- ESCAPADA. The real scenarios of the new Downton Abbey movie
- TELEVISION: Friends' route through New York 25 years later
During the six seasons that Downton Abbey (2010-2015) aired on television, the imposing Yorkshire region was a character almost as important as any of the inhabitants of the famous Crawley family. And while his dramatic stories were pure fiction, not the scenarios and places that served as a backdrop for filming and many others that were not but well worth exploring.
Four years have had to wait for fans of the series to see the Crawleys again and their elegant mansion, Highclere Castle , on the big screen. With the newly released film and Yorkshire as the nerve center of the plot in family life, we can confirm that the carefully chosen places for both the series and the feature film were essential in its success, from the pastoral charm of the farms to the large palaces passing through one of the most beautiful villages in the British countryside.
"A decade ago Malton was nothing more than a set of beautiful houses, but we have been years of great transformation that has made us the capital of gastronomy in Yorkshire." They are the words of Robert Brittain, chef of one of the most popular restaurants in the region, which in turn is part of one of Yorkshire's fashionable hotels, The Talbot, a place full of character in the middle of the deciduous England.
MEAT AND BONE CRAWLEYS
Together with The Talbot, restaurants like The Star Inn have been determined to modernize the tradition, but respecting it. Located after a short drive along a winding road between badlands is the picturesque town of Harome, a place of pilgrimage for foodies thanks to The Star Inn (a Michelin star). Chef Andrew Pern acquired this former inn of the fourteenth century in 1996 and since then has not stopped reaping success, from appearing on the BBC Countryfile program to being a finalist in Great British Menu as a great exponent of seasonal regional cuisine.
The beauty of this region lies in its hotels, restaurants ... and in places like Castle Howard: in addition to the stately home of the Crawley on the screen, it is one of the most magnificent mansions in England. The history of the family that keeps it running keeps parallels with the series: it has been a private home for over 300 years and, as in fiction, the Howard clan has worked hard on innovative methods to preserve this great -and expensive- property. "We may find ourselves in the best baroque manor house in Britain," says Sophie Allenby, press officer of the castle.
He was chosen to decorate numerous films, including Return to Brideshead. In the film version of Downton Abbey, the Crawleys and their staff prepare here the visit of King George V and Queen Mary. The staff is excited with the idea of serving dinner to royalty , which entails the titanic task of cleaning every corner and crack of the house, polishing all the silver and planning a menu. A situation that is easy to imagine walking through the centuries of history that Castle Howard contains since his work was designed by the architect Sir John Vanbrugh in 1699.
Any tour of the most cinematic places in Yorkshire has a mandatory stop at Whitby, a picturesque fishing village with cobblestone streets dating back to the Middle Ages, located on the wild east coast of the county. In directions such as The Magpie Cafe, they shake prejudices to stigmatized dishes such as fish & chips , which are served with a fresh fish from the bay itself and wrapped in an extra-crispy batter. And in others, such as Whitby Abbey they manage to make their hair stand on end to the most skeptical traveler. For a sample, a novel, that of Dracula by Bram Stoker, since much of the book is developed here, with scenarios as spooky as the cemetery of the church of Santa Maria.
SLEEP LIKE A LADY
Next stop, York, essence of the English landscape that is preserved in this cinematic county. Culturally prosperous, theaters, concerts and art are well appreciated by its young population of university students, who fill the streets day and night demonstrating that it can be one of the oldest cities in England, but also one of the most dynamic. If we talk about his glorious past, York draws his chest to confirm that he has the oldest street in Europe, The Shambles, which also served as inspiration for the cinematographic representation of Harry Potter's Diagon Alley.
It is worth climbing the 275 steps of the cathedral of York to find the best views , an image that competes closely with that obtained from the walls, between the section that runs through the Bootham bar and the Monk Bar. Have tea In Bettys , which also celebrates its centenary this year or sleep as Lady Mary Crawley would do between the walls of the most luxurious hotel in the city, The Principal, are two of the most typical activities of a life of Countess in the capital of Yorkshire.
"We think that this time we will appear in the film after the years we were forgotten in the series." They are the words of Marie Jenkis, official guide of Harewood House, a "stately summer house, not a palace," says Jenkis, located in Yorkshire "just over half an hour from York" and which is one of the ten houses in England designated as "treasure houses" , which in practical terms means that it is exceptionally beautiful. For the joy of Jankis, Harewood House is actually one more of the locations of Downton Abbey in Yorkshire and in its leap to the big screen real historical events are intertwined with cinematographic fiction, all related to royalty. We did not expect less.
PRACTICAL GUIDE
Drop down
How to get. Iberia Express flies from Madrid to Manchester (50 euros) and Jet2 connects Barcelona with Leeds, both close to York.
Where to sleep. The Principal in York or The Talbot in Malton.
How to move. It is best to rent a car to move freely and make stops in more secondary villages such as Wass, Coxwold or Byland Abbey.
More info. On the Visit Britain website.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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