Television hit Downton Abbey helps save the real stately home where it is filmed

The cast of Downton Abbey assembled in front of Highclere House Photo: ITV
Now its also leading to a revival in the fortunes of the magnificent house in which it is set.
Highclere Castle, the 'High Elizabethan' style pile, is undergoing a much needed £11m refurbishment to restore it to its former glory thanks to the renewed interest in the 50 room mansion sparked by the ITV show.