Downton Abbey was being filmed in Bampton again in April 2014. Most of the actors are very obliging, willing talking with the younger generation and several Bampton people are extras.
Robin Shuckburgh, chairman of the Bampton Community Archive, explains that many coaches a week are coming with tourists keen to see where the outside scenes of Downton Abbey are filmed.
Prize winning bangers made by a village butchers have taken on a whole new level of fame after being endorsed by Downton Abbey stars. The Bampton Royal pork sausages, produced on site at Patrick Strainge Butchers, were feasted on by the cast
2012 was very much the early days of Downton Abbey having an effect in Bampton. The prediction of coachloads of American tourists coming was absolutely correct. By 2018 approximately 30,000 visitors went into the Vesey room housed in the building used as the Cottage Hospital in the drama to see the exhibition and memorabilia on sale. The Archive committee to the decision to have quality products only for sale because it is not an exhibition that attracts young children, space is very limited and the people who were coming clearly wanted quality memorabilia.
The makers of Downton Abbey invited local people to take part as extras. Doreen and Douglas Clare were delighted to be chosen each each from 2011 through 2015.
By 2019 all series of Downton Abbey had been filmed including the film of the series for showing in cinemas. Bampton Community Archive put on an exhibition of the filming in Bampton over the years in the Vesey Room. This room is withing the Old Grammar School and the doorway into this building off Church Close was used as the entrance for the Cottage Hospital in the series.
n November 2015 eight products, including Patrick Strainge's Bampton Royal sausages were nominated for the Q Guild Smithfield Awards. Only 200 butchers in England can hold a Q guild aware at any one time so it really is a feather in the cap of our local butchers shop. The Bampton Royal sausages were also a firm favourite with many members of the cast of Downton Abbey which was partly filmed in Bampton.