Cogges Farms, England Tour of Downton Abbey Sites

This was an early morning.  Leaving the hotel around 6 am.  We needed to be at the meeting spot at 6:50am.  

I was so excited for today!!  We had a private tour scheduled where we were going to see sites from the TV show/movie, Downton Abbey, and end at Highclere Castle.  This is what I had most be looking forward too.  I just love Downton Abbey.  I have seen all the seasons and all three movies I had gone to with my parents.  Just two weeks ago we watched the final movie on the big screen.

I thought the Tube (Subway) was very easy to navigate.  Much easier than New York.

It was a beautiful morning.  We even saw a rainbow if we looked one direction and a sunrise if we looked the other way.

Before we left I told the ladies to get breakfast to go.  The Strand was really nice about letting us grab some food before the restaurant opened.  I love that I don't have to worry about gluten in the UK.

We were met by our guide and travel van.  It was a very nice van with an aisle down the middle.  You didn't feel cramped or scrunched in.

There were just 14 of us on this private tour.

We had around an hour and half before the first stop.  As we rode our guide told great stories and pointed out sites to us.

As we entered the Cotswolds area, the houses changed and it was so adorable.  This gorgeous stone homes.  I have to say I would not want to live this close to the road.  We could see right in the homes, saw a man watching TV, and a woman reading by the window....

 

Our first stop on the way to Highclere Castle was Cogges Farm.

Cogges Farms is 17 acre heritage Manor House and farmyard with 1000 years of history. 

The earliest known owner of Cogges dates back to the Saxon period, Wadard, who was recorded as Lord of the Manor of Cogges in the Domesday Book of 1086.

Cogges manor was once held by kings of England including Henry VII and Henry VIII; the latter gave the land to Thomas Pope, the founder of Trinity College Oxford.

 In 1979 it became a farming museum.

-information found on their website.

In the movie Downton Abbey, Cogges is the home of Yew Tree Farm and Mr. Drewe, the tenant farmer. 

This is the entrance and also the gift shop.

 

I was super excited to come here to see the farm, but more importantly was a friend I had not seen in over 20 years!

My friend is living in England and only about 30 minutes from Cogges Farm, so she popped over to meet me!  We only had about 20 minutes to grab a tea and catch up. It was so fun to see her and I loved that she made the trip over, even if was brief.

I don't think we've aged at all, lo!

Cogges Farm has a cute cafe.  We sat and briefly caught up.

It was a very tasty chai with cinnamon.

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The manor house.

Very cute place to visit.

Now on to Shilton, then Brampton, and lastly Newbury and Highclere Castle.

Feel free to contact me to lead you or your group in England.  

I have a book you can order for the 7-day tour as well.  

https://a.co/d/2XkfVh9

Why plan your trip to England, when it can be done by experts for you!

Let us make all the plans, remove all the guess work, book all the appointments, reserve all the rooms, confirm everything for you, and guide you seamlessly around England while enjoying tea and giving you free time to do your own exploration.
We’ve already done the hard leg work and recommend these fun tea adventures and ask you to try a new one with us- the River Thames Afternoon Tea cruise.
The days for each activity may change, but this is the itinerary we have planned.

This is a day by day journal of your tea trip to England. See exactly what is planned for each day and journal as you go. Keep track of key memories.

Enjoy afternoon tea on Brigit's Tea Bus, a river cruise down the Thames, at Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey), in Bath at the Jane Austen Regency Center, at Kensington Palace, and at Fortnum and Mason.

1 Peter 4:10-11, ESV

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.