Swinbrook, England

30 June 2017

Swinbrook, England

The seventh episode of the second season of DOWNTON ABBEY is set in 1919, just after the First World War. Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) and Tom Branson (Allen Leech), the chauffeur of the Crawley family, elope together to get married in Scotland.

Downton Abbey, season 2, episode 7, 0:46:26

Because of the difference in standing, the parents of Sybil will be against the marriage, also because Tom's views on politics are not being appreciated. Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery) discovers their plans and follows them, toghether with Lady Edith (Laura Carmichael) and chamber maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt). Although it is the middle of the night, they notice the car of Tom near an inn, The Swan Inn.

The Swan Inn does exist in real life and is a hotel. It is located in Swinbrook, in the county Oxfordshire, near the river Windrush and next to a former flour mill. In the episode this cannot be seen because the scene is set at night.

The Swan Inn, Swinbrook, 29 April 2017

I was unable to discover the year The Swann Inn was opened, I did however find out that it used to belong to the noble family Mitford. The last surviving member, Lady Deborah, passed away in 2014. The website of the hotel has more information and even dedicated a page on the location shoot of Downton Abbey. Filming was done on 7 July 2011. The news section of the website of the hotel describes a scene of the two sisters trying to wake the owner by bouncing on the door, but in the end it did not make the episode.

The screenshots have been lightened for better viewing. The sign of the swan seems to have been replaced recently. Online photos, including on the website of the hotel, show the sign as seen in the episode.