The cost of reconstructing these “plain” rooms was relatively affordable. Today, one person can do those jobs. Needless to say, they were all sent packing. Highclere’s Lady Carnarvon told T&C that technology has “changed the roles the team play rather than reduce the numbers.” She added, “In the 1920s Highclere was a private home—it is now home for Geordie and I, but also takes its place as part of our heritage and welcoming visitors in larger numbers or for small tours.”. Harrold believes, “If a member of household staff has plans to marry the boss and become a lord or lady of the manor, it’s not entirely impossible but it is probably unlikely.”. The aristocratic owners of Highclere Castle, where the drama was filmed, are looking to hire a new butler. These cattle were lying down together in the space of about an acre of ground: they were in excellent condition, and so fine a sight of the kind I never saw.'[18]. I'd always wanted to visit Highclere and to stand where the actors of Downton stood, was a super experience. We used to go to the theater, the cinema—we’d always go on walks together,” said Harrold. [15] And of his six sons, the eldest, Edward Pococke (1648–1727) was chaplain to the Earl of Pembroke, and rector of Minall or Mildenhall, Wiltshire (1692), and canon of Salisbury (1675). Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, "Highclere Castle Opening Times and Visitor Information", "Highclere Castle & Gardens, Carnarvon Family home", "Highclere Castle | Description, History, & Facts", "Historic Houses: The Splendors of Highclere Castle", "Highclere Castle, Earl of Carnarvon, Egyptian antiquities, State Rooms", "Community Category: Highclere and Canada", "Downton Abbey: where Canada's Constitution was created", "Maple tree planted at 'Downton Abbey' castle in tribute to Canada's founding", "The Countess of Carnarvon and the real Downton Abbey", "Finding Downton: Our Journey to Highclere Castle", "Downton Abbey: The End Is Near For The Series But The Real Mansion Is Forever", "Highclere Castle of Downton Abbey fame opens bedroom for rent through AirBnB", "How Downton Abbey helped to rescue Highclere Castle from ruin", "Village Design Statement Highclere and Penwood 2002", "Opening Times. Butlers and housekeepers often have the inside scoop on offshore bank accounts and business deals, not to mention the strange and weird fetishes of their employers. The stellar cast members that have appeared throughout the series, including Dame Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Penelope Wilton to mention … Water damage had caused stonework to crumble and ceilings to collapse; at least 50 rooms were uninhabitable. It seems a yes and no type answer. “One hundred years ago, there were 70 to 80 staff; it was an army. As of 2009, repairs needed for the entire estate were estimated to cost around £12 million, £1.8 million of which was urgently needed just for the castle. Harrold told T&C, “Even though you are obviously employed by them, you work for them, I became like an adopted member of the Bedford family—I’d never been out of Scotland before, never been away from home and this family literally took me under their wing and I got trained by them to a wonderful standard.”. “It’s not like a five-bedroom house,” says current resident, Lady Fiona Carnarvon. They throw lavish parties and dress elegantly for every dinner. The Queen Is "Delighted" About the New Royal Baby, Courtesy of Luis Coelho and Focus Features, Courtesy of Highclere Castle and Focus Features, Courtesy of Getty Images and Focus Features. It’s all considered part of the job, in a world where only the most trustworthy and private need apply. As of late 2012, Lord and Lady Carnarvon said that an increase in the number of paying visitors allowed them to begin major repairs on both Highclere's turrets and its interior. After spending time researching three unusual names in the Castle visitor book of 1866, Lady Carnarvon uncovered the story behind the birth of Canada as a nation and the Fourth Earl of 1642). Learn more about the castle and its history. A source tells us of secret parties when the owners are away, “We decided to get the piano out and dance on the tables—we did have to be so careful to make sure we didn’t break anything though.”. White Oak was the parsonage where Milles took pupils, including the many children of Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke, by marriage the new proprietor of Highclere. Back then were people employed to literally light candles and oil lamps and build fires, not to mention carpet sweepers and laundry maids. [10] The daughter of Milles, the younger, Elizabeth married Reverend Richard Pococke,[11] LL.B. This is why I started my school—to keep the standards high and to teach butlers that it can be a very rewarding, happy, and lifelong career.”, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Living on site is great, and I couldn’t wish for a more beautiful view out of my window.”. OED has: ‘baize, n. Etym: < French baies < Latin badius chestnut-coloured . The house, Egyptian exhibition, and gardens are open to the public for self-guided tours during the summer months and at other times during the rest of the year, such as Christmas and Easter. [citation needed], From 2010, the castle was used as the main filming location for the ITV/PBS drama series Downton Abbey, which brought the castle international fame.