Downton Abbey Shorts
11 primary works
Book 1
Lady Mary Crawley and Matthew Crawley Esq.
by Jessica Fellowes and Matthew Sturgis
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
'There's an independence about Mary," says Michelle Dockery, the actress who plays her. "She's not influenced by anyone and she's very much her own person, she makes her own decisions. I understand her because I'm one of three girls too and I've always been defiant that I didn't want to do what they did.'
Having her heart both broken and put back together by her true love, Matthew, has rounded the edges off Mary. Now, we find she has her backbone of steel but she is kinder, nicer and altogether more forgiving of human fallibilities - even her own.
Matthew is a lucky man to have survived the war. What's more, he has the possibility of gaining a large fortune, and is due to marry the woman he loves. Yet, he is not a man at ease. His conscience is easily pricked by the requirements that lie ahead of him in the role of Earl of Grantham.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 2
Dowager Countess of Grantham and Mrs Isidore Levinson
by Jessica Fellowes and Matthew Sturgis
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
When Cora's mother, Martha Levinson, comes to stay, it's clear that she is more than a match for Violet. Equally confident in their age, status and belief that their way is the right way, the two could easily quarrel.
Intransigent, intractable Violet is the definitive dowager. Largely based on Julian Fellowes's own great-aunt, Isie Stephenson, 'in whom there was a mix of severity and a kind heart', Violet represents the last of an era; one of the few remaining Victorians who believed absolutely in the necessity of moral exactitude, the importance of family and the oblige of the noblesse.
Martha may have once been awed by the English upper classes (this, after all, was why she brought her daughter over to be presented at the London Season), but she welcomes the post-war changes that are being brought to England, even if they seem slower in coming to Downton Abbey.
Shirley MacLaine, the actress who plays Martha, believes that her character's attitude comes not so much from her money as her politics: 'Her confidence comes from being a democratic American - she is so centred in her fairness and considers America to be fair, and tradition is not fair.'
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 3
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
"I think Cora is very much an emotionally connected mother", says Elizabeth McGovern the actress who plays her. "As an American she would have a distinctive approach, different to the English aristocracy's way of doing things. Her instinct is to be involved with the day-to-day and to go about things in a more hands-on way.'
Cora is a woman of resilience and unfailing supportiveness. Where Robert is emotionally insecure, she is sure of herself and undaunted by the difficulties they could face. As a mother, she has a role in life, no matter what else is going on, but being Robert's wife is also very important to her.
Lord Grantham - Robert - has many good qualities: he is kind, loyal to his family, loving to his wife, adoring of his daughters, a fair employer and generous to those around him. But, for him, all these things are peripheral in the face of his most important role in life - as the 7th Earl of Grantham.
As he sees it, he has been put on this earth with one prime objective: to keep Downton Abbey in its proper state and hand it over in this condition to his heir.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 4
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
On the face of it, the young newlyweds Sybil and Tom hope to live an unobtrusive, quiet existence in Dublin as 'Mr and Mrs Branson', happily waiting for the arrival of their baby. But as the gossip back at Downton Abbey shows, nothing of their way of life is normal. An earl's daughter and a chauffeur-turned-Irish-revolutionary cannot expect an uneventful life together.
'She doesn't want Tom to alter,' says Jessica Brown Findlay, who plays Sybil, 'she loves him for his fire and passion, and his desire to change things.' But when they come home she doesn't want to cause unnecessary fuss - she adores her family and respects their desire to live as they wish. Unlike Tom, she sees no harm in it. Trying to keep harmony is almost more than she can bear.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 5
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
Edith Crawley, the middle daughter of the Granthams, sandwiched between her elder, beautiful and fiery sister Mary, and Sybil, the younger, worthy one, struggles to find her position in life. She is caught between acting tough and being on the defensive.
'She's vulnerable,' says Laura Carmichael, who plays her. 'She's the disappointing daughter. And she feels that very keenly - she so wants to be loved and accepted, rather than rejected. And she throws herself into things to try and achieve that.'
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 6
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
Isobel Crawley is a woman with a cause. The cause may change, but she likes to make sure she's always got one on the go. An educated, forward-thinking woman who lived amongst the professional middle classes of Manchester, she suddenly found herself the mother of an earl-in-waiting. Thrust into this position, she determined that she and Matthew should not be cowed by their new situation.
