The character of Cora Crawley does the same in the series, earning herself a place among the royalty by investing a generous amount of money. The producers grabbed a copy of the book before beginning to pen the story of the series, as Fellowes divulged in an interview. The story of the novel depicts the time period with much precision, which, in turn, has inspired the series to stay true to its times.
There is also a real-life inspiration behind the character of Cora Crawley. The historical figure of Lady Almina, the wife of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, leaves her shadow on the fictional character.
Lady Almina, like Cora Crawley, did not belong to aristocracy although she had her roots in the wealthy Rothschild family and came with a hefty sum of dowry. But as Lady Carnarvon suggested , the marriage was not one of convenience but was primarily governed by love. With the money, Lady Almina gave the house a modern makeover. Another character, namely Carson, the uptight butler, is influenced by another real-life figure in the Highclere Castle.
Colin Edwards, the butler of the Carnarvon family, proved to be an inspiration behind the character. Reality lands way too close to fiction? The outbreak of the First World War created a wider range of career opportunities for both wealthy women and domestic servants. In Downton Abbey , Cora, Countess of Grantham finds a new purpose in her role managing a convalescent hospital in her home, Lady Edith learns to drive, and Lady Sybil becomes a nurse, experiences shared by historical women of their social class.
Among the younger servants at Downton Abbey, both men and women imagine new possibilities for themselves as both Thomas and Ethel and later Daisy and Molesley consider lives outside domestic service. New business ideas and new opportunities for education are pursued, with varying degrees of success.
Within the world of Downton Abbey , however, interdependent relationships between domestic servants and their employers endure long after the war and develop into real friendships. These relationships meet the expectations of modern audiences but are not necessarily representative of the experiences of many domestic servants in the early 20th century. Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses. Dr Carolyn Harris takes a closer look at the relationships and history portrayed on screen… Advertisement.
Highclere Castle was a filming location for the British period drama Downton Abbey. Image by Getty Images. Dinner at Downton Abbey. Photo by moviestills. Servants at Biddlesden Park House, Buckinghamshire, cc While the fictional Crawleys were supportive of marriages between their servants, such relationships were often discouraged by actual early 20th-century employers.
Image by Alamy. For one, the castle where the Crawleys live is a real-life place: the Highclere Castle, where they have filmed parts of the show and the movie. Highclere has belonged to the Carnarvon family for years, according to ABC , and is currently home to the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. In the past, the castle has also hosted kings and queens, similar to the plot of the new Downton movie. If you want to learn even more about the Highclere Castle, Lady Carnarvon often blogs about her time in the estate, including the various connections to Downton Abbey.
Lady Carnarvon lived there throughout the filming; some scenes are filmed on location while others, especially the kitchen moments, are filmed in the studio. She's even written about the castle's own Mrs. Patmore aka her chef, Paul. Lady Carnarvon has also published multiple books about the history and modern-day events of Highclere.
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