[32][33]. This includes gardeners, household staff, tour guides, electricians, carpenters, etc. Of course, a close relationship to your employers also means there are hard times. For most of the time, they were kept separate. “The things I say to my butlers-in-training are that you must remember these key traits: trust, honesty, and confidentiality. The first written records about the estate are dated 749 when an Anglo-Saxon king granted the estate to the Bishops of Winchester. Another, who was left in charge of the estate when his boss was out of town on business, invited around a group of local girls, pretending the property was his house. Conditions might be better for staff today but what about the social side of life downstairs? But perhaps most antique of all is the idea of life in a house full of servants, with two symbiotic worlds, upstairs and downstairs, that depend on each other completely. The country house is an historic manor with 11 beds, servant … One TripAdvisor traveler wrote, "The servants tour was also interesting, seeing some of the rooms not yet open to the general public." [39] "Heaven's Gate" is a folly about 60 feet high on Sidown Hill, built in 1749 by Hon. [38] The park's listing as a SSSI is due to a mixture of habitats that contain many regional uncommon plants, and its diverse range of lichen.[36][37]. Highclere Castle, like other grand homes, is going green but faces unique obstacles. Richard Pococke (1704–1765), who having been educated by his grandfather Milles, at his school at Highclere rectory, went on to become domestic chaplain to Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, and then Bishop of Ossory and Meath, and a renowned travel writer and orientalist. These, which are always so beautiful in forests and parks, are peculiarly beautiful in this lofty situation and with verdure so smooth as that of these chalky downs. He was from one of the Carnarvons' dogs’ litters. [22] Barry had been inspired to become an architect by the Renaissance architecture of Italy and was very proficient at working in the Renaissance-based style that became known in the 19th century as Italianate architecture. Barry produced an alternative design in a more purely Italian Renaissance style, which was rejected by Lord Carnarvon. But there is less mischievous fun to be had as well. The jobs of many of the 1920s staff at Highclere castle, which serves as Downton Abbey in the show and film, still exist today, albeit in more modern forms. Courtesy of … Town & Country participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. He will be there (in Egypt) from 12 February to 20 March. Highclere Castle is well worth a … During the 19th century there was a huge Renaissance Revival movement, of which Sir Charles Barry was a great exponent—Barry described the style of Highclere as Anglo-Italian. visitor information, Highclere Castle", "Downton Abbey FILM slated for summer 2018", "It's Happening: Downton Abbey's Original Cast Is Reuniting for a Movie", Lady Carnarvon - The official website of the Countess of Carnarvon, "Take a guided tour around the real Downton Abbey", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Highclere_Castle&oldid=1003356481, Renaissance Revival architecture in the United Kingdom, Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Hampshire, Wikipedia articles in need of updating from April 2020, All Wikipedia articles in need of updating, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2020, Articles with unsourced statements from October 2018, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 1982: It was seen as the home of a wealthy Englishman that Mr Fortescue visited seeking money in the 1982 film starring, 1987: Shots from both the interior and exterior were used as the imposing Misselthwaite Manor in the, 1991: The exterior appeared as Lord Graves's house in the film, 2001: The interior and exterior were used again as Misselthwaite Manor in the movie, 2010–2015: The main setting for the British television period drama, This page was last edited on 28 January 2021, at 16:22. Serving tea, packing suitcases, and all-night parties while the boss is away—these are the highs and lows of service in a country house today. How can we forget D. H. Lawrence’s novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover, in which the aristocratic heroine has a passionate affair with the gamekeeper Oliver Mellors? The tour of the castle was great, with a very informative guide, although the afternoon tea was average. Senior from the Lady Recruits believes while it’s not “customary amongst our usual client from the U.K.” they have noticed that their “international clients are much more aware of them.”, She added that this can be problematic further down the line when a candidate who signed an NDA at a previous employment needs a reference as the agency is “unable to contact them.” However, Senior notes that “roles requiring an NDA to be signed offer a compensatory financial package.”, Historically, the higher up the ladder you were in a private house, the closer you were to the family and for Harrold, this “still very much exists today.”. Instead, it’s the international jet-setters that are fueling the demand for household staff, with the cash and means to pay seriously big salaries for the right people. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy. As the private house has increasingly become a public one, the roles of household staff have had to adapt too. Our team of butlers still dress in tails when looking after the family and the food service remains the same–I think these are great traditions that we will always have at Highclere,” he said.

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