But Downton Abbey saved them. As of late 2012, Lord and Lady Carnarvon stated that a dramatic increase in the number of paying visitors allowed them to begin major repairs on both Highclere's turrets and its interior, while redundant buildings have been turned into tearooms.
The family now lives in Highclere during the winter months, but returns to the cottage in the summer, when the castle is open to the public - a boon to the many Downton pilgrims from overseas, for whom seeing the place where Mary pushes Matthew in a wheelchair is akin to viewing Elvis’s grave at Graceland.