The beautifully-made period drama Downton Abbey has transfixed the British nation for months.
Starring Dame Maggie Smith as the imperious, often disdainful, Dowager Countess of Grantham, the classic Sunday-evening series about the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants drew UK audiences of 11 million.
Downton Abbey is co-produced for the ITV network by Carnival and MASTERPIECE/WGBH, the Boston-based public television producer and broadcaster. The mini-series will launch the 40th anniversary season of MASTERPIECE on January 9, 2011 on PBS in the USA.
Now magnificent Highclere Castle, one of England’s most splendid Victorian castles set amidst 1,000 acres of spectacular parkland in Hampshire, and which played the role of Downton Abbey in the show, is to become even more accessible to overseas visitors.
Highclere Castle is poised to join the Great British Heritage Pass for 2011. The Pass is a must-have for all visitors to Britain. In return for an up-front payment from as little as £4 a day for an adult using a 30-day Pass, the scheme offers free entry to almost 500 of Britain’s most iconic heritage sights.
These include some of our best-loved attractions including Stonehenge, Sissinghurst Castle, Shakespeare’s Birthplace, Castle Howard, Caernarfon Castle, Glamis Castle and Balmoral. And Pass holders in 2011 also enjoy 50% off normal admission to the Eden Project in Cornwall and The Roman Baths in Bath.
Sponsored by British Airways (USA), the Pass covers a wealth of heritage sites managed by English Heritage, the National Trust, The National Trust for Scotland and Cadw (Wales) as well as many more independent properties. It was created over 30 years ago by VisitBritain, and is available exclusively to the overseas international visitor. Choose from a 3, 7, 15 or 30-day Pass for adult or child.
Britain begins with British Airways, offering you a great choice of flights and cabins so you can find the one that suits your needs.
For more information and to buy your Great British Heritage Pass, visit www.visitbritainshop.com/heritagepass.
