What is the name of the estate owned by Mr. Knightley in 'Emma'?

Mr. Knightley owns Donwell Abbey in Jane Austen’s Emma. It is a substantial country estate near the fictional village of Highbury and helps establish Knightley as one of the area’s leading landowners.

Donwell Abbey is not merely a residence in the story. Its extensive grounds, farms, and tenant relationships reflect the economic structure of the landed gentry. Robert Martin, the farmer whose proposal Harriet Smith initially rejects, farms on the Donwell estate. Knightley’s practical knowledge of agriculture and his respect for Martin contrast with Emma Woodhouse’s class-based assumptions.

The name “abbey” does not mean that Mr. Knightley lives in a functioning monastery. Austen uses the term for an old country house or estate with an antiquarian-sounding name. Emma’s own home is Hartfield, while Randalls belongs to Mr. and Mrs. Weston. Pemberley and Netherfield are estates in Pride and Prejudice, making them tempting but incorrect alternatives.

Donwell Abbey also appears during the novel’s famous outings, including the visit where Emma admires the estate’s cultivated landscape and English countryside.