Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey PDF Author: Countess Of Carnarvon
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 144473086X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
'Bright, breezy and unpretentious' Guardian 'A loving and faithful portrait of Almina and her world' Countryfile magazine * * * * * * The story of the real Downton Abbey, told by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, chatelaine of Highclere Castle where the phenomentally successful TV series was filmed. Lady Fiona Carnarvon became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle - the setting of the hit series Downton Abbey - eight years ago. In that time she's become fascinated by the rich history of Highclere, and by the extraordinary people who lived there over the centuries. One person particularly captured Fiona's imagination - Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Almina was the illegitimate daughter of banking tycoon Alfred de Rothschild. She was his only daughter and he doted on her. She married the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, at 19, with an enormous dowry. At first, life at Highclere was a dizzying mix of sumptuous banquets for 500 and even the occasional royal visitor. Almina oversaw 80 members of staff - many of whom came from families who had worked at Highclere for generations. But when the First World War broke out, life at Highclere changed forever. History intervened and Almina and the staff of Highclere were thrown into one of the most turbulent times of the last century. Almina was forced to draw on her deepest reserves of courage in order to ensure her family, the staff and the castle survived. This is the remarkable story of a lost time. But Highclere remains and in this book, Fiona weaves Almina's journey and those of her family into the heritage and history of one of England's most exquisite Victorian castles.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey PDF Author: Countess Of Carnarvon
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 144473086X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 260

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Book Description
'Bright, breezy and unpretentious' Guardian 'A loving and faithful portrait of Almina and her world' Countryfile magazine * * * * * * The story of the real Downton Abbey, told by Lady Fiona Carnarvon, chatelaine of Highclere Castle where the phenomentally successful TV series was filmed. Lady Fiona Carnarvon became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle - the setting of the hit series Downton Abbey - eight years ago. In that time she's become fascinated by the rich history of Highclere, and by the extraordinary people who lived there over the centuries. One person particularly captured Fiona's imagination - Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon. Almina was the illegitimate daughter of banking tycoon Alfred de Rothschild. She was his only daughter and he doted on her. She married the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, at 19, with an enormous dowry. At first, life at Highclere was a dizzying mix of sumptuous banquets for 500 and even the occasional royal visitor. Almina oversaw 80 members of staff - many of whom came from families who had worked at Highclere for generations. But when the First World War broke out, life at Highclere changed forever. History intervened and Almina and the staff of Highclere were thrown into one of the most turbulent times of the last century. Almina was forced to draw on her deepest reserves of courage in order to ensure her family, the staff and the castle survived. This is the remarkable story of a lost time. But Highclere remains and in this book, Fiona weaves Almina's journey and those of her family into the heritage and history of one of England's most exquisite Victorian castles.

Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey

Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey PDF Author: The Countess Of Carnarvon
Publisher: Hachette UK
ISBN: 1444762141
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 392

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Book Description
**Explore the fascinating history of the real Downton Abbey as the Crawley family saga makes its way on to the big screen with Downton Abbey, the major motion picture** 'An excellent depiction of English aristocratic life ... a compelling portrait' Publisher's Weekly * * * * * * The follow-up to the international bestseller Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey, this book moves the story into the 1920s, and focuses on the remarkable American heiress who came to reign at Highclere Castle. Sometimes the facts are even more extraordinary than the fiction ... This book tells the story of Lady Catherine, a beautiful American girl who became the chatelaine of Highclere Castle, the setting for Julian Fellowes' award-winning drama Downton Abbey. Charming and charismatic, Catherine caught the eye of Lord Porchester (or 'Porchey', as he was known) when she was just 20 years old, and wearing a pale yellow dress at a ball. She had already turned down 14 proposals before she eventually married Porchey in 1922. But less than a year later Porchey's father died suddenly, and he became the 6th Earl of Carnarvon, inheriting a title and a Castle that changed both their lives forever. Catherine found herself suddenly in charge of a small army of household staff, and hosting lavish banquets and weekend house parties. Although the couple were very much in love, considerable challenges lay ahead for Catherine. They were immediately faced with the task of saving Highclere when debts threatened to destroy the estate. As the 1920s moved to a close, Catherine's adored brother died and she began to lose her husband to the distractions London had to offer. When the Second World War broke out, life at the Castle would never be the same again. Drawing on rich material from the private archives at Highclere, including beautiful period photographs, the current Countess of Carnarvon transports us back to the thrilling and alluring world of the 'real Downton Abbey' and its inhabitants.

Christmas at Highclere

Christmas at Highclere PDF Author: The Countess of Carnarvon
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1473571030
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 463

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Book Description
Highclere Castle, known as 'the real Downton Abbey' bustles with activity at the best of times, but it is never more alive than at Christmas. Christmas at Highclere is a look behind the scenes at the routines and rituals that make the castle the most magical place to be throughout the festive season. Lady Carnarvon will guide you through Advent, Christmas preparations and Christmas Eve all the way through to the day itself, and beyond. Learn how the castle and grounds are transformed by decorations, including the raising of a twenty-foot tree in the saloon, the gathering of holly and mistletoe from the grounds. All the intricacies of the perfect traditional Christmas are here: from crackers and carol singers. The festive feeling is carried through to Highclere's Boxing Day traditions, the restorative middle days and the New Year's Eve celebrations. This book also tells the story of historic Christmases at Highclere - of distinguished guests warming themselves by the fire after a long journeys home through the snow, unexpected knocks on the door, and, always, the joy of bringing family - and staff - together after a busy year. As well as telling the stories of Highclere Christmases past and present, Lady Carnarvon provides recipes, tips and inspiration from her kitchen so that readers can bring a quintessentially British festive spirit to their own home. Lady Carnarvon divulges the secret to perfectly flakey mince pies, the proper way to wrap presents so that you and your guests are guaranteed a Christmas to remember. Lavish, celebratory and utterly enchanting, Christmas at Highclere is celebration of one of the UK's most beloved historic houses and is the perfect gift for any Downton Abbey fan.

Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey

Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey PDF Author: The Countess of Carnarvon
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 038534497X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 365

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Book Description
Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the setting for Julian Fellowes’s Emmy Award-winning PBS show Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Catherine Wendell. In this transporting companion piece to the New York Times bestseller Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey, Catherine, a beautiful and spirited American woman who married Lady Almina’s son, the man who would become the 6th Earl of Carnarvon, presides over the grand estate during a tumultuous time for the British aristocracy. Following the First World War, many of the great houses of England faded as their owners fortunes declined in the new political and social world of the 1920s and 1930s. As war loomed, Highclere’s survival as the family home of the Carnarvons was again in the balance—as was peace between the nations of Europe. Using copious materials—including diaries and scrapbooks—from the castle’s archives, the current Countess of Carnarvon brings alive a very modern story in a beautiful and fabled setting, paying particular attention to the staff who provide Highclere Castle with continuity between generations.

At Home at Highclere

At Home at Highclere PDF Author: The Countess of Carnarvon
Publisher: Rizzoli Publications
ISBN: 0847860973
Category : House & Home
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Written by the current lady of the manor, this book gives complete access to the world-renowned historic country house and showcases the art of entertaining, past and present. Highclere Castle, famed as the setting for Downton Abbey, is the epitome of how we imagine the perfect English country house. Long the Carnarvon fami­ly’s ancestral country seat, Highclere has welcomed royalty, statesmen, and notables from the worlds of business, academia, and the arts for shooting parties, elegant fêtes, and celebrations in the grand style. Lady Fiona Carnarvon, the current chatelaine, invites readers inside Highclere, past and present, as she describes how to entertain in the style of a stately English country house: the etiquette of the invi­tation, multi-course meals, correct seating arrange­ments, proper attire, setting the table. She delves into family archives to highlight four real-life historic weekend parties over a seventy-year period during which Highclere hosted an ever-changing cast of notable figures—including Benjamin Disraeli and the Prince of Wales—exploring how society and enter­taining changed decade by decade. Complete with gorgeous full-color photography of Highclere’s rooms and punctuated by charming archival images, the book explores changing menus, fashionable cocktails of the day, and includes, where practical, adaptations for recipes which can be used for entertaining in the present day.

The World of Downton Abbey

The World of Downton Abbey PDF Author: Jessica Fellowes
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
ISBN: 1250016207
Category : Performing Arts
Languages : en
Pages : 497

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Book Description
A lavish look at the real world—both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama—of the beloved Emmy Award–winning Masterpiece TV series. April 1912. The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear that it seems as if the way of life it represents will last for another thousand years. It won’t. Millions of American viewers were enthralled by the world of Downton Abbey, the mesmerizing TV drama of the aristocratic Crawley family—and their servants—on the verge of dramatic change. This gorgeous book—illustrated with sketches and research from the production team, as well as on-set photographs from the first two seasons—takes us even deeper into that world, with fresh insights into the story and characters as well as the social history.

Seasons at Highclere

Seasons at Highclere PDF Author: The Countess of Carnarvon
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 1473592739
Category : Cooking
Languages : en
Pages : 450

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Book Description
Join Lady Carnarvon as she opens the gates to Highclere Castle, the 'real Downton Abbey', and discover how the iconic British landmark celebrates and changes each season. This book reveals the treasures within Highclere Castle's land and estates: Georgian architecture, follies, secret gardens, the monks' garden, wildflower meadows and the woods of enchantment. Alongside history and anecdotes, this book also details sumptuous recipes for dishes inspired by local, seasonal produce, such as Heritage Tomato Tart, Highclere Baked Figs with Goats Cheese, and Honeyed Winter Vegetable Salad. Beautifully illustrated with full-colour photography, Seasons at Highclere is full of gastronomical delights, the stories of the treasures within Highclere Castle's grounds, untold secrets from the castle's archives and much more. This is the perfect gift or keepsake, and a book to be cherished for years to come.

Mouseton Abbey

Mouseton Abbey PDF Author: Joanna Bicknell
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781782355878
Category : Children's stories
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
An adorable tale about the mice of Mouseton Abbey! It's Cheesemas at Mouseton Abbey. And at Cheesemas, the Mouseton family pass around the Great Big Cheesy Diamond and everyone gets to make a wish. But this year, there's a problem.

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey PDF Author: Fiona Countess of Carnarvon
Publisher: Zebra Press
ISBN: 9781445893457
Category : Large print books
Languages : en
Pages : 298

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Book Description
At 19, with an enormous dowry, Almina married the 5th Earl of Carnavon. Life at Highclere Castle was a dizzying mix of sumptuous banquets for 500 and even the occasional royal visitor. Almina oversaw 80 members of staff - many of whom came from families who had worked at Highclere for generations. But when the First World War broke out, life at Highclere, both upstairs and downstairs, changed forever.

Lord and Pharaoh

Lord and Pharaoh PDF Author: Brian Fagan
Publisher: Left Coast Press
ISBN: 1629581518
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 184

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Book Description
Though they lived over 3000 years apart, the lives of Egyptian King Tutankhamun and the fifth Lord Carnarvon-- who found his tomb-- share many parallels. Brian Fagan's artful narrative weaves these two lives together, showing how archaeological information can effectively tell the story of real lives of people in the past.