Thanks to more than 150 years of the silver screen, we’ve spent a lifetime watching a variety of films and TV shows. As well as their entertainment factor, a great movie in an amazing setting can inspire us to visit famous filming locations around the world and closer to home.
Over the decades, there have been multiple locations across the UK that have graced our screens and provided the backdrop to countless popular shows. As a result, many landmarks and buildings are famous attractions in their own right, with visitors flocking to see their favourite film locations in reality. For anyone planning some escapism in the New Year, this article offers travel, tour and accommodation inspiration if you’re a fan hoping to combine your travels with the UK’s most iconic filming destinations.
London and Essex
Whether you’re exploring the capital’s famous attractions for a few days or staying a bit longer, drop by Borough Market, the famed site of Bridget Jones’s flat in the popular 2001 rom-com, Bridget Jones’s Diary. While you’re there, why not have a pint at The Globe pub by the Thames, just as Bridget and Mark Darcy did on their first date?
Stay here: Wagon Apartment is a brilliant spot to call your home-from-home in London. Central and chic…Colin Firth could be ringing your doorbell at any moment.
Richmond in south-west London rose to fame for being the location for the hit show Ted Lasso starring Jason Sudeikis. The award-winning programme is all about an American with no football knowledge who takes over an English football club. Thanks to the show’s success, there’s even a Ted Lasso tour to spot all the filming locations.
Stay here: Beaumont House, a gorgeous 5-bedroom home, situated in the heart of leafy Richmond.
In nearby Essex, you’ll find Audley End House in Saffron Walden. This impressive early 17th-century country house is one of the finest Jacobean houses in England. It is where The Crown has been filmed, telling the inside story of two of the most famous addresses in the world, Buckingham Palace and 10 Downing Street. The surrounding countryside is amazing, making this a memorable filming location and a magical area to visit and enjoy an incredible staycation in the UK.
West Coast and Cornwall
With one of the UK’s most beautiful coastlines, Cornwall is well-known for its beaches. This was the setting for Tim Burton’s 2010 version of Alice in Wonderland, a brilliant adaptation of a beloved English classic. This attractive part of England offers holidaymakers some of the most enchanting holiday homes to stay in!
Antony House in Cornwall was chosen as a film location for its breathtaking views, which provided the perfect backdrop for Alice’s first glimpse of Wonderland. Cornwall also served as the setting for a striking adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s Jamaica Inn, filmed in an old smuggling inn amid the wild beauty of Bodmin Moor. And don’t miss the dramatic cliffs of North Devon which became the cinematic stage for the acclaimed adaptation of Rebecca.
North England – Durham and Northumberland
Durham is a beautiful city, with cobbled streets and charming architecture. Its most iconic (and famous) landmark, Durham Cathedral, was used as a film set for Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. But this is just one of its cinematic claims to fame. Over the years, Durham has been a filmmaker’s dream, featuring in acclaimed productions such as Billy Elliot (2000), Alien 3 (1992), Lady Macbeth (2017), and Downton Abbey (2015), where the city’s popular Beamish Museum played a starring role. If you’re a fan of gothic horror films and haunted places, you might also enjoy popping into one of many storied pubs and hotels on your journey.
Scotland – Castles and Stately Homes
The UK’s castles and stately homes are a favourite choice among directors. With 400 historic sites to choose from, English Heritage has been busy organising and approving film shoots for a number of popular TV and film projects over the years. These majestic and historic homes and mansions have welcomed everything from superheroes in Batman to the beautiful debutantes who light up many period dramas, such as Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre and Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park.
Doune Castle was the setting for the hugely popular Game of Thrones, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and Outlander. The Romanesque castle in Scotland is one of the most legendary filming locations in the UK. Castle Howard is an 18th-century castle in North Yorkshire that was the perfect filming location for Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties, Victoria and the popular Netflix show, Bridgerton.
Stay here: You’ll indulge in a touch of splendour at Timeless Castle. Enjoy playing Lord and Lady of the Manor on a memorable holiday in the Scottish Borders. Just check out that wonderful period decor! Very Bridgerton coded.
Wales – Parks and Peaks
With hilly peaks, castles, national parks and undulating fields, there are plenty of reasons for casting agents and film scouts to scour Wales for the ideal filming locations in the UK. Returning to a royal theme and the series, The Crown used the stunning Caernarfon Castle in Gwynedd as a filming location for the investiture of the Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), which definitely deserves a mention. Likewise, Snowdonia National Park’s history of filming spans decades and was an irresistible choice to depict the legendary Khyber Pass in Afghanistan for the hit British comedy, Carry on Up the Khyber.
Finally, Merthyr Mawr Sand Dunes, the centre of Merthyr Mawr Nature Reserve in the south of Wales, was famously brought to life in Lawrence of Arabia. The Brecon Beacons are one of the three national parks in Wales and one of 15 national parks in the UK, and were used as a setting in The Dark Knight Rises.
Stay here: pretend to be the Prince of Wales on a holiday to Gwynedd House, a beautiful barn conversion in easy reach of Caernarfon Castle, the lovely town of Porthmadog and the wondrous Mount Snowden.
How’s that for a roundup of the best filming locations in the UK? British TV and cinema are iconic, and so are the exceptional places chosen as their backdrops. Check out all our homes in the UK and have a browse on Oliver’s Travels to inspire your next villa holiday. And when you’ve chosen your dream hideaway, contact our friendly concierge team, who will be happy to advise and help book some fabulous extras to make your experience unforgettable!
