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    The World of Downton Abbey
    The World of Downton Abbey
    The World of Downton Abbey
    Ebook420 pages3 hours

    The World of Downton Abbey

    By Jessica Fellowes and Julian Fellowes

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    About this ebook

    A perfect gift for Downton Abbey fans, this book presents a lavish look at the real world--both the secret history and the behind-the-scenes drama--of the spellbinding Emmy Award-winning Masterpiece TV series that's now a feature film.

    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 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. On the eve of Season 2 of the TV presentation, this gorgeous book--illustrated with sketches and research from the production team, as well as on-set photographs from both seasons--takes us even deeper into that world, with fresh insights into the story and characters as well as the social history.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateDec 6, 2011
    ISBN9781250016201
    Author

    Jessica Fellowes

    JESSICA FELLOWES is an author, journalist, and public speaker. She is the author of The Mitford Murders novels as well as the New York Times bestselling official companion books to the Downton Abbey TV series. Former deputy editor of Country Life, and columnist for the Mail on Sunday, she has written for the Daily Telegraph, the Guardian, The Sunday Times, and The Lady. Jessica has spoken at events across the UK and US, and has made numerous appearances on radio and television. She lives in Oxfordshire with her family.

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    Reviews for The World of Downton Abbey

    4/5

    19 ratings17 reviews

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    • 2/5
      After watching the entire series in less than 6 weeks, I was looking forward to reading this book, but I was disappointed.I wanted to know more about Downton Abbey itself & the characters.... I wanted more photos of the clothing. What I got instead was a glossing of the characters, little on the clothing and more about the history of the eras in which the show took place.... and the blinking book ended after season two!Example: "Lady Mary would have done this, as at the time in England: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah....." I found that tedious, I wanted more of the story!The photos are nice, many have interesting side stories, but they are inserted right in the middle of a main idea and tend to be an interruption. Example, I'm reading about Lady Mary & the women of the time, and all of a sudden where the continuation of Lady Mary's story should be there is a photo of Elsie Hughes and a short blurb about her & her job, which completely cuts off Lady Mary's story and derails my train of thought.I was disappointed... so much so, that I will forgo the glossy presentation of the complete series.
    • 3/5
      Interesting and fun to hear as a big fan of the series. Elizabeth McGovern's imitation of Julian Fellowes voice might be the very best part of this as an audiobook!
    • 4/5
      Goooorgeous.
    • 4/5
      The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica FellowesThis 'coffee table' book is a lovely pictorial of the making of the hugely popular U.S. series Downton Abbey. There are photos and the telling of how they filmed the show from the making of the actor's wardrobes, to the cooking, to the laundry, to the filming, staging, etc. It is the perfect companion piece for anyone who, like myself, loves the show.
    • 5/5
      I admit that I have a slight obsession with Downton Abbey. It sucked me in from the start. And now my curiosity as piqued as to what life was really like in the early 1900s. Therefore, I am branching out a bit in the books that I am reading.

      The World of Downton Abbey is a companion guide to the second season of the beloved BBC Masterpiece show Downton Abbey. Not only does it outline the lives of the Crawley family during the first World War, but also gives us a peek at the lives of the real aristocracy of England. Family life, style, life in service, romance and war are a few of the topics covered in Jessica Fellowes book.

