen in several films, the main portrait of King Charles I was easily identifiable at the front of the room. Painted in 1633, it is a masterpiece by Van Dyck, a Flemish/Dutch master who studied with Rubens and became the court painter in England.
Since 1979, the castle was included in dozens of films and television scenes: The Secret Garden, Spymaking: Secret Life of Ian Fleming, Eyes Wide Shut (Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman), The Four Feathers (Heath Ledger and Kate Hudson), Downton Abbey, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple, Stately Suppers, Secrets of the Manor House, and Jeeves & Wooster.
The elegantly-long table was burnished to a mirror-finish, and it was laid with samples of the home's stemware and porcelain. Silver candelabra lined the center of the table. We imagined the glow of candlelight on the glossy portraits that are hung on the walls. A wide sideboard upheld more serving dishes... as if the earl's butler was going to serve a meal.
At the end of the room, a vestibule was named the Servery, and it was used to decant wines, keep food warm on burners or in chafing dishes, and it's where footmen and maids readied themselves before being visible.
Another servant's room was further inside. There, a docent allowed anyone with tickets to the Egyptian Exhibit to proceed downstairs.
Being an enthusiast about ancient Egypt, Lewis ensured that our tickets included it, so we could "take a peek".
The fifth earl funded his first excavation in Egypt in 1907. In 1914, he got permission to dig in the Valley of the Kings, and his team unearthed the treasures in the imperial tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in 1922. It revealed 5,000 artifacts!
Alas, the earl died the next year. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle—famous for authorship of Sherlock Holmes mysteries—fueled media speculation that his death was due to the Mummy’s Curse of Tutankhamun. Rumors were encouraged by reports that His Lordship’s dog died at the same time at Highclere Castle in England.
At the time of the excavation, the Sultan of Egypt allowed his nation to be a British Protectorate. Customarily, the Kingdom of Egypt allowed the financiers of excavations to keep 10% of their discoveries, in exchange for doing all the work. After 15 years and the First World War, Lord Carnarvon was ecstatic to find King Tut's tomb! However, Egypt suddenly forbid him to have any portion. He was probably aghast. Nonetheless, 300 ancient treasures arrived at his castle. He never spoke about them or exhibited them. They were hidden in upper chambers and barricaded behind unused furniture. Some artifacts were concealed in a thick doorway between two rooms on the main level. His grandson learned about the stash when the 75-year-old butler revealed it in 1987. A highlight was the 3,200-year-old wooden visage of Tut's grandfather: Amenophis III. A letter from 1924 listed artifacts that went to NYC's Metropolitan Museum. (In 2010, the Met formally acknowledged that those items should've remained in Egypt, and they were returned in 2011).
We meandered through the cellar, which was converted into a museum. Its low ceilings and lack of windows are suitable for an exhibit about unearthing treasures that were entombed in darkness in an unground burial site. The estate recreated some of them.
One room had peepholes at various heights and gave viewers perspectives of how King Tut's tomb appeared to the explorers when they first opened it and peeked inside with lamplight and torches.
*Three months later, we visited Berlin's Museum Island and saw the famed wooden "head sculpture" of Queen Nefertiti, carved in 1340 BC. Egyptologists now think she was King Tut's mother. To see that, please use this link:
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2022/11/our-trip-to-berlin-germany-part-2-of-6.html
Leaving the exhibit, we passed through a corridor that featured the castle's original "call board". Instead of dangling bells—which were rung by pull-chords strung throughout the walls—it was activated by push-button buzzers.
We exited the earl's home and found ourselves at the rear courtyard.
On the right, we observed the ruins of a church built in 1000 AD; only the foundation and column-pedestals remain.
Several outbuildings signify the courtyard's original purpose as an area where supplies entered the castle. All of the buildings are picture-perfect.
Stables remain, but other structures were converted into modern public lavatories, a tea room, cafe, and gift shop. It surprised us that there were three venues to buy refreshments. Coffee, tea, and pastries were sold from a vintage van on the lawn.
The cafe and tea room is inside the repurposed Coach House.
Alongside the tent, a thatched hut dispensed alcoholic drinks. We went there first. Wearing a shirt with the earldom's insignia, a chatty bartender told us about the estate's specialty.
Recently, the earl and countess began making their own gin, using their herb garden, lavender, and the nearby Langley Distillery, which uses some of the kingdom’s oldest stills. Made in England, the bottle is square, to mimic the castle, and its purple color derives from a bishop’s robes.
It’s sold at Waitrose, yet it's predicted that the USA will be its main market. I drank it, and my tastebuds were delighted.
At the cafe, Lewis spent 15 pounds and 40 pence to purchase a Coronation Chicken sandwich, a duck confit wrap, a bottle of water, and a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, made "south of the Equator" in Australia. (When on vacation, it's fun to sip wine at midday). An abundance of seating existed on the lawns and near the pretty outbuildings. We sat outside under a shady tree that had mighty branches, and savored our up-close view of the grandiose castle.
Here is my panoramic video of the view...
It was our first taste of Coronation Chicken. Accustomed to the valueless hype of American "trademark" foods, we were skeptical of it being a bland sandwich with a fancy name. Instead, it was full of flavor. Indicative of a realm that values its different cultures, that UK recipe includes coriander, mango chutney, mayonnaise, and curry powder from India. It was invented for the Queen's 1953 coronation, and its tastiness made it a mainstay thereafter. We loved it! Ours had fresh herbs from the castle's garden. The £5.95 tortilla wrap was stuffed with duck confit, baby gem lettuce, cucumber, spring onion, and hoisin sauce flavored with star anise, bay leaf, and peppercorns.
It was a dream-come-true to sip tea in Her Majesty's garden (yesterday) and then enjoy luncheon in the earl's garden.
After finishing our wine, we popped into the gift shop. Lewis selected a £4 refrigerator magnet (depicting the castle's profile) to join our collection of worldwide mementos at home.
Returning to the front of the castle, we saw that the line was gone, so we decided to take a selfie. The docent overheard our admiration of the doorway. With effervescent hospitality, she offered to shut the doors as a backdrop and take our photo in front of them! That was nice. It's my favorite photo.
During our visit, we also obtained the answer about the central tower. Everyone wants to know. I'll tell you.
It had maids' quarters to keep them apart from manservants, and one level was a billiards room. Learning a "secret" of the castle was a great conclusion to our exploration.
Reliably punctual, our taxi driver awaited us. He drove us past The Temple of Diana, which is a "folly" from the 1770s. I photographed it through the car's windows.
Many estates have them, which harken to Rome's polytheism in the 6th-century. In ancient mythology, Diana was the goddess of countryside hunters. She is often portrayed like this...
The taxi exited through the historic gateway named London Lodge.
Chatting amiably, our driver explained that it was erected as the entrance in 1793 by the first earl. Two "lodges" are on either side for a groundskeeper and a gatekeeper. Recently, Lord and Lady Carnarvon renovated them into a rentable suite. The only caveat is that the bedroom is detached from the other rooms.
The comfy taxi zoomed out of the rural earldom to the train station. *To see when Lewis and I visited an urban earldom, please use this link...
https://halfwindsorfullthrottle.blogspot.com/2021/10/our-trip-to-london-uk-part-2-covent.html
Joining other travelers on the platform, we awaited our GWR train for the 113 kilometer ride back to London.
Silently and smoothly, our train left the station and quickly gained speed. We savored the bucolic scenery...
Zooming along without delays was miraculous to us because we never experience such technological efficiency in our own (more expensive) country. For such civility, speed, and comfort, we thanked the Office of Rail & Road.
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