On the first Saturday of August each year Highclere hosts a concert with fireworks and cannons known as the Battle Proms.
The day before it all begins, my most important job is to ensure the horses are safely away from all the brouhaha in distant fields, including of course, Sheila the sheep.
Over the last 14 years the concert has built up a wonderful following and this year nearly 10,000 people arrived to picnic, watch the displays and listen to the music. Magically the overcast British skies cleared just in time and it was a beautiful evening. Everyone had flags and balloons and were in the best of spirits.
(C) Mark Langham
The event began with the a Spitfire flying in from the east, banking above the Castle and climbing high above in a wonderful display whilst the orchestra played Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance. It was rather emotional: it is such an iconic plane, and the noise of the engine and silhouette still evoked a pride in Britain’s fortitude and courage especially given the commemoration of the Battle of Britain, 75 years ago.
(C) Mark Langham
We had set out picnic chairs and tables early in the day which were now laden with hot soup and food, Pimms, Rosé wine, cheeses and coffee. It is an evening for everyone of every age, from five to ninety five. London friends of mine were taken back to their childhoods with the thrill of watching the huge firework display silhouetted against the cedar tree, arguing about who took the best photos on their phones. Children disappeared later in the evening looking for hot chocolate and more flags to wave.
The charity Combat Stress (the UK’s leading mental health charity for Veterans) was out in force hoping for donations from kind guests. This concert raises several thousand pounds each year to help support to ex-Service men and women and it is never more needed than today.
By the end of the evening the air had turned chilly, a reminder of the weather turning towards Autumn as everyone hurried towards cars. The stage was partially dismantled that night and the next day the Castle was welcoming lots of visitors again in its daily role as a Stately home and a part time film set for Downton Abbey. Any last scenes for the 6th series are being filmed elsewhere as ITV and the Downton team prepare for the screening of the first episode later in September.
(C) Mark Langham
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So special of you to make sure that the castle is an important part of Britain’s life!
I was there ! It was a truly outstanding evening.
Sadly I didn’t win the raffle to meet the Downton cast, but the music, the atmosphere, and the lovely weather more than compensated.
Thank you for hosting such a wonderful event once again.
I’m sure Sheila the sheep would have enjoyed the music from a distance !
It was fun wasn’t it?
Sheila is now back in her paddock – I think she is about 15 years old and I look for her every day!!!
I can only imagine what an emotional evening that must have been! We Americans have no idea how awful the situation was in your country 75 years ago. The British people were incredibly brave during that horrible time. Thanks for sharing the event with us. On a much happier note, our trip to London is just slightly more than 3 weeks away. I can hardly believe we will be seeing wonderful Highclere in person.
You are so lucky to be going to see the castle – I agree the British people were incredible during that time.
I hope you have equally good weather!
I enjoy reading your blog so much. I love that you are so thoughtful about the animals!
I was at the proms last year as part of the grand prize from the PBS Sweepstakes..I am originally from England, now living in the states..it was a wonderful evening, meeting my long time friends from England and singing along to Rule Brittania proudly waving our flags. The Spitfire flying over, the 1812 overture, the cannons, fireworks, the quick downpour of rain ,the setting all added to a wonderful evening I’ll never forget ,it was all very emotional..
Thank you for having the Proms at Highclere..
I cannot imagine how wonderful an evening this was! So grateful you are able to sponsor such meaningful events! Just finished watching “The Bartle of Britain” here in USA. Thank you for opening up your home turf to all! Some day I hope to see with my own eyes and tired, old body!
I was in England two weeks ago and visiting Highclere Castle was the highlight of my holiday. I can now imagine, both visually and emotionally, what it was like during this event. I’m an avid reader of British history. I would love to have been there.
What a BEAUTIFUL post! I so enjoyed reading about this and loved all the beautiful pictures that you included. What a wonderful evening! Thank you so much for sharing!
Hi Lady Carnarvan
Looks like a good time had by all. What an awesome plane the Spitfire is….wish I could have been there. I’m the only person I know of who declares Long Live the Queen on the fourth of July!! LOL I’m very interested in the building in the second photo of your blog. Looks like a beautiful piece of 16th century architecture. Tudor or Elizabethan perhaps? This is the architectural period I study the most….I hope you will include this brick beauty in a future book! Love the windows in this building!
Kind Regards
Mary Beth
That is the back part of the Castle – it was probably inspired by the earlier red brick Elizabethan building which had a gatehouse facing southwards. Everything tends to get re-used and the bricks were probably reused. We have actually found some of the old medieval beams from before that which were reused from the Tudor house. You can see where the windows fitted!
Thank you for asking that question Mary Beth….who knew that the back of the castle looked nothing like the front, but it makes sense. I can’t wait till someday more of the inner rooms of the castle (the ones we’ve never seen) might be shown to us.
Love this blog! What an absolutely huge crowd to host… Almost hard to believe 10,000 people could fit comfortably. Are the grounds damaged at all by such events? Thanks for sharing the festivities with us!
I thank you too for that question. When I saw that picture, I assumed it was another house on the estate. Very nice to see the different architectures of the castle.
I can imagine how emotional it was.
What a marvelous tribute
and you and Highclere are fabulous to always include the community for so many occasions.
I am just back from vacation in Wales. Have seen many ruins of castles and also the abbey of Tintagel… Is there a bond between your name and the castle of Caernarfon? Luckily, Highclere is still standing! And offering lots of emotion to thousands of persons. Maybe, i will visit Highclere next year. If I am still able to travel. I enjoyed your pictures above. It reminded me that I once had a horse always accompanied by two sheep. The end of the story was sad, but seeing your pictures made me smile. Thank you Lady Carnarvon.
My mother Helen & I visited Highclere on thurs will all that awful weather for the journey up from the new forest, but shortly after we arrived the rain stopped , hazy sunshine & a wonderful afternoon ended with seeing Lady Carnarvon talking with others infront of the castle.Magical! Thank you .