Today marks the end of an era for the little town of Bampton! Today was truly the final day of Downton Abbey filming in this lovely Cotswold village. The snow that was used yesterday on the set was gone, the sun was out, the village was sparkling, and it was the last day that the church square in Bampton will be the little village of Downton.
This year's filming has been very different than previous seasons. There were many more screens up to protect the actors and scenes. There was more security about and a greater tension between security and the paparazzi. It was no longer possible to get photos of or with the main actors. There were also more people watching the filming and so there was a designated gawking area. In earlier seasons, things were more relaxed and low key and anyone could wander through the set and mingle, to some degree, with the actors. Those days are long gone.
Even so, the crew seemed as professional and pleasant as ever. The extras were friendly and very interesting to talk to. I've met some delightful people in Bampton who I won't forget. Most everyone I spoke with today and yesterday are both sad to see this end and so grateful they all had such an amazing ride! Even though I live 20 minutes away, I guess I feel the same way -- sad to see this end and so grateful that I got to see a bit of the magic in the making.
Today was a lovely summer day and the usually sleepy little village of Bampton was transformed once again into Downton, the village of Downton Abbey. They are filming for the last time in Bampton, finishing up the final season of this phenomenally successful series. Today they were filming a winter scene complete with snow flurries. The usual quiet little church square was full, not just with film crew and extras, but with quite a crowd of tourists and gawkers.
Snow was added to create a winter scene in front of the library which is used for the Downton Hospital. A big snow blower created snow flurries for the scene. Just ignore the lovely green trees in the background.
They were filming a big scene in the church yard that used hundreds of extras. We arrived close to lunch time and the extras where standing in line to get a lovely curry from the lunch truck. Many of the extras are local towns people from Bampton and surrounding villages.
Lunch is over and it's time to get back to the church yard. Before the actors can make it through the gate back to the filming, they each have to have a make-up and hair check.
I'm sad this is the last time Bampton will turn into the village of Downton. I'm sad to see the end of such a fun ride. And I'm very grateful for the ride and for seeing a bit of all the hard work that goes into the making of a production such as Downton Abbey.
The Bampton church square that has served as the location for the fictional town of Downton was all wrapped up yesterday for the last filming of town scenes for season six of Downton Abbey. The production company screened off the church yard, Mrs. Crawley's home, and the square so they could film unimpeded by onlookers, dog walkers, and paparazzi .
There was a big scene going on in the church yard that seemed to contain most of the cast plus a large number of extras. Spoiler alert: it looked like a happy occasion. Could it be another wedding? Mrs. Crawley's? Edith's? Mary's? It was kept well under wraps. And I'm glad for it. Part of the fun of following a story is enjoying the surprises.
I'll miss seeing Bampton turn into Downton each summer. It's been a fun run. Watching these film shoots has given me a much greater appreciation for all that goes into the making of what might be just a few seconds of a scene. What we see on the screen is just the tiniest tip of the iceberg. There are thousands and thousands of hours that went into the making of the final product. I've now become a fan of the credits at the end of a production. All the production teams like costuming; sound; lighting; makeup; set design; logistics; editing; props; catering; etc. -- that is the rest of the iceberg and what made the tip all possible.
Late last night I had an email from a friend in Bampton telling me the film crew was in town and would be filming today. While I didn't have much time Bampton is only 25 minutes away from our home so I drove out to watch for about an hour. It is sad to think that this is the last season of Downton Abbey and, after this, the little town of Bampton will no longer turn into Downton each summer. Here is what it looked like today.
It doesn't take much to create the Downton Post Office
Dr. Clarkson (David Robb) and Denker (Sue Johnston)
Normally they film two days in a row. Not this time. I hope this means they will be back for one more shoot and that I'll find out about it in time. Hopefully, more to come....
About 30 minutes down river from Oxford is a spectacular manor house called Basildon Park. The house was built between 1776 and 1783 for Sir Francis Sykes (an nasty guy who's name Charles Dickens used for Bill Sykes in Oliver Twist) and was fully completed. Through the years the house passed through a succession of owners.
By 1910 it was empty and in 1914, it was requisitioned by the British Government as an army convalescent hospital. In 1929, following a failed attempt to dismantle and rebuild the house in the USA, it was stripped of many of its fixtures and fittings and all but abandoned. During World War II, the house was again requisitioned and served as a barracks, a training ground for tanks, and finally a prisoner of war camp.
In 1952, a time when hundreds of British country houses were being demolished, Balisdon Park was described as totally derelict with no windows left intact. It was in this state that Lord and Lady Iliffe bought the estate and lovingly restored it to it's original glory. The house you see today is a re-creation and restoration of the 18th-century mansion. As estate houses were being torn down in the 50s's after the war, Lady Iliffe scoured the country and salvaged all sorts of beautiful architectural features from demolished homes to restore Basildon Park. The results is a spectacular home filled with fine paintings, fabrics and furniturethat is ready made for movie sets and film shoots.
Basildon Park is used for the Downton Abbey interior scenes of Grantham House, the Crawley family's London residence -- seen in the 2013 Christmas Special. Other movies filmed at Basildon include Pride & Prejudice (2005);Marie Antoinette (2006);The Duchess (2008); and on going, Downton Abbey.
For more photos of the house while Downton and Pride and Prejudiced was being filmed:
You have to walk a ways through the grounds to get to the house.
Field of buttercups
The House
The Entrance Room
The Library or Study
The Hall
The Dinning Room...
...often used as the Ball Room
Place setting for Lady Mary Crawley
A dress worn by Miss Shirley MacLaine in Downton Abbey
The Octagon Room was used as the Crawley's main drawing room.
A Sitting Room
Basildon Park is featured again in Season 5
Lady Iliffe was an excellent seamstress
The drapes in the background were made by Lady Iliffe
The side of the house
The view from the back
Happy cows in the buttercup field
View from the front of the house
I visited Basildon Park with the wonderful women of the "K" Club" Katie, Kathy, and Kari. I am so honored and grateful to be an honorary member of the K Club despite having the wrong initials.
In 1978 the Ilffes gave their house, together with its park and a large endowment for its upkeep, to the National Trust.
