Downton Abbey's 10 Best Crawleys, Ranked

Credit: Liam Daniel / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection Published Aug 23, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT El is a Junior TV Features Editor for ScreenRant, with previous experience as The Mary Sue's UK and Weekend Editor. She holds a Bachelor's in International Media and Entertainment Management, as well as an MA and Ph.D. in Creative Writing. There is little she loves more than discussing her favorite TV shows with fellow fans. One day, she hopes to publish an original fantasy novel. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Downton Abbey was more than just a period drama — it was a family saga, as the aristocratic Crawleys tried to adapt and survive in a rapidly changing world. Though Julian Fellowes' Downton Abbey paid just as much attention to the servants downstairs as it did to the rich and powerful upstairs, the story wouldn't have been the same without the Crawley family and their many secrets, fights, friendships, love affairs, devastating losses, and aspirations. While some Crawley family members embraced political revolution and social change, others were firmly stuck in their ways, desperate to hold on to the glory of the past. Still, eventually, by accepting help from one another, they all became better versions of themselves across Downton Abbey's six seasons, 52 episodes, and three big-screen features. Every Crawley had something to offer the story, but some were just a little more compelling, impactful, or even sympathetic than the rest. 10 Lady Rosamund Painswick (Née Crawley) Portrayed by Samantha Bond Though Lady Rosamund Painswick appeared in only 18 of Downton Abbey's original 52 episodes and one of the series' three sequel movies (Downton Abbey: A New Era), Rosamund still had a profound effect on the Crawley family. Daughter of Violet, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, and sister to Robert, the Earl of Grantham, the outspoken and wealthy Rosamund had close ties to her brother's family, especially his wife, Cora, and his middle daughter, Edith, as well as the Downton estate. Her relationship with Edith was especially significant, even more so when Edith fell pregnant with an illegitimate child and contemplated either an abortion or giving the baby up for adoption. This was an incredibly traumatic and socially dangerous situation for a woman during that time, aristocrat or not, and Rosamund's desire to help and support Edith meant a great deal for a character who had, most of the time, felt like an outsider in her own family. For that alone, Lady Rosamund deserves to be on this list. 9 Robert Crawley, Earl Of Grantham Portrayed by Hugh Bonneville The Crawley family patriarch, Robert Crawley, was the pillar around which the entire Downton estate revolved. He was loyal and proud and genuinely loved his family, though he sometimes had trouble showing it. Still, he was very much set in his ways and had difficulty acclimatizing to the modern era. At first, he didn't believe in Mary's ability to run the estate, nor did he respect Sybil's choice of partner, and he rarely recognized Edith's or even his wife's struggles in life. Eventually, though, he learned to let go, embracing change so long as it could save his family and their legacy from ruin. Unfortunately, without his family to prop him up, Robert's character was one of the duller Crawley family members. Bonneville played him with genuine compassion and tenacity, but he wasn't the most interesting Crawley on this list, blood-related or otherwise. 8 Lady Edith Crawley Portrayed by Laura Carmichael If anyone had some growing up to do, it was Lady Edith Crawley. From the start, Edith was perpetually jealous of her older sister Mary and forgotten in favor of her younger, spunkier sister Sybil. During the first few seasons, Edith did everything in her power to undermine Mary, revealing her secrets in the most harmful way possible. At times, she was outright cruel; though her loneliness was understandable, it was hard to root for her. That all changed after Sybil's tragic death and her pregnancy, however. Having found her purpose as a writer and journalist and having fallen in love with the Marquess of Hexham, Edith learned to rely less on her family's approval and permission and start living for herself and her new family. Edith and Mary eventually even managed to bury the hatchet. They didn't become a dynamic duo or anything, but they did become much closer as sisters and allies. 7 Cora Crawley, Countess Of Grantham Portrayed by Elizabeth McGovern Though Cora Crawley could scheme with the best of them, she was also one of the most maternal, loving characters on the show. An American heiress who married into Britain's aristocratic society, Cora never shied away from the people she loved or from doing what she believed was right. She loved and supported all her daughters equally — even if Edith didn't always believe it — and stood up for them when it counted most, even against her own husband. Cora was essentially the glue that held the entire estate together, treating the servants with kindness and respect and even welcoming them into the family, as she did when their driver, Tom Branson, fell in love with her and Robert's youngest daughter, Sybil. She brought a certain spark to the stuffy world of the British ruling class. Honestly, the family wouldn't have survived without her. 6 Tom Branson (Honorary Crawley) Portrayed By Allen Leech Tom Branson might not be a Crawley by name, but he's a Crawley in every way that matters. One of the most interesting characters on the show, Branson was an Irish socialist