      I greatly enjoyed reading and learning more about British culture. It helps me to understand the characters in the show better, as well as characters in the books I read. There is a lot of history to be found in period dramas and I do love learning about it. I was happy to learn that the show has a historical advisor Alastair Bruce (known as The Oracle) that does not hide in the shadows. He makes certain that everything is proper and accurate. Any Downton enthusiast would enjoy this book, but it is also a great read for learning more about the era.
    • 5/5
      Great fun for series fans!
    • 5/5
      I'm a HUGE Downton Abbey fan! So this book is like a gift! I enjoyed it very much, all the photos, information, fashion... everything. It's one book I will look through again and again. I can't wait for season III.
    • 4/5
      Good for a fan of the show to look at the historical bedding that underpins Downton Abbey.
    • 3/5
      A nice companion to the Wonderful TV series...informative about the time, actors and the sets and props...
    • 5/5
      This a beautiful souvenir for fans of the television series. The book is broken into sections covering family life, society, change, life in service, style, house and estate, romance, war, and behind the scenes. The plot of the series is not really covered. It's more of a collection of gorgeous photographs of the cast as well as historical photographs alongside nonfiction articles relating tidbits of the time. I read this along with other books such as Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey and Below Stairs to tide me over to the new season of Downton Abbey. I was so looking forward to it until I read that Dan Stevens aka Matthew Crawley has decided to move on leaving his character to....well I won't ruin it for you like it was ruined for me. Really Dan? You couldn't commit to a few measly episodes of a hit drama that anyone else would give their eye teeth to be a part of. I curse you and the remnants of what is sure to be your sad pathetic career prospects. Thanks a lot for nothing. Oh yeah, the book is good, you should buy it, a must for fans (and former fans of which I must now count myself) of Downton Abbey, sob!
    • 5/5
      Answered all of my immediate questions about the era and gave an extensive list of recommended reading to learn more. Loved it - will tide me over until the new season starts next year!
    • 2/5
      If you must read all things "Downton Abbey," save your money and borrow this from a library, especially if you are tempted to believe the cover line, "The Rivalry and Romance Revealed." Not much is revealed other than that this is a rather obvious attempt to capitalize on the popular TV drama.This glossy volume has a mix of television series stills and historic photographs, scrapbooked with mostly irrelevant quotes from actors/characters. The captions are frustratingly vague, or nonexistent. The text, by Julian Fellowes's niece, offers some interesting facts for anyone who has never had a European history course in his/her life, and a very few for those who have, notably the section about the Buccaneers, American heiresses who married a title and gave big bucks to maintain their husbands' estates.The series' plot is barely alluded to, so no spoilers, or revelations for those who want to learn more of Bates's backstory. And where is Branson in the cover shot? And how about some pictures of Highclere without all the TV folk milling about?The present Countess of Carnavon's book on her predecessor Lady Almina is far meatier. I hope she earns enough from it to save the castle for the next series.
    • 5/5
      Like thousands of others, I fell in love with the series, Downton Abbey. I'm glued to my seat with each season in anticipation to find out what will happen to these beloved characters. I love the upstairs characters as well as the downstairs characters. For those reasons and many others, I absolutely love The World of Downton Abbey by Jessica Fellowes.This book is a behind the scenes look at the mesmerizing world that I can't get enough. The World of Downton Abbey is broken up into several chapters that dives deeper into the series such as: Family Life, Society, Life in Service and Style. Each chapter explores the historical significance of events that take place, beautiful photographs, quotes from the actors, as well as mannerisms of the era. This is a great book for any fan of Downton Abbey to own. It's interesting as well as very entertaining. There is so much to learn about this period in time. Reading this book will help you get an insightful look at what it was to live in this era as well as the trials and tribulations of belonging to the aristocracy. I also love reading the actor's thoughts on the characters they portray. This is definitely a book that I will read again and again.
    • 4/5
      An interesting and broadly scoped look at the British television series Downton Abbey. Every chapter covers a different aspect of the show, with the vast majority being devoted to the historical setting of the early 1900s: clothing, society, romance, war, etc. The last chapter gives a brief look behind the scenes at the show's production (both seasons are covered).Although the book is beautiful (lots of full page color photographs and some artsy layout choices), the main text of the book is broken up by all of the added features, including the little snippet sidebars, which can be distracting if you like a continuous narrative flow.
    • 5/5
      Less behind-the-scenes (though there is a section devoted to behind-the-scenes information and some more tidbits scattered throughout the book) and more a guide to historical and social context for the show. Even as someone fairly well-versed in the period in which Downton Abbey is set, I learned new things from the book and found snippets here and there which enriched my understanding of the history I did already know. And the pictures! The book is just chock full of beautiful full-color photographs which show off the show's costumes, sets, and locations wonderfully. In addition to these stills from the show and the production, there are many historical photographs of events, people, and ephemera relevant to the show. Enthusiastically recommended to any fans of Downton Abbey.
    • 4/5
      *Warning: spoilers follow for the first two seasons of Downton Abbey*So I don't know about you, but in my library the availability of the DVD of the first season of Downton Abbey meant a flurry of holds and a lot of conversation about the Masterpiece Theatre presentation. I put it on hold to see what all the fuss was about, and the first time I got the DVD I didn't even watch it before I had to return it to the library. Second try was the charm, though, and I not only watched the first season in - ahem - one day, I promptly looked up when the second season was going to be on PBS, and watched that all over the same holiday weekend. I found myself fascinated, loving the picture of a world one hundred years ago, at once familiar (cars, telephones) and strange (servants, class, World War 1). I picked up some of the class differences and societal tensions, but as an American in the 21st century, I know there's a lot going on that I didn't understand, or just wasn't sure about (how normal would it be, for example, if a young woman had run off and married the chauffeur in that era, for her mother to stay in contact with her and want her to visit?).That, ultimately, is why I decided to read this book. In all fairness, in a book like this covering everything from family life to style to World War 1 to a servants' life, none of my questions are going to be answered in depth. But, if you enjoyed the show, a little bit of everything is explored through its lens, through what we saw the characters experience, plus giving us more period detail from diaries and books about people who really lived then. And then there's the photography. Wow! You can really appreciate the attention to detail when looking at photographs of the sets, of the actors, and of Highclere Castle. There are lots of quotes from the actors and the show sprinkled throughout the text and photographs. The final chapter is more a "making of" than the historical background, and it really made me appreciate all the work that went into making Downton Abbey as good as it is. Finally, the recommended reads at the end (unfortunately for me, since I want to read everything and I have to figure out which books were mentioned more than once) is organized by chapter, so if you are most interested in any one particular aspect of the Downton Abbey world, it's quite easy to follow up on just what you're looking for. Highly recommended to any fan of the show.
    • 5/5
      This absolutely beautiful book isn’t just some decorative item to keep on your cocktail table to tell the world that you’re familiar with a popular television series. It is a collection of stunning stills from the show and historical pictures from people who have a connection to this moment in history or the venue itself, Highclere Castle.The book offers comments from cast members, behind the scenes information from everyone involved in the production of the series including hairstylist to costume designer to writers and consultants. By all means it is a complete depiction of the making of an extraordinary production.Would I recommend it?.........................Did you really have to ask? If you know of and enjoy the series you must, by all means, add this book to your collection. If you are not familiar with Downton Abbey, well for goodness sake, what’s taking you so long?!

