Windsor to Highclere Castle

Firstly, have you checked that Highclere Castle is open that day and has ticket availability? It has very limited opening. There is no point going if it’s closed to visitors. It’s a private home on a large estate and you can’t see anything unless you have access to the house & grounds.

Secondly, what transport will you have?

If you’re on a tour I assume you’d need to arrange transport rather than having a car. By road (say, taxi or rented car) Highclere Castle is more than an hour from Windsor.

So unless you have tickets and about four hours to spare, it’s not really doable.

Windsor Castle is infinitely more impressive and worth your time - for one thing it’s an actual castle rather than a big house with “castle” in the name.

This Person, many of us loved Downton Abbey and we want to see Highclere if possible...

No, sorry, you haven’t got time. Windsor itself will fill over half a day there plus travel. Windsor has far more history than Highclere, which was only built in the 1870s.

Highclere is over an hour’s drive from Windsor each way or you would have to take a train to Newbury then take a taxi - likely to take 1.5-2 hours each way. You need 2.5 hours at Highclere.

This Person, many of us loved Downton Abbey and we want to see
Highclere if possible...

I do understand, sort of, but it breaks my heart when people shortchange amazing and beautiful historic buildings to see a house off the telly, however good the programme.

Anyway. It’s all academic anyway if Highclere Castle isn’t open that day.

I’m one of those Downton Abbey fans... I was ever so lucky that I was in London last Sept and able to take a full day guided tour to not just Highclere but also the village of Bampton and Cogges Manor Farm where many scenes were filmed. It was a wonderful day and would have been so even if I wasn’t a DA fan, beautiful countryside and exploring Highclere was such a treat. I highly recommend a day tour if it suits your schedule, I booked through Viator and everything went perfectly—about 20 of us and a great guide.

This Person, i see and understand your perspective being a local. i feel the same about some choices tourists make when visiting San Francisco.

But i know i would love to have a day like the one christa had. I’ll be in London starting on Oct 1st and just missed Highclere being open and i’m very disappointed. We will spend a day in Windsor though (and other wonderful places in our 8 days).

I’ll be in London starting on Oct 1st and just missed Highclere being
open and i’m very disappointed.

Susan, would you have any interest in seeing another “big house” to give you an insight into the sort of Downton Abbey lifestyle?

I’m a big fan of Audley End near Stansted. It’s a big stately home, originally Jacobean later Victorian, with grand rooms but also a real sense of life “downstairs” amongst the servants and household staff. It would give you a great picture of life at one of Britain’s big houses. We have many others, too...

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/audley-end-house-and-gardens/

the Rick Steves itinerary for the day in Windsor says that we will tour Windsor Castle and environs that morning and then have the afternoon free. So if Highclere is too far, are there things that I should not miss in Windsor or should I go back to London for the afternoon?

This Person, thank you! I would love that. .English friends of mine are picking me up at St Pancras and we already have an 8 day itinerary but i’ll ask if we can fit in Audley End. Maybe instead of Blenheim? What’s your opinion... Audley End and/or Blenheim?

Blenheim Palace is very grand and it’s conveniently near Oxford. Plus it has the Churchill connection.

What I like about Audley End is the attention played to “downstairs,” which is overlooked at some big houses.

Both are excellent but different.

So if Highclere is too far, are there things that I should not miss in
Windsor or should I go back to London for the afternoon?

There’s more to Windsor than the castle. It’s a very pretty town, some interesting shops and you can stroll across the river to take a look at Eton, home of Britain’s most famous public (that is, hugely expensive fee-paying private) school.

This Person, I am much more interested in Audley End with an emphasis on “Downstairs” than i am a grand, opulent palace even if Winston Churchill did grow up there. You’re exactly right, most houses, castles (in any country) often ignore downstairs life which is what fascinates me the most.
Thanks so much for recommending Audley End to me, it sounds brilliant. i’m going to see if we can substitute it for something else.

Now I'm adding Audley End to my list for my next trip to London...much as I enjoyed Highclere the "downstairs" was not used in filming and is a museum devoted to Lord Carnarvon and his explorations in Egypt, so none of the original kitchen is intact nor can you see inside any of the servant's quarters. Exploring old houses is big on my list wherever I go, more so than palaces.

Glad you like the idea of Audley End.

There are so many wonderful big houses in England, but that’s a particular favourite and close to London too. Tourists so seldom head east except for Cambridge.

The nearby town of Saffron Walden is very pretty, too.