Today we drove a few miles to visit Dunster Castle, near the old village of Dunster. We both agreed that it seemed more like a Downton Abbey-type manor house than a castle, but apparently when it was first built back in Norman times it was used mostly as  a defensive fortification. In the 1870's, however, it was generously updated by the resident family, and it became a luxurious and cozy home. There were 40 servants in the home (20 of them living at the castle), and we took a very instructive guided tour of the kitchen facilities. Best of all for me, though, was just wandering through the castle on our own, visiting sitting rooms and bedrooms and libraries. We both thought about -- and talked about -- Downton Abbey as we wandered through the hallways and rooms.