    Book preview

    The World of Downton Abbey - Jessica Fellowes

    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.

    Welcome to the world of Downton Abbey, a place that has captivated an audience of millions, all following the lives of one family and their servants. Against the backdrop of a fading Edwardian society, we watch their personal dramas unfold and see them through the horrors and change that the First World War brought to Britain. This perhaps is what fascinates us: not just the beautiful scenery, the sumptuous costumes, nor even the skill of the actors, but the fact that we are experiencing something of how life was a hundred years ago. We notice the differences between our lives and theirs; the rigid social hierarchy, the nuances of etiquette, the stifling clothes and the battle for women to be heard. But alongside this, we see something that is the same: family life.

    At the forefront of everything at Downton is family, whether this stands for the blood ties of the Crawleys or the relationships between the servants below stairs. All of us can recognise a familiar character amongst them: Violet, the dowager Countess, the old-fashioned grandmother; Mary, Edith and Sybil, the squabbling sisters; Robert and Cora, the loving parents; or Rosamund, the interfering sister-in-law. Any of us who have left behind our families to make our own new, adopted ties with those we work with or with friends we choose are creating a new family, just as the servants do at Downton. With Carson and Mrs Hughes as the firm but fair parents, Thomas and O’Brien as the scheming siblings and Daisy as the baby, the servants are close by on the other side of the green baize door that separates upstairs and downstairs. Thrown together in cramped quarters, working long, hard hours, the servants nevertheless find security in their relationships with each other. Like all families, they have their ups and their downs, their favourites and a few petty fights.

