Regency Estates: Highclere Castle

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Highclere Castle in Hampshire, England was constructed in the 17th  century (around 1679) on the foundations of the original medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester. Designed by Charles Barry in the Jacobethan style, it would be extensively renovated in the 1840s. The park was designed by Capability Brown in the 18th Century, and is part of the over 5,000 acre estate.

 

One contemporary account described it thusly:Highclere the residence of the earl of Carnarvon near the north western border of the county is an elegant modern building situated in a very extensive park which with the pleasure grounds are much distinguished for the variety and beauty of their scenery England Described (1818)

The home, which served as a hospital for wounded soldiers during WWI and home to evacuated children from London during WWII, features between 250 and 300 rooms (Highclere Castle).

The first earl of Carnarvon was created in 1793. 1793 June 29 Henry George Herbert E of CARNARVON Lord Porchester Highclere House Hampshire and Pixton Somerset w “The” Royal kalendar and court and city register for England, Scotland, Ireland and the colonies (1819)

During the Regency era, the estate was referred to as Highclere House.

Today, the castle serves as the country seat of the Earl of Carnarvon. You may also recognize it as the main location of Downton Abbey.  Lady Carnarvon has a delightful blog that showcases life at Highclere: Lady Carnarvon – The official website of the Countess of Carnarvon.

You can also view some of the sights and sounds of Highclere on its instagram page: Highclere Castle (@highclere_castle) • Instagram photos and videos

Highclere boasts its own ghost:

belonged to that gifted Countess of Pembroke who was Sir Philip Sidney's sister A second To tell a ghost story in such a cosy cheery place at once reduces a ghost to a very harmless thing indeed Yet the tale of a ghost claimed by Highclere is often related to credulous guests He was such a disturbing ghost that a council of clergymen was called to lay his restless spirit Only eleven divines assembled an insufficient number for the emergency therefore the evil spirit speedily returned from the deep well where he had been banished and became more rampageous than ever time the clerical council was called together upon this occasion twelve in number and all concerned hoped that after they had solemnly laid the ghost to rest within the trunk of an old yew tree near the house that there he would remain for ever And for a time he was quiet but one stormy night amid wild thunder and lightning the demon escaped and became if possible more mischievous than before Then a more distant spot was chosen whence to banish the unruly spirit no less a place than the Red Sea but this latest spell laid upon him could continue for only a hundred years and a most uncomfortable uncertainty exists as to whether or no those hundred years have expired Therefore at any moment the turbulent ghost may reappear at Highclere and the only regret of the writer is that he did not elect to do so during her visit at the castle NAPOLEON'S CHAIR AND TABLE FROM FONTAINEBLEAU The English Illustrated Magazine (1890)

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