Fans of period dramas such as Bridgerton and Downton Abbey can immerse themselves in the grand settings of their favourite series and films. Laura Sedlak reveals the real-life locations of on-screen historical tales
The stately homes of the English countryside, grand royal residences and the streets of London have long been the backdrop for passionate love affairs, wartime politics and whispered gossip in period dramas. Lovers of history can step back in time and into the scenes of their favourite shows by exploring the locations that bring these stories to life across the country.
The capital of intrigue
London was always at the heart of society in Regency England and set the scene for many schemes and dramas in Bridgerton. Based on the book series by Julia Quinn, the London of the wealthy Bridgerton family is one of royal residences, grand balls and aristocracy. Lancaster House, close to Buckingham Palace, is used as Queen Charlotte’s residence, while Hyde Park and St James’s Park are the settings of romantic strolls and scandalising gossip. The Bridgertons’ Mayfair house is actually Ranger’s House, a stately home on the edge of Greenwich Park. The interiors of Osterley Park and House and Syon House and Park also feature in grand ball scenes.
Royal scenes in The Crown are also brought to life in Lancaster House, standing in for the grandeur of Buckingham Palace. For fans, Brit Movie Tours’ The Crown Walking Tour of London takes you to more than 10 filming locations including The Strand, Clarence House and Lord Mountbatten’s London Home.
Jumping forward to wartime London, the American World War II drama Masters of the Air used Trinity Church Square near Borough Tube station as a bomb blast site and Hemel Hempstead town centre was similarly ‘destroyed’ to show Blitz damage. The Imperial War Museum tells the human story of war and there’s a World War II Spitfire in the atrium.
Scintillating scandal in the south
The counties around London are easy to reach by train and are filled with historic houses and charismatic villages. This year marks 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen, and to celebrate this anniversary, the BBC has released Miss Austen, a story based on Jane’s relationship with her sister, Cassandra. The main filming location in the charming village of Chawton, Hampshire, is Jane Austen’s House. Preserved to reflect the period when Austen lived there, this historic home and museum is where she wrote six of her beloved novels. In Hertfordshire, meanwhile, the 18th-century Langleybury Mansion was used as a setting for a dance Jane attends. It has also appeared in The Crown and Downton Abbey.
Highclere Castle in Hampshire will be very familiar to fans of Downton Abbey as the country estate of the aristocratic Crawley family and their team of staff. Lord and Lady Carnarvon still live on the estate and Downton Abbey-themed tours are offered, including a walk down the grand old staircase like Lady Mary on her wedding day. The historic charm and period features of the village of Bampton in the Cotswolds made it the perfect place to represent the village of Downton a century ago. Wilton House in Wiltshire was used to create four locations in Bridgerton and also appeared in The Crown and the 2005 film, Pride and Prejudice – it’s a real period drama landmark.
Drama up north
The rugged north of England’s natural beauty and grand old houses have provided a rural backdrop for both aristocratic and more down-to-earth period dramas. All Creatures Great and Small is set in 1930s and ’40s Yorkshire and based on the life story of James Herriot, a veterinarian who works in a rural village. Historic market village Grassington, deep in the Yorkshire Dales, stands in for the village of Darrowby and Broughton Hall in Skipton features as Mrs Pumphrey’s house. Locations around the beautiful Bolton Abbey estate also feature and showcase the glorious landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales.
In Derbyshire, Chatsworth House was used in both the 2005 film Pride & Prejudice and Bridgerton. Its Georgian garden is known for its extravagant landscapes, water features and beautiful flower displays, which would have provided the perfect place for the aristocracy of the 19th century to stroll around and impress their guests. Further north, in Northumberland, Alnwick Castle plays a key role in Downton Abbey, standing in for Brancaster Castle. The location hosts a dramatic episode where the Crawley family visits for a weekend of grouse shooting.
Historic fantasy in Scotland
Its magnificent castles, stately homes and breathtaking landscapes make Scotland the perfect backdrop for some serious period dramas. Fans of time-hopping Outlander can visit Falkland, a village in the Kingdom of Fife, which stood in for 1940s and 1960s Inverness. Culross, an impeccably preserved town, served as Cranesmuir, where Claire and Geillis Duncan were accused of witchcraft. Doune Castle, known in Outlander as Castle Leoch, also featured in Game of Thrones. Blackness Castle, a 15th-century fortress, represents Fort William, where Captain Jack Randall committed horrific acts and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, home to Bonnie Prince Charlie, is another key filming location.
Welsh icons
Beautiful Wales is often overlooked for filming locations but Mr Burton, the upcoming biopic of the early life of Welsh actor Richard Burton, is set to put it on the map. The film stars Harry Lawtey as Richard Jenkins and Toby Jones as his mentor Philip Burton. Sitting between the foothills of the Brecon Beacons and the golden sands of Aberavon Beach, Port Talbot features in the film as well as the idyllic Afan Valley, glorious Margam Country Park and Swansea Grand Theatre. From London’s royal palaces to the rugged ruins of Scotland, the UK’s architecture and landscapes offer tantalising glimpses of the past for fans of historical drama.
Whether you associate with the lords and ladies of high society or the gossiping in the servants’ quarters, there are many locations across the country where you can delve back into history and recreate irresistible drama.