    Hugh Bonneville is Lord Grantham

    ‘Downton Abbey is a microcosm of society. It had its own machinery that needed to keep working–it’s not masters and slaves but had its own order in which everyone depended on each other to keep it going.’

    Dan Stevens is Matthew

    ‘There’s no such thing as a typical day’s filming, but if it’s a full day, I’ll be collected by car at 5.30am and driven to Highclere to meet other bleary-eyed actors. After breakfast and 20 minutes in the make-up chair, I’m ready to start shooting. Sometimes we manage two or three scenes in a morning, but often it takes that long for a single scene. Lunch is a good chance to sit on the bus and chat to the other actors and crew. We shoot more scenes in the afternoon until tea and cake at 4pm, which causes a flurry. We can’t take any food or drink that’s not water into the house, so we usually cower under a rain shelter, but if there’s glorious sunshine we can have tea on the lawn. We wrap about 7pm and then I’m driven home.’

    Downton Abbey is more than just a house, it is also a home to both the family and the servants. Everyone living here is striving to keep the house and estate in good order, ready to pass on to the next generation. So when the question is raised of who will inherit, everyone is affected–above and below stairs. Even a miniature kingdom needs to know who is king.

    For the moment, of course, Robert, the Earl of Grantham, is still the master of his realm. In this role, he has his own duties to fulfil just as much as Daisy, the scullery maid at the very bottom of the pecking order. A place like Downton Abbey cannot run well unless everyone within it understands their role and carries out their work efficiently.

    There is a clear hierarchy at Downton; each servant has a position. The maids deal with the laundry, but the finishing of the clothes for the master and mistress of the house is the responsibility of Bates, valet to Lord Grantham, and Miss O’Brien, lady’s maid to Lady Grantham. These servants enjoy senior roles in the household, are two of the few that move seamlessly between below stairs and above, and enjoy the confidence of their employers. The rest of the staff probably think that these two have easier daily routines than the other servants, having nothing more to attend to than the earl and his wife’s needs. But from the first cup of tea brought up in the morning to whatever they might want last thing at night, they must be on duty all day with little respite. Their relationship with their employers is one of trust and practicality: Bates and O’Brien are welcome in the bedrooms, dressing rooms and even the bathrooms of their employers, making them privy to many details of the family’s private lives, and giving them a powerful position in the household. They could use this to their advantage when back downstairs, teasing or threatening the other staff with it–as when O’Brien learns before anyone else that the heir to Downton Abbey has been drowned during the Titanic disaster.

    By contrast, the housemaids–Anna, Ethel, Gwen and Daisy–work behind the scenes. They are up early to complete the dusting of the drawing room and libraries, the plumping of the cushions, the cleaning of the grates and the laying of the fires before the family comes downstairs for breakfast. Only when the bedrooms are empty do the maids go in, to change the sheets and refresh the biscuit jars and water carafes. The rest of the day is spent on cleaning tasks set by the housekeeper, Mrs Hughes, such as beating rugs or polishing brass, as well as assisting the daughters of the house or any female guests who come to stay without their maids. They can be called upon at any time; each room in the house has a cord, pulled to summon assistance. The cord is connected to a wire that rings one of many bells on a board in the servants’ hall below; each labelled with the relevant room so the appropriate servant can attend. The jangle of bells is a sound that rules the servants’ lives.

    A Day in the Life of Daisy

    4.30am: In the small, dark hours of the morning, the kitchen maid, Daisy, awakes alone, dresses herself in her hand-me-down corset, simple dress and apron and steals down the stairs to stoke the kitchen fire. She creeps round the family’s bedrooms to light their fires, before going down to the kitchen to blacken the stove and lay the breakfast things in the servants’ hall.

    6am: Daisy knocks on the doors of the housemaids to waken them, then takes her basket of logs with brushes, blacking, matches and paper to lay and light the fires in the rooms on the ground floor–the libraries, drawing room, dining room and great hall. The hall boy, another lowly servant who was only occasionally seen and never heard, has already delivered the coal and kindling wood to the

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