STARS of Downton Abbey returned to Bampton yesterday to film scenes for the fifth series of the popular period drama.

Actors Hugh Bonneville, who plays Lord Grantham, and Jim Carter, who plays butler Charles Carson, were spotted in the West Oxfordshire village.

They were filming outside St Mary’s Church, the Churchgate House, which is used as the Crawley family home, and outside Bampton Library, which doubles as the Downton Cottage Hospital.

Witney Gazette:

Jim Carter, who plays the role of head butler Charlie Carson, with Mr Bonneville on set in the village yesterday

Bampton resident Lesley Campbell walked through the set during a filming break.

She said: “I walked past Mr Carson, which was lovely, but we’re very nonchalant about it. They go to the same places each time.

“The set manager has selected that part of Bampton, as there’s no road markings or overhead wires.”

Mrs Campbell said the cast and crew were always respectful to residents.

She added: “It’s absolutely fantastic for the village and very uplifting. There’s a lot of people here who are used as extras for filming and it’s great business for the village. It brings more than 100 coach tours each year.”

Filming was also taking place at Witney’s Cogges Manor Farm, which closed for the day, although its director Colin Shone said he was not allowed to say what it was for.