A fictional witness of an evolving English society, Downton Abbey galvanizes the world audience through its double reading: the aristocratic life of the Crawley family and that of their servants officiating in a sumptuous estate in Yorkshire. We observe the significant events of the beginning of the last century and their impact on each of these social classes, but also a setting and costumes from another era, part of which is sold at auction.
Broadcast for the first time in 2010 and for five years, the series created by Julian Fellowes spans six seasons. Downton Abbey is located at the beginning of the 20th century with a first episode marked by the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Followed three films in 2019, 2022, and on September 12, 2025, which concludes the saga.
The Crawleys and the servants
The series follows the life of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants in the sumptuous fictional estate of Downton Abbey, located in English Yorkshire. The household is run by Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville), Earl of Grantham, and his American wife Cora (Elizabeth McGovern), a wealthy heiress. The couple has three daughters: Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), Lady Edith Crawley (Laura Carmichael) and Lady Sybil Crawley (Jessica Brown Findlay), all with different personalities and visions of the modern world. The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley – Robert’s mother – is a prominent figure in the series, adored by viewers for her sharp humor and perfectly embodied by Maggie Smith, who died one year ago.
On a daily basis, the family is accompanied by their servants, among butlers, maids, cooks and valets. Everyone has their own stories, ambitions and secrets. Among the most important are Carson (Jim Carter), the butler who is attached to tradition and steadfast in all circumstances; Mrs Hughes (Phyllis Logan), the housekeeper; Bates (Brendan Coyle), the count’s personal valet; Anna (Joanne Froggatt), Lady Mary’s maid; Thomas Barrow (Rob James-Collier), the maître d’hotel; O’Brien (Siobhan Finneran), the senior maid; or Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) and Daisy (Sophie McShera), the cooks.
Relations between social classes and historical events
Two social classes are united under the same roof, at a time when relations between aristocrats and servants and traditions begin to vacillate. Downton Abbey observes how everyone faces societal changes, progressive evolution and morals still very conservative. It is also the major historical events that carry the series, between the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, Spanish flu, economic crisis, women’s rights and technology – sometimes leading to silly scenes. So many elements plunging us into an era that seems distant and yet, dates back only a century…
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Featured photo : © Independent Television ITV