who, against all odds, fell in love with a woman of the British aristocracy. He was well-read and thoughtful, and enjoyed history and politics. While he understood the risks he was taking, he loved Sybil wholeheartedly, supporting and encouraging her dreams and her desire to embrace a more modern society. Though he clashed with the family at first — Robert, especially — he eventually proved his worth, both as a man and as a businessperson, helping Robert, Matthew, and eventually Mary run and manage the estate. His genuine love for Sybil, his kids, and his in-laws was palpable in every scene. He was, as Cora once remarked to her husband, the least snobbish person in the family. He was the only character to transition from "downstairs" to "upstairs," not because of greed or scheming but simply because he fell in love with the "wrong" woman at the right time. 5 Lady Sybil Crawley Portrayed by Jessica Brown Findlay One of the most heartbreaking deaths on Downton Abbey — and there were quite a few — Sybil's shocking fate changed the Crawley family and the entire estate forever. Of the three Crawley daughters, Sybil was by far the kindest and most down-to-earth, and treated everyone as her equal, even helping one of the servants to find a secretarial position so she could leave a life of service. Sybil was fiercely independent, determined to fend for herself by learning to cook and clean, and trained to become a nurse during the First World War. She was also a fierce proponent of women's rights. Tom falling in love with her was no surprise; they were genuinely similar. One can only wonder how Sybil might have changed the world had she survived her daughter's birth. 4 Matthew Crawley Portrayed By Dan Stevens Poor, sweet, romantic, loyal, honorable, humble Matthew. When Dan Stevens decided to leave Downton Abbey, it was a blow to the entire audience. The family's grief, and his wife Mary's and his mother Isobel's, especially, were soul-crushing. His romance with Mary was one of the most well-developed and loving on the show. They made each other want to be better. He was open-minded and tolerant and helped Robert save the estate from ruin, both financially and managerially. He was clever and dutiful as a solicitor. What could he have become if he'd never been in that accident? What if he'd been able to see his son grow up? Matthew's death was an undeniable tragedy, one that turned the show and Mary's life upside down. 3 Isobel Crawley Portrayed by Penelope Wilton Isobel Crawley was one of Downton Abbey's coolest customers. She never backed down from a challenge and was one of the few capable of standing up to Violet Crawley — in fact, she even reveled in it. Their friendship was one of the highlights of the franchise, but it was her fierce beliefs, her charitable nature, and her work ethic that truly set her apart from her aristocratic in-laws. She was essentially the show's moral compass, always steering the family to be better. Isobel was the one who encouraged Sybil to train as a nurse. She was extremely clever and possessed an almost expert level of medical knowledge, happy to lend a helping hand to the local doctor whenever she could. Isobel was one of the most compassionate and intriguing characters on the show, and she deserves to be remembered as such. 2 Lady Mary Crawley Portrayed by Michelle Dockery Few characters had as much of an impact on Downton Abbey as Michelle Dockery's Lady Mary Crawley. The way her character grew from a spoiled, cold, and mean-spirited heiress into a fiercely independent, loyal, and business-minded woman brave enough to divorce her husband at a time when divorce among the aristocracy was an absolute no-go was inspirational. Like Edith, she was hard to empathize with at first, but her relationship with her first husband, Matthew, and her new appreciation for life after his and her sister's deaths changed her for the better. Mary was creative, ambitious, determined, stubborn, and loving for the right people. Her relationship with Mr. Carson, whom she viewed as a second father, of sorts, was especially heartwarming, as was her genuine friendship with Tom. If anyone was going to lead the Crawley family into a new era, it was Mary, whether on the Downton estate or elsewhere. She had what it took to make the tough decisions, even more so than her father ever did. 1 Violet Crawley, The Dowager Countess Of Grantham Portrayed by the late Dame Maggie Smith The woman, the myth, the legend. Dame Maggie Smith's Violet Crawley is Downton Abbey; she alone offered the snark, humor, and balance the show needed, acting as a confidante for nearly every family member in one capacity or another. Her best relationship, however, was the unlikely friendship she struck up with Isobel Crawley. Though the two women didn't see eye to eye at first — Violet was initially wary of Matthew's status as the Crawley heir — they learned to lean on each other through thick and thin. Downton Abbey's third and final movie, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale, wasn't the same without Smith's Violet, especially after the actress herself passed away soon after her character died in Downton Abbey: A New Era and just a year before The Grand Finale. She was a force to be reckoned with, a protector, a mother, and a friend. Casting Dame Maggie Smith was the best thing Julian Fellowes and Downton Abbey ever did. Movie(s) Downton Abbey, Downton Abbey: A New Era, Downton Abbey 3 TV Show(s) Downton Abbey First Film Downton Abbey First TV Show Downton Abbey Cast Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Brendan Coyle, Maggie Smith, Dan Stevens, Penelope Wilton Created by Julian Fellowes