Where Is It Filmed? 5 Must-Visit Places In England
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Badminton House – Gloucestershire, England
With its palatial windows, extensive gardens and domed crowning pavilions, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Badminton House is straight out of a fairy tale. Mentioned in the Domesday Book under its original name – Madminture – it’s a setting Lewis Carol might have dreamt up for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (it’s certainly easy to imagine his eponymous heroine admiring its beautiful Walled Garden or exploring one of its 16 rose beds).
Its modern name, Badminton, may very well have birthed the name of the game itself: it is believed that army officers played early versions of ‘shuttlecock’ at the house in the 19th century. The Entrance Hall is accordingly sized to meet the dimensions of a modern badminton court.
Now the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort, the grand country estate is set among 52,000 acres of land and contains the remains of several Roman Villas. It was once home to John of Gaunt’s descendants, the Somersets – who were the first to make significant alterations to the property.
Did you know?
A variety of royals have resided at Badminton over the years, from William of Orange – who stopped by on his return from the battle of the Boyne – to George V’s wife, Queen Mary, who stayed at the house for much of the Second World War
Where to spot it in Bridgerton: The interior of Badminton House was used for rooms at Clyvedon Castle – the home of Simon, the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), and his wife, Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor), in the first season of Bridgerton.
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Wilton House – Wiltshire, England
What do Tomb Raider (2018), Pride and Prejudice (2005) and Johnny English Reborn (2011) have in common? They were all filmed at Wilton House in Salisbury. The impressive home has been the location of a broad spectrum of films and television shows over the years, and credited in more than 40 high-profile productions (many of which are history-inspired: Young Victoria (2009), Victoria (2016–19) and The Crown (2016–present), to name but a few).
Built on the site of a ninth-century nunnery and set among 21 acres of landscaped parkland, the country home is certainly fit for a king and queen, and has been used to portray Buckingham Palace several times.
In real life, it is the family home of the Earl and Countess of Pembroke. Outside of the main building, one of the estate’s most memorable features is its stunning Palladian bridge, which was partly inspired by a rejected design by Italian Renaissance architect Palladio for the world-famous Rialto Bridge spanning the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
Did you know?
The Abbey at Wilton was seized during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries, around the year 1540
Where to spot it in Bridgerton: Wilton House is used for some of the interior and exterior shots of the Duke of Hastings’s house, Clyvedon Castle. It also serves as various rooms belonging to Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel)
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Hatfield House – Hertfordshire, England
Fans of The Favourite (2018) are sure to recognise Hatfield House; principal photography for the period black comedy starring Olivia Colman as Queen Anne took place at the distinctive Jacobean property. Bridgerton actress Nicola Coughlan (who plays Penelope Featherington) was particularly enamoured with this information while filming the series, telling Vogue Australia, “I did sneak upstairs because I wanted to see Olivia Colman’s [Queen Anne’s] room. I was trying to rub the walls so that her acting talent would rub onto me!”
The house is set in a large park and is currently home to the 7th Marquess of Salisbury. It is a popular tourist attraction, not least because of its strong ties to the Tudors and the fact that it houses the famous ‘Rainbow Portrait’ of Elizabeth I in its Marble Hall.
Two of Henry VIII’s children – Edward VI and Elizabeth – spent their childhoods at the estate’s Old Palace. His eldest daughter, Mary I, also lived at the property while she was a teenager (between 1533 and 1536), during which she waited on her half-sister, Elizabeth. The Old Palace is, according to the official website, “one of the foremost examples of medieval brickwork in the country”.
Did you know?
An ancient tree on the grounds of the estate is thought, by some, to be the location of where Elizabeth was first told she was queen. It’s known as Queen Elizabeth’s Oak
Where to spot it in Bridgerton: The exterior, the West Garden, the Marble Hall and the Library appear in both seasons of Bridgerton.
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Castle Howard – North Yorkshire, England
Despite its name, Castle Howard is not a castle. The grand house has been home to the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for more than 300 years, and is perhaps best known for appearing as the fictional Brideshead in both the film and television adaptions of Evelyn Waugh’s Brideshead Revisited.
Some of the most intimate scenes of the first season of Bridgerton take place at Castle Howard. The resplendent Archbishop’s Bedroom – with its canopied bed, vaulted ceilings and highly detailed wallpaper – was used as Daphne and Simon’s marital bedroom. In real life this room is private, although it is used to host guests staying at the house.
Did you know?
A major fire broke out at Castle Howard in November 1940, destroying rooms in the basement and principal/upper floors, as well as collapsing the dome (the latter of which was rebuilt and redecorated in the early 1960s)
Where (else) to spot it in Bridgerton: Episode six of season one, in which it portrays Clyvedon Castle. It’s 18th-century walled garden hosts the infamous fight scene between Daphne and Nigel Berbrooke (Jamie Beamish).
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Syon Park – London, England
Although the house itself at Syon Park is undoubtedly impressive, perhaps one its most unusual aspects is that the grounds resemble rural countryside despite its location just nine miles from Charing Cross. The extensive grounds were redesigned by ‘England’s greatest gardener’ – Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown – in the 18th century; he was paid nearly £1,850 (£3 million today) by the 1st Duke of Northumberland for his work.
Outside of gardening, Syon Park has significance in the history of astronomy. In June 1609, astronomer and mathematician Thomas Harriot was working at the house when he used a telescope to make drawings of the Moon. He was the first person to have recorded the Moon in this way, and his drawings came several months ahead of Galileo Galilei’s more famous observations.
Did you know?
Syon Park contains more than 400 species of tree, 200 of which are considered rare. The tree collection dates back to the late 18th century
Where to spot it in Bridgerton: The location of the first ball in the second season (and where the protagonists Anthony and Kate first recognise each other, after their initial ‘meet cute’ while horse riding).
Rachel Dinning is a digital section editor at HistoryExtra
