History of Downton Abbey in Timeline
Downton Abbey is a British historical drama television series created by Julian Fellowes, set in the early 20th century. Premiering in 2010 on ITV in the UK and on PBS in the US in 2011, the series spans six seasons and includes five Christmas specials. The show portrays the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their domestic servants at their Yorkshire country estate, Downton Abbey, capturing significant historical events such as the sinking of the Titanic, World War I, and the Spanish flu pandemic. It explores themes of class, social change, love, and loss through its compelling characters and intricate plotlines.
April 1912: Sinking of the RMS Titanic and Its Impact on Downton Abbey
On 15 April 1912, the sinking of the RMS Titanic has significant implications for the Crawley family, as James and Patrick, the heirs to Downton Abbey, perish in the disaster, leading to Matthew Crawley becoming the new heir presumptive.
April 1912: Downton Abbey Series Setting
On 16 April 1912, the series Downton Abbey is set on the fictional Yorkshire country estate of Downton Abbey and depicts the lives of the Crawley family and their domestic servants.
August 1914: Outbreak of the First World War
In August 1914, the series concludes just after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and the outbreak of the First World War.
1916: The Battle of the Somme
In 1916, the second series of Downton Abbey runs from the Battle of the Somme.
1918: Spanish Flu Pandemic
In 1918, Downton Abbey is affected by the Spanish flu pandemic.
1920: Preparations Underway for Mary and Matthew's Wedding
In 1920, preparations are underway for Mary and Matthew's wedding, marking the beginning of the third series of Downton Abbey.
1921: Mary and Matthew's Wedding
In 1921, the wedding of Mary and Matthew takes place, while the family learns that their fortune has been lost due to Robert's investment in the Grand Trunk Railway.
1922: O'Brien Leaves Downton Abbey
In 1922, O'Brien leaves Downton Abbey to serve Lady Flintshire in Bombay, leading to the hiring of Edna Braithwaite by Cora.
1923: Edna Braithwaite is Replaced by Phyllis Baxter
In 1923, due to a problematic situation, Edna Braithwaite is replaced by Phyllis Baxter at Downton Abbey.
1923: British General Election and Beer Hall Putsch
In 1923, events depicted in Downton Abbey include the British general election and the Beer Hall Putsch.
1923: Crawleys Auction off a della Francesca Painting
In the aftermath of the results of the 1923 general election, the Crawleys auction off a della Francesca painting.
1924: Events at Downton Abbey
In 1924, a Russian exile, Prince Kuragin, wishes to renew his past affections for the Dowager Countess (Violet). Violet instead locates his wife in British Hong Kong and reunites the Prince and his estranged wife. Scotland Yard and the local police investigate Green's death. Violet learns that Marigold is Edith's daughter. News of Gregson's death in the Beer Hall Putsch reaches Downton. After Edith inherits Michael Gregson's publishing company, she removes Marigold from the Drewes and relocates to London.
1925: Setting of Downton Abbey Concludes
In 1925, on New Year's Eve, the setting of Downton Abbey concludes, depicting the lives of the Crawley family and their domestic servants in the post-Edwardian era.
1925: Series Finale Set on New Year's Eve
The series finale of Downton Abbey is set on New Year's Eve 1925, featuring Edith and Bertie's wedding and Anna and Bates welcoming a healthy son.
1981: Most Successful British Costume Drama Since Brideshead Revisited
In 1981, Downton Abbey became the most successful British costume drama since the television serial of Brideshead Revisited.
February 2009: Launch of Whitechapel on ITV
In February 2009, Whitechapel launched on ITV.
2009: PBS ratings since 2009
In 2009, the second series of Downton Abbey gave PBS its highest ratings since 2009.
September 2010: Series First Aired on ITV
On 26 September 2010, Downton Abbey first aired on the ITV network in the United Kingdom.
September 2010: Downton Abbey First Aired in the UK
On 26 September 2010, Downton Abbey, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes, first aired in the United Kingdom on ITV.
2010: Alastair Bruce hired as historical advisor
In 2010, Alastair Bruce, an expert on state and court ritual, was hired as historical advisor for Downton Abbey.
January 2011: Downton Abbey Broadcast on PBS in the United States
In January 2011, Downton Abbey was first broadcast in the United States on PBS as part of the 40th season of Masterpiece.
January 2011: Downton Abbey Aired in the United States on PBS
On 9 January 2011, Downton Abbey aired in the United States on PBS, which supported its production as part of its Masterpiece Classic anthology.
February 2011: First Britain-wide Broadcast on ITV3
In February 2011, Downton Abbey received its first Britain-wide broadcast when shown on ITV3.
February 2011: First series aired in Ireland
In February 2011, the first series of Downton Abbey finished airing in Ireland on the independent television channel TV3.
May 2011: First series broadcast in Australia and New Zealand
In May 2011, Downton Abbey's first series began broadcasting on the Seven Network in Australia and on Prime in New Zealand.
July 2011: STV Announces Showing Downton Abbey
In July 2011, STV announced that it would show the first and second series of Downton Abbey as part of its autumn schedule, following backlash from Scottish viewers after initially opting out of showing the program.
