Downton Abbey is an acclaimedBritish television drama createdby Julian Fellowes depicting thelives of the upper and lower classesin post-Edwardian England.

It first aired in the UnitedKingdom in 2010 butby the third series it hadbecome one of themost watched TV dramasworld-wide.

The series is set inthe fictional Yorkshirecountry estate ofDownton Abbey butmany of the locationsare in the OxfordshireCotswolds. This issuch a beautifularea that it wasno surprise that the producers

chose to film some of themost memorable momentsof the series here, particularlyBampton, which doublesas the fictional villageof Downton.

The rights to broadcastDownton Abbeyhave beenacquired in over220 territoriesand are viewedby an estimatedglobal audienceof 120 millionpeople.

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DOWNTONABBEY

IN THE

Downton Abbey & Cotswolds specialists!

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DIDYOU KNOW?

In 2014 China’s firstschool for butlers openedto meet a growing demand,this has been attributedto the influence ofDownton Abbey.

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Take the opportunity to explorethe sites of Downton Abbey yourself,

please visit our websitewww.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/downton

to view information on the operatorswho specialise in making your tour

a memorable one.

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The set locations for Downton Abbey have becomestars in their own right and are as much a characterin the series as any of the actors. For up to date

information please check our website.www.oxfordshirecotswolds.org/downton

The Oxfordshire Cotswolds isa tourism service provided byWest Oxfordshire District Council

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For a taste of what theOxfordshire Cotswolds has to offer

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Witney:�� 01993 775802 � witney.vic@westoxon.gov.uk

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES

DOWNTONABBEY

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BAMPTONThe area around St Mary’s Church may seemoddly familiar to many visitors for this is wherethe village scenes in the series are filmed andwhere many dramas have been played outin the streets.

• Churchgate House, the old rectory in Bampton,is used for the exterior shots of Isobel Crawley’shouse.

• The old Grammar School building, which nowhouses Bampton Community Archive, is whereDownton Cottage Hospital scenes were filmed.The Archive has a small selection of DowntonAbbey memorabilia including cards, mugs, picturesand a town map.

• St Mary’s Church, renamed as St Michael andAll Angels, has hosted a number of dramatic‘Downton’ events including weddings, funerals,christenings and even a jilting at the altar !

• Church View has appeared regularly throughoutthe series and is home to two fictional pubs –The Grantham Arms and The Dog & Duck –both featured in various episodes. It was alsothe site of Downton Fair.

* Please note that access to the Downton filming locations is not suitablefor large vehicles and there is little parking. Please visit the Find Uspage of the Bampton website www.bamptonoxon.co.uk for drop-offand parking information.

SHILTONLying two miles south ofBurford and close to theRoman road known asAkeman Street is thepicturesque village ofShilton. It is here thatthe Old Forge, beside Shillbrook, was transformed intoThe Red Lion public house,where Mr Bates went to workafter he left Downton Abbey inseries 2. Across the Shill brook, whicheventually feeds into the River Thames, is a verypretty 18th century stone hump-backed bridgewhich also featured.

DIDYOU KNOW?Bampton has

for generations beenrenowned for its

Morris Dancing traditionswhich are still

celebrated today.

It’s not all glamour, gorgeousoutfits and ‘lights, camera,action’! Sometimes there area few minutes to kill...

SWINBROOKTwo miles east of Burford is the beautifulvillage of Swinbrook, quintessentially Englishand situated alongside the River Windrush –at one time it would have been on theedge of the Wychwood Forest.

The Swan Inn, an idyllic Cotswold pub,is where Lady Sybil and Branson stayedwhilst planning their elopement to Gretna Green,a controversial storyline in series 2.

RURAL ENGLANDAT ITS FINESTThe Oxfordshire Cotswolds is steepedin history, rich in heritage and awashwith natural beauty, all found withinthe Cotswolds Area of OutstandingNatural Beauty. Close by are anetwork of national and international road, rail and air links –London Heathrow, London Oxford and Birmingham Airport.

Every care has been taken to ensure that the informationcontained in this guide is as accurate and up to dateas possible at the time of printing. West OxfordshireDistrict Council cannot accept any responsibility orliability for any errors or omissions, nor does inclusionnecessarily imply approval or recommendation.

DOWNTON ABBEY is a registered trade mark ofCarnival Film & Television Limited.

COGGESClose to Witney and nestling on the banks ofthe River Windrush is Cogges, a 13th centurymanor house and now a heritage site. Its historicfarm buildings are used for the fictional Yew TreeFarm, which played host to many of the farmingscenes in series 4 and was home to Mr Drewe,the tenant farmer. In series 5 the farm househas featured regularly as it is here that Marigold,Lady Edith’s illegitimate daughter, is beingbrought up. The kitchen had to be shot in sucha way as to make it look smaller than it actuallyis to reflect Mr Drewe’s working class status.

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