Penelope Wilton, the actress portraying Isobel, explains the subtleties of her character's motives: 'She is not the least resentful - or disapproving - of the Downton world. Though she is critical of the wider society and wants to improve it. But she is not a radical socialist. Her desire to help is conceived within the existing structures of her world.'
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 7
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
It is a strange life for the likes of Carson and Mrs Hughes, sitting between the family and the servants and never completely belonging to either group. It's easy to understand why the two of them seek refuge in each other, even in their own rather stilted fashion.
'Carson comes from a family of soldiers and servants,' says Julian Fellowes. 'His grandfather was a head groom and so he's middle-middle class - they certainly weren't scrabbling in the gutter for food.'
Mrs Hughes gave up the idea of marriage and a family for her career as Downton's housekeeper. This does not mean she was without ambition: a career in service was something to be proud of; the job was steady, she had respect from her colleagues and she could look forward to a reasonably comfortable retirement provided by the Downton Abbey estate, if she served the family for many years.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 8
Mr Thomas Barrow and Miss Sarah O'Brien
by Jessica Fellowes and Matthew Sturgis
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
Thomas Barrow is one of the most complicated and intriguing of all the characters at Downton Abbey. As we have got to know him through years of both peace and war, multiple layers have been peeled away to reveal an insecure, jealous, sometimes paranoid, defensive and cowardly man beneath a glossy veneer of good looks and arrogance.
'O'Brien realises that she is never going to be rich or successful - although she is quite successful as the lady's maid of a countess," says Julian Fellowes. "But she gets her thrills by manipulating and being devious and plotting. Her reward is in having a sense that she has power over people.'
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 9
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
Living under the threat of death for some weeks until his reprieve was obtained would have been enormously traumatic for Bates. At least, we must imagine that it was. Bates is a man who has been so opaque and guarded in his emotions that even those closest to him have had to patiently and slowly tease out details about his past.
Anna Bates is a rare creature; utterly sure of herself, dependable, sympathetic and steadfastly loyal. Although having a convicted murderer for a husband is not quite every newlywed's dream, Anna is unwavering in her belief that he is innocent. Anna puts her loyalty to her husband first and foremost, and her love for him could be as dangerous as it is steadfast.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, life in prison, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 10
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, focuses on the characters individually, examining their motivations, their actions and the inspirations behind them. Forwarded by Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
The outside world and its changes only rarely affect Mrs Patmore. 'She is a product of her time,' says Lesley Nicol, the actress who plays her, 'loyal to the family, and to the household. She is very proud of her job and good at it, too, I think.'
As the meek protegee of the cook, Daisy, fuelled by a desire to improve her situation, has started to find her voice and is defiantly answering back to make sure she gets what she believes is her due. She's also a romantic, prone to crushes: Thomas (futile, for obvious reasons) and now the new footman, Alfred Nugent. We can see that it's hard for her to conjure up the courage to do anything about it.
Fortunately, Alfred is not cunning like his aunt but rather guileless and sweet. As Matt Milne, the actor playing him, says: 'He is determined to make it work. It's a big opportunity, and he is just going to keep his head down and work hard.' Even Lady Mary thinks he's nice, albeit that he looks 'like a puppy who's been rescued from a puddle'.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.
Book 11
This richly illustrated short, extracted from the official book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey peels back the curtain on the making of Series 3. With a foreword from Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes.
You'll have privileged access to the on-set jokes and camaraderie between the actors - including anecdotes about Jim Carter's (Carson's) magic tricks and a revelation that two actors liked to burst into an impromptu duet of the Three Degrees classic "When Will I See You Again" between takes - find out who!
See also how the sets at Highclere Castle and Ealing Studios were adapted, and hear from the costume and make up artists about the incredible attention to detail they applied to bring the 1920s so vividly to life.
Purchase this ebook short and the others in the series to get closer still to the characters at Downton Abbey and to understand more about their social context - from the changing role of the aristocracy to fashion and beauty, American Anglophiles, the Suffragette movement and life below stairs in a big country house like Downton.
Search for The Chronicles of Downton Abbey to purchase all shorts combined.