I proudly admit it: I am a Downton Abbey fan. More important, I
am a fan of English architecture and design, and what better
example is there than Highclere Castle, the historic home of the
eighth Earl of Carnarvon and the inspiration behind the hit
series? This rather large dwelling, the centerpiece of the
1,000-acre estate in Hampshire, is located atop an Iron Age hill
in the English countryside. The current home stands on the site
of an earlier structure that was built for the Bishops of
Winchester. Since 1679, the Carnarvon family has lived on the
estate. The third Earl of Carnarvon, at age 38, began the
remodel and rebuilding of the castle, engaging the talents of
Sir Charles Barry, who had built the Houses of Parliament. A
combination of the Jacobethan and Italianate styles, this
property has all the grandeur of a palace built for royalty!
Construction of a home this size obviously takes several years;
and as a result, several builders and architects were involved.
Upon Barry’s death in 1860, an associa