Located an hour from Highclere Castle, stand-in for the estate of Lord and Lady Crawley, as well as the indispensable staff working below stairs, Bampton is a tucked-away gem that hosted film crews and cast members twice each year during the show’s run. Now a private residence, Churchgate House was originally a rectory. It served as the exterior of Isobel Crawley’s home; the inside held the actors’ “green room.” The Bampton Community Archive, once the grammar school, became Downton Hospital, where Lady Sybil belied her patrician upbringing by serving as a nurse to convalescing soldiers. Nearby, the time-honored church of Saint Mary the Virgin, known to viewers as St Michael and All Angels Church, was the scene of several happy weddings—and where Lady Edith was heartbreakingly jilted.
So calming and beautiful. Needed to be there a few months ago. Wouldhavestayed
Growing up in upstate New York,the Cotswolds feel right at home.