To think it's 'down' to London from Yorkshire?

[abbeydo]

In Downton Abbey they keep speaking of 'going up to London', but if they're in Yorkshire, surely it's down?

Up North, down South. If it was on a globe then Yorkshire would be nearer the top than London, hence up. And it's more hilly the further North you go! Closer to heaven too - you can't get that excited about the South, but Lancashire, Yorkshire & Scotland are just little slices of heaven Any way you look at it, the North is up.

It's always up to the capital

It’s a railway thing. The upline heads towards London, hence it’s up to London. Anybtrains away from London are on the down line, no matter what direction.

You always go Up to Town. London is Town. Especially in the olden days!

Otherwise, it's geographical. You don't go down to Yorkshire from London, clearly it's up!

In Lancashire growing up, going into town was always "going up town" even when town was the local market town, let alone anywhere as fancy as that there London!

It's always "up" to London.

I’m in Oxfordshire and I always go “up to town”. I may be a ponce who has just stepped out of an Austen novel. That’s slightly dispiriting.

Americans always go 'downtown'

We are north London but always say up to London or up west.

You don't go down to Yorkshire from London, clearly it's up!

Only way to describe it.

Otherwise, it's geographical.

I rather presumed it was a value judgement :-)

In railway terms All trains to London are "up" trains from london to anywhere are "down".

Up to the capital, always.

Confusing isn’t it.

The thing that always confuses me is when people say “shall we put it back a week” - I never know if they mean the week before or the week after.

Like others have said it's to do with the train lines rather than any snobbery.

I'm a Brummie and would say down to London.

You always go up to the Capital.

Mornings I agree entirely. If you are leaving Yorkshire in any direction you are going downhill!

Yes of course its up to Yorkshire from London, and down to London from Yorkshire, you can freewheel all the way.

It's always up to town and down to the country. Always. So you'd go up to London as biggest town in the country, but it would be down to Bristol from London. But up to Bristol from Taunton. It's not a North south thing at all. You'd go up to Cardiff from Pembrokshire etc.

Anywhere North of where I am is up.
Anything South is Down.
I don't have a distinction for East or West! (but then, nothing exciting is in either direction anyway).

In Lancashire growing up, going into town was always "going up town" even when town was the local market town, let alone anywhere as fancy as that there London!
Interesting- I grew up in South East England and it was always "Down the Town".