We'll be in the Bath area in July. Tickets for Highclere don't go on sale until mid-February. I know that ticket availability will begin in mid-July, and that in previous years it was not open on Fridays and Saturdays. I have read that tour companies snatch up the tickets and it is hard to get them. Do I have any chance of doing this? I bought British stamps when I was in London last year so that I would be able to enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope (I had read that this would be needed). The rest of our itinerary is on hold as we try to sort this out, but I'm wondering if it is worth all the effort if I won't land tickets anyway. Advice?
Posted by
Reston, VA, USA
810 posts
Today's Washington Post has an article about visiting Highclere: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/visiting-highclere-the-real-downton-abbey/2014/12/31/84fa363e-7fe7-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html. The author describes some options - she was able to get in. Good luck!
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3398 posts
You can do it.
When I wanted to go two summers ago I set my alarm for the exact time the tickets went on sale in England (when the ticketing system went live) and got on right away. (I did the same thing to secure tickets to a play at the Globe in London). It took me about 2 hours of sitting there. The traffic on the site must have been tremendous because the pages took forever to load and sometimes wouldn't load at all. I had three laptops and my phone all going at the same time. I got the tickets though! By the time I got on the page where you choose a date and purchase your tickets, the first four weeks were sold out. Luckily I was there in August so was able to secure tickets and to plan my trip around going to Highclere. It absolutely was worth it to visit the house and grounds.
Others on this site will tell you that they went to Highclere in the afternoon and were able to get in even without advance tickets. If you search "Highclere" on the forum I'm sure you can read these as well to see if you want to risk just showing up if you are unable to get them online.
You don't need to do this by snail-mail; all you have to do is buy the tickets online and then print out your tickets.
Good luck!
Posted by
Austin, Tx
149 posts
I just went during the only weekend in December that they were open. I missed the sale date. (Check the website EVERY DAY in mid-Feb). But I lucked out and got them on eBay. So that could be another option if you do miss it. Probably doesn't hurt to follow them on twitter too, if you do that kind of thing. https://twitter.com/HighclereCastle
Posted by
OP
55 posts
Thanks for the information, folks! I'm curious how people know exactly when tickets go on sale? In emails, I have been told simply, "Mid-February". Thanks!
Posted by
USA
125 posts
We toured Highclere Castle last year. It was lovely. We bought our tickets online from the the Highclere website.
Bookmark the Highclere website and check it every day. That's how you will know when tickets go on sale.
Register for an account NOW on the website so you can log in quickly and purchase your tickets when they do go on sale. Then you won't lose time registering for an account while everyone else is snapping up tickets: https://highclerecastleshop.co.uk/users/register
When you buy tickets online, you will receive your tickets by email and can simply print them out.
Good luck!
Posted by
Redding, California
244 posts
According to Highclere Castle Twitter news, @HighclereCastle: summer tickets will be going on sale in the first week of February. I joined their Twitter feed to keep an eye on when they go on sale! I will be setting my alarm!