Film crews to return to Highclere Castle

A second series of the Edwardian period drama, Downton Abbey, is to be filmed at Highclere Castle

FILMING of a second series of the successful Edwardian period drama, Downton Abbey, is to begin at Highclere Castle in a fortnight.

A talk by the eighth Countess of Carnarvon at a charity luncheon last Thursday (Feb 3) provided a fascinating glimpse into life at the castle past and present - including filming at the estate of the ITV1 television programme.

Around 100 guests attended the Goring and Streatley Golf Club luncheon, hosted by the West Berkshire branch of the NSPCC, for Lady Carnarvon's educational and entertaining talk, ‘An insight into the life at Highclere Castle', during which she confirmed that filming of the second series of Downton Abbey would begin on February 28 at the castle and continue until July 10, before the castle re-opens its doors to the public for the summer.

Asked by one guest how disruptive filming for the first series had proved to be, Lady Carnarvon quipped that the crew just “tipped up” with around 90 cars and 12 articulated lorries, before erecting lights, laying thick wires and opening all the doors - only to complain it was freezing cold and ask for heating.

“Every so often we have complete hullabaloo," she said, adding: "If they behave very badly, I say to Lord Carnarvon, ‘I'm locking them out!'

“It's much harder work than I thought.”

As the author of several castle guides and books - including Carnarvon & Carter, about the 5th Earl of Carnarvon and Howard Carter, who famously discovered the Egyptian tomb of boy king, Tutankhamun, in 1922 - Lady Carnarvon has become knowledgable in Egyptology to the extent that she can read and write Egyptian heiroglyphs.

The Downton Abbey series, she said, had inspired her to write another book, about the present day staff at the castle, some of whom are in their late eighties, and their changing roles over the years.

“It's very different to during the times of Downton Abbey,” said Lady Carnarvon. “Their jobs were much more structured, whereas now they are more multi-faceted - for example Colin, the butler, also parks the car.”

In response to a question on whether she and her husband, the eighth Earl of Carnarvon, and their children lived in the castle, she said the Carnarvon family instead occupied a separate house on the estate.

A total of £478 was raised at the luncheon for the West Berkshire branch of the NSPCC, mainly through raffle proceeds.

For membership details of the charity, contact secretary Sara Richards on 01491 872 296, email: sararichards5@btinternet.com