Basildon Park to feature in Downton Abbey Christmas special

The National Trust owned mansion, in Lower Basildon, will feature as Grantham House, the Crawleys’ London residence, during the social whirl of the summer season.
The trust has revealed that filming took place over two weeks during the summer, when Basildon Park played host to regular characters from the show, as well as Hollywood film star, Shirley MacLaine, playing Martha Levinson.
Producer Liz Trubridge said: “The characters have always talked about Grantham House in London, but this will be the first time we show it on screen – so it’s very exciting. We filmed the exterior in London and needed somewhere to match the scale for the interiors.
“Julian Fellowes described it in the script as ‘a sort of old palace’ and Basildon Park works perfectly in terms of style and size.”
The trust’s property manager, Amanda Beard, said it proved a bit like having the circus come to town, she said and continued:
“Filming has a massive impact – the cast and crew arrived every day around 7am, some as early as 5.30am and they were here until 8pm.”
The Octagon Room, which is very elegant, with its red felt walls and gold gilded ceiling was used as a drawing room, while the dining room was transformed into a ballroom and the library doubled up as a study.”
Many of the rooms, she continued, were originally used for entertaining, so it was amazing to see the mansion brought back to life.
In 2005, Basildon Park was also the Netherfield (house) set for the film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, starring the actress, Keira Knightley, afterwards triggering a huge rise in visitors.
The Christmas Day special of Downton Abbey is scheduled for 8.30pm.