Consuming Downton Abbey: The Commodification of Heritage and Nostalgia

Drawing on theories of heritage, nostalgia and austerity politics addressed in Antoinette Burton's ‘When Was Britain?’ (2002) and Owen Hatherley's The Ministry of Nostalgia (2016), this article examines the commodification and merchandising of Downton Abbey. Downton spawned a plethora of tie-in merchandise available for purchase as well as exhibits and trips that extended viewers' connection with the show. This article argues that these commodities provided fans an escape from a present dominated by austerity politics. Among the things US fans desired was historians' expertise to provide context and detail. Academics were themselves turned into a commodity, and that fitted into the increasing emphasis universities are placing on creating distinctive brands and having faculty be engaged in marketing and fund-raising. The author's experiences of this phenomenon are covered at the end of the article.