Highclere — A Masterpiece Classic - Beyond Downton Abbey: A Guide to 25 Great Houses - page 5

A medieval palace owned by the powerful Bishops of Winchester once stood on the site
of Highclere Castle, but since 1679, Highclere has been the domain of the Carnarvon fam-
ily. Renovated in the 1700s and early 1800s, Highclere evolved into a classical square Ge-
orgian mansion, then was transformed into a Jacobethan castle by Sir Charles Barry, ar-
chitect of London's Houses of Parliament. The makeover from mansion to castle began in
1839 and lasted until 1878.
A more purposeful transformation happened here during the First World War when High-
clere became a hospital for wounded soldiers until 1922.
Like many historic properties, Highclere suffered significant physical deterioration in the
recent century. A 2009 Daily Mail article headline painted a bleak picture: “Can Highclere
Castle be saved? Historic home is verging on ruin as Lord Carnarvon reveals £12m repair
bill.” No doubt income from Downton Abbey has helped, but Highclere and other historic
properties still face huge maintenance and preservation challenges.
Style notes
Jacobethan, with Italianate elements
photo by Richard Munckton (Creative Commons license)