September 2011: Release of first soundtrack
In September 2011, the first soundtrack for Downton Abbey, featuring music from the series and new songs by John Lunn and Don Black, with vocals from Mary-Jess Leaverland and Alfie Boe, was released by Decca.
September 2011: Second series premieres in Britain
In September 2011, the second series of Downton Abbey premiered in Britain on ITV1, attracting an average audience of 9 million viewers.
September 2011: Soundtrack Suite Version Release
On 19 September 2011, a suite version of the Downton Abbey soundtrack was released in the UK.
September 2011: VisionTV Began Airing Downton Abbey in Canada
On 7 September 2011, VisionTV began airing Downton Abbey in Canada.
September 2011: Release of The World of Downton Abbey
On September 15, 2011, The World of Downton Abbey, a behind-the-scenes book about the show and its historical era written by Jessica Fellowes, was released by HarperCollins.
September 2011: Downton Abbey becomes highest selling DVD boxset on Amazon.com
On September 16, 2011, it was reported that Downton Abbey's first series had become the highest-selling DVD boxset of all time on Amazon.com, surpassing popular shows such as The Sopranos, Friends, and The Wire.
October 2011: Second series broadcast in New Zealand
In October 2011, the second series of Downton Abbey started airing on Prime in New Zealand.
December 2011: Downton Abbey broadcast in France
In December 2011, Downton Abbey began broadcasting on TMC in France.
December 2011: Soundtrack Suite Version Release in the US
On 13 December 2011, the suite version of the Downton Abbey soundtrack was released in the US.
2011: Guinness World Record for "Highest critical review ratings for a TV show"
In 2011, Downton Abbey earned a Guinness World Record for "Highest critical review ratings for a TV show". It received an average score of 91 on Metacritic, based on 16 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Later in the year, Breaking Bad surpassed Downton Abbey's record.
2011: Guinness World Record Recognition
In 2011, Downton Abbey was recognised by Guinness World Records as the most critically acclaimed English-language television series.
2011: Daily Telegraph profile of Alastair Bruce
In 2011, the UK's Daily Telegraph profiled Alastair Bruce's role as historical advisor, stating "Downton's authenticity, it seems, is in safe hands."
January 2012: Second series premieres on PBS
In January 2012, Downton Abbey's second series premiered on PBS, attracting 4.2 million viewers, more than double the network's average primetime audience.
May 2012: Second series broadcast in Australia
In May 2012, the second series of Downton Abbey was broadcast on the Seven Network in Australia.
September 2012: Third series premieres in the UK
In September 2012, the third series of Downton Abbey premiered in the UK, attracting an average of 9 million viewers.
September 2012: Release of The Chronicles of Downton Abbey
On September 13, 2012, The Chronicles of Downton Abbey, a character guide through the early part of the third series also written by Jessica Fellowes, was released by HarperCollins.
October 2012: Third series broadcast in New Zealand
In October 2012, the third series of Downton Abbey was broadcast on Prime in New Zealand.
November 2012: Release of Downton Abbey: The Essential Collection
On November 19, 2012, the second soundtrack, entitled Downton Abbey: The Essential Collection, was released.
2012: Criticism over Matthew Crawley's death
In 2012, the death of Matthew Crawley in the Christmas special of Downton Abbey drew criticism. Julian Fellowes stated the departure was unavoidable due to Dan Stevens' decision to leave the show.
2012: Inveraray Castle Doubles as Duneagle Castle
In the 2012 Christmas special, Inveraray Castle in Argyll, Scotland, doubled as "Duneagle Castle."
January 2013: Third series premieres in the US
In January 2013, Downton Abbey's third series premiered in the US with an average audience of 11.5 million viewers.
February 2013: Third series broadcast in Australia
In February 2013, Downton Abbey's third series started broadcasting on the Seven Network in Australia.
February 2013: Third series finale draws large audience in the US
In February 2013, the finale of the third series of Downton Abbey drew 12.3 million viewers in the US, making it the night's highest-rated show.
September 2013: Fourth series premieres in the UK
In September 2013, the fourth series of Downton Abbey premiered in the UK, attracting an average audience of 9.5 million viewers.
October 2013: Rape scene in Series 4 generates viewer complaints
In October 2013, the third episode of the fourth series of Downton Abbey, which aired on October 6, included a warning about violent scenes. The episode content, which featured the rape of Anna Bates, led to over 200 complaints to Ofcom and 60 complaints directly to ITV.
November 2013: Ofcom declines to take action over Downton Abbey rape scene controversy
In November 2013, Ofcom announced it would not be taking action regarding the controversy over the rape scene in Downton Abbey's fourth series. They cited the warning given, the episode's late-night screening, and the fact that the rape took place 'off-screen'.
2013: Downton Abbey Ranked 43rd most well-written TV show by WGA
In 2013, Downton Abbey was ranked the 43rd most well-written TV show of all time by the Writers Guild of America.
