A year on from Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, which reached cinemas in September 2025 and took more than $100 million worldwide, the Crawley family's story still has a firm grip on viewers. Creator Julian Fellowes has even called a spin-off about the characters' children "a possibility".
From the sinking of the Titanic to the Roaring Twenties, Downton gave Sunday nights a touch of grandeur. Explore more favourite shows in our TV series collection.
Downton Abbey Fact File
| Original run | 26 September 2010 - 25 December 2015 (ITV) |
|---|---|
| Creator and writer | Julian Fellowes |
| Production | Carnival Films, with WGBH |
| Broadcasters | ITV (UK), PBS Masterpiece (US) |
| Series and episodes | 6 series, 52 episodes (including 5 Christmas specials) |
| Setting | A Yorkshire country estate, 1912-1925 |
| Main filming location | Highclere Castle, Hampshire |
| Main cast | Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Elizabeth McGovern, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Joanne Froggatt, Dan Stevens, Laura Carmichael, Allen Leech, Brendan Coyle |
| Films | Downton Abbey (2019), A New Era (2022), The Grand Finale (2025) |
Series and Films
| Series | Years | Episodes | Period covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 | 7 | 1912-1914 |
| 2 | 2011 | 9 | 1916-1918 |
| 3 | 2012 | 9 | 1920-1921 |
| 4 | 2013 | 9 | 1922-1923 |
| 5 | 2014 | 9 | 1924 |
| 6 | 2015 | 9 | 1925 |
| Films | 2019, 2022, 2025 | 3 | 1927-1930 |
Episode counts for series 2-6 include each year's Christmas special; years are UK broadcast years.
Origins
Julian Fellowes, already an Oscar winner for Gosford Park, created Downton Abbey for ITV and Carnival Films. The first series opened in 1912 with news of the Titanic disaster, which throws the future of the Crawley family's estate into doubt.
Exteriors and most of the family's rooms were filmed at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, the village of Bampton in Oxfordshire became Downton village, and the servants' quarters were recreated at Ealing Studios.
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Upstairs and Downstairs
What made Downton special was its two worlds: the aristocratic Crawleys upstairs and the staff downstairs, led by Jim Carter's Mr Carson and Phyllis Logan's Mrs Hughes. Maggie Smith's Dowager Countess stole scene after scene, winning three Emmys for the role. The show became a global hit, airing in the US on PBS Masterpiece from January 2011.
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War, Change and a Final Bow
Series two took the household through the First World War, and later series followed the family into the 1920s as society changed around them. The sixth and final series ended on Christmas Day 2015, closing on New Year's Eve 1925.
The Films
The story moved to the big screen with Downton Abbey (2019) and Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022). Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, released on 12 September 2025 and set in 1930, was praised as a fitting farewell. Dame Maggie Smith died in September 2024.
Awards
Television awards
- 15 Primetime Emmy Awards from 69 nominations
- 3 Golden Globe Awards, including Best Miniseries or Television Film
Records
- Guinness World Records: most critically acclaimed English-language TV series of 2011
Behind the Scenes
Highclere Castle is a real working estate and home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, and it welcomes visitors who want to see Downton for themselves. In the US, PBS brought the series back to its Passport streaming service in March 2026.
FAQs
How many seasons of Downton Abbey are there?
There are six series, with 52 episodes in total, broadcast on ITV from 2010 to 2015.
Where was Downton Abbey filmed?
It was mainly filmed at Highclere Castle in Hampshire, with Bampton in Oxfordshire used as the village and Ealing Studios for the servants' quarters.
Who created Downton Abbey?
Julian Fellowes created and wrote the series.
How many Downton Abbey films are there?
There are three: Downton Abbey (2019), A New Era (2022) and The Grand Finale (2025).
What years is Downton Abbey set in?
The TV series runs from 1912 to New Year's Eve 1925, and the final film is set in 1930.
How many Emmys did Downton Abbey win?
It won 15 Primetime Emmy Awards from 69 nominations.
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Part of our Icon Profiles series. Read next: Bridgerton and The Royle Family.
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