2013: Introduction of the Equality (Titles) Bill
In 2013, the Equality (Titles) Bill was introduced in the UK Parliament. It was nicknamed the "Downton Abbey law" as it addressed the same issue as Lady Mary Crawley cannot inherit the estate because it must pass to a male heir.
2013: Lancaster House in London Stood in for Buckingham Palace
In the 2013 Christmas special, Lancaster House in London stood in for Buckingham Palace.
January 2014: Fourth series premieres in the US
In January 2014, the fourth series of Downton Abbey premiered in the US to an audience of at least 10.2 million viewers.
2014: Filming Location Used for Brancaster Castle
In 2014, Alnwick Castle in Northumberland was the filming location used for Brancaster Castle in the Christmas specials.
March 2015: Aaron Schock resigns following scrutiny of expenses
In March 2015, US Representative Aaron Schock resigned following scrutiny of his expenses, including the $40,000 cost of redecorating his congressional offices in a style inspired by Downton Abbey.
2015: Alnwick Castle Used for Brancaster Castle Filming
In 2015, Alnwick Castle, in Northumberland, was the filming location used for Brancaster Castle in the Christmas specials.
2015: Downton Abbey Series End Announced
In 2015, Carnival Films and ITV announced the end of the Downton Abbey television series.
January 2016: Release of Downton Abbey: The Ultimate Collection
On January 15, 2016, the third and final soundtrack, a two-disc set entitled Downton Abbey: The Ultimate Collection, was released, featuring music spanning all six seasons of the series.
2016: Final Season Aired on PBS
In 2016, the final and sixth season of Downton Abbey aired on PBS in the United States.
July 2018: Downton Abbey feature film confirmed
On July 13, 2018, a Downton Abbey feature film was confirmed. It was written by Julian Fellowes and directed by Michael Engler, and distributed by Focus Features and Universal Pictures International.
September 2019: The Guardian ranked Downton Abbey 50th on its list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century
In September 2019, The Guardian ranked Downton Abbey 50th on its list of the 100 best TV shows of the 21st century. The publication described the show as "TV drama as comfort blanket: at a time of austerity, Julian Fellowes's country house epic offered elegantly realised solace in the homilies of the past".
September 2019: Downton Abbey film released in the UK
In September 2019, the Downton Abbey film was released in the United Kingdom on September 13.
2019: Release of the First Downton Abbey Film
In 2019, an eponymous film of Downton Abbey was released.
2019: Downton Abbey Film Release and Location Usage
In 2019, the Downton Abbey film utilized many of the television locations such as Highclere Castle and Bampton, along with exterior shots filmed at Beamish Museum and railway scenes at the North York Moors Railway.
2019: Publication of spin-off cookbooks
In 2019, two spin-off cookbooks were published: The Official Downton Abbey Cookbook, featuring Edwardian-period dishes researched by food historian Dr. Annie Gray, and The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book.
2020: NBCUniversal Takes Over US Broadcasting Rights
In 2020, NBCUniversal took over the US broadcasting rights for Downton Abbey for its streaming service Peacock, ending PBS's run of repeating episodes.
2020: Publication of two more spin-off cookbooks
In 2020, two more spin-off cookbooks were published: The Official Downton Abbey Christmas Cookbook by Regula Ysewijn, and The Official Downton Abbey Afternoon Tea Cookbook.
April 2021: Filming of Downton Abbey sequel begins
In April 2021, filming of a sequel to the Downton Abbey film began.
June 2021: Downton Abbey made available on Netflix
In June 2021, the entire Downton Abbey series was made available on Netflix.
2021: CBC Television Repeated the Whole Series
In 2021, CBC Television repeated the whole series of Downton Abbey in Canada.
2021: Downton Abbey Available on Netflix
In 2021, the series Downton Abbey became available on Netflix.
April 2022: Downton Abbey sequel film released in the UK
In April 2022, the Downton Abbey sequel film was released in the UK on April 29.
2022: Downton Abbey Aired on E!
In 2022, Downton Abbey also aired on the E! network.
2022: Julian Fellowes's The Gilded Age Debuts
In 2022, Julian Fellowes's The Gilded Age, which portrays New York in the 1880s, debuted on HBO. Fellowes hinted that some members of Downton's Crawley family could appear in the new show.
2022: Release of Downton Abbey: A New Era
In 2022, the film Downton Abbey: A New Era was released as part of the Downton Abbey film trilogy.
September 2025: Downton Abbey film released in cinemas
In September 2025, the Downton Abbey film was released in cinemas on September 12.
2025: Release of Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
In 2025, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released, completing the Downton Abbey film trilogy.
February 2026: PBS Announces Show's Return
On 3 February 2026, PBS announced that Downton Abbey will return on 1 March 2026 for PBS Passport members, with broadcasting rights beginning 17 May 2026.
March 2026: Show Return on PBS Passport
On 1 March 2026, PBS announced that Downton Abbey will return on PBS Passport members.
May 2026: Show Broadcasting Rights Beginning on PBS
On 17 May 2026, PBS announced that Downton Abbey show broadcasting rights beginning.
Mentioned in this timeline
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