Top filming locations

Colin Bridgerton and Penelope Featherington in Bridgerton stood next to each other inside Claydon House, Buckinghamshire — A scene from Bridgerton, series three, which was shot at Claydon House, Buckinghamshire | © 2024 Netflix, Inc.

From Bridgerton to Star Wars, some of the biggest TV and film productions on screen were filmed at places in our care. Each month, nine shoots on average take place, for everything from period dramas to sci-fi blockbusters. Discover the best filming locations to visit and find out what goes on behind the scenes.

Ashridge Estate, Hertfordshire: With acres of woodland, rolling downland and lush meadows all within close distance of London, it’s no wonder that Ashridge has been a hit with film-makers since its first appearance in The Dirty Dozen (1967). Highlights from its extensive filmography include Maleficent (2014), Into the Woods (2015) and Les Misérables (2012). A 60m wall was also built to create a border between the village of Wall and the mysterious realm of Stormhold in Stardust (2007).Visit Ashridge Estate
Basildon Park, Berkshire: This 18th-century manor house was rescued from demolition in the 1950s and became the location for scenes such as the Netherfield ball in Pride and Prejudice (2005). This remains one of the biggest filming projects we’ve ever had, involving 10 days, 200 supporting artists, horses, carriages, a scissor lift and a whole lot of dancing. Much of Downton Abbey’s 2013 Christmas special was shot here too, when Basildon became Grantham House. In Bridgerton series three (2024), the Formal Garden provides the setting for Colin and Penelope’s first kiss.Visit Basildon Park
Bath Assembly Rooms, Bath: The TV series Bridgerton follows the rise and fall of characters within wealthy Regency families. Scenes from Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story (2023) – which is a spin-off series – featured the Bath Assembly Rooms. This Georgian building contains a ballroom and card room, and is where society would gather during the time of Jane Austen. The Tea Room is the location for Lady Danbury's first ball of the season, with Queen Charlotte and King George taking to the dance floor in the third episode.Visit Bath Assembly Rooms
Castle Ward, County Down: Winterfell – seat of the Stark family – is one of the most recognisable locations in Game of Thrones. In season one (2011), it's filmed on the Castle Ward estate. The Stark children practiced their archery in Castle Ward's farmyard; the estate hosted Robb Stark’s army camp and it was also the setting for The Twins. The battle between the Starks and Lannisters in episode nine ('Baelor') was also filmed at Castle Ward, along with the scene in episode ten ('Fire and Blood') where Brienne confronts three Stark men.Visit Castle Ward
Chartwell, Kent: Places that have played themselves on screen include Chartwell, which was Sir Winston Churchill’s home in The Darkest Hour (2017). The film follows Churchill (played by Gary Oldman) as he becomes Prime Minister and goes on to make crucial decisions during World War Two. Visit the house today and you can see more than 1,000 individual items belonging to Churchill.Visit Chartwell
Claydon House, Buckinghamshire: Claydon makes its debut in the third series of Bridgerton (2024), where it hosts a wedding breakfast in the Featherington’s residence. As Claydon is decorated in bright colours, it would perhaps suit the Featheringtons in real life. Inspiration for the intricate icing on the wedding cake came from wood carvings found throughout the house. They were made by Luke Lightfoot, a master craftsman in the 18th century.Visit Claydon House
Derwentwater, Lake District: In 2015, fans of the Star Wars franchise were treated to the sight of the Millennium Falcon flying over Derwentwater. The lake appeared as a backdrop in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), where it was digitally enhanced and cast as the planet Takodana. The scene shows the spaceship zooming towards the lake from above Watendlath Fell. In the cockpit, the character Rey (Daisy Ridley) is seated next to Hans (Harrison Ford) and as they approach the shoreline she exclaims: 'I didn't know there was this much green in the whole galaxy'.Visit Derwentwater

A view of Brandelhow Woodland on the west shore of Derwentwater in the Lake District — A similar view to that from the Millennium Falcon, looking north up Derwentwater, Lake District | © National Trust Images/Paul Harris

Fountains Abbey, North Yorkshire: This ruined 12th-century abbey is no stranger to being filmed, having appeared in popular films such as The History Boys (2006) and Death Comes to Pemberley (2013). Built using stone from the abbey, the mansion of Fountains Hall is said to have inspired Misselthwaite Manor in the novel The Secret Garden – so it was fitting that it played the Manor in the 1993 film. Continuing the tradition, the ruins also appear in the 2020 adaptation of the children’s classic.Visit Fountains Abbey
Frensham Little Pond, Surrey: Created in the 13th century as a fishing lake, in more recent years Frensham’s twice welcomed Chris Hemsworth for the filming of Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) and The Huntsman: Winter’s War (2016). Having built a whole village over the lake, the crew then proceeded to burn it down in order to create one of the film’s biggest battle scenes. Strict planning and monitoring ensured there was no damage to this Site of Special Scientific Interest.Visit Frensham Little Pond

Tranquil, atmospheric and romantic: Great Chalfield Manor has to be my favourite location. Luckily film-makers feel the same way, so I’ve seen Poldark arrive for a ball, Henry VIII set off for a hunt and Thomas Cromwell make it his home. Who knows who’s coming next?

A quote by Lauren TaylorNational Trust Film and Locations Manager

Great Chalfield Manor, Wiltshire: With its Arts and Crafts garden, ponds and unspoilt country surroundings, this manor house has been largely unaltered since the 15th century. It's proved popular as a location for period dramas such as Wolf Hall (2015) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). For Poldark (2015-19) the manor and gardens stood in for Killewarren, home of Caroline Penvenen and her husband Dr Enys.Visit Great Chalfield Manor
Ham House, London: Nestled on the banks of the Thames, Ham’s interiors were used for several scenes in Anna Karenina (2012), The Young Victoria (2009) and Victoria and Abdul (2017). Ham also turned its hand to sci-fi for Never Let Me Go (2010), when it was transformed into a sinister boarding school. Several of the rooms were used as interiors, and the gardeners got a holiday from mowing the lawns to give the grounds an air of neglect.Visit Ham House
Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire: Built in the 1500s, Hardwick Hall is known for its huge number of windows, which were very costly at that point in the 16th century. In the right light all that glass can look somewhat sinister, which made Hardwick an ideal stand in for Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). The makers of Mary Queen of Scots (2019) also used the house and grounds to represent Hampton Court.Visit Hardwick Hall
Lacock, Wiltshire: This quintessential English village looks much like it did 300 years ago, with its higgledy-piggledy stone and timber-framed cottages. Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle knew it as Meryton during the filming of Pride and Prejudice (1995), while more recently the real Royal Artillery paraded through the village during the filming of Downton Abbey (2019). Lacock Abbey became the interior of Hogwarts in scenes from the Harry Potter films.Visit Lacock

A large metal cauldron in the middle of a room at Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire — The Witch's Cauldron at Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire | © National Trust Images/John Hammond

Montacute, Somerset: The Tudor interiors at Montacute were used in Wolf Hall (2015) to represent Greenwich Palace and its parkland hosted a spectacular joust. For The Libertine (2004), the mansion became home to the notorious 17th-century rake John Wilmot, but things were a bit more serene in 1995 for Sense and Sensibility. Alan Rickman memorably charged his horse down the tree-lined west drive on a quest to help the gravely ill Marianne. We’ve appeared in adaptations of Jane Austen's six main novels, plus spin-offs like Sanditon (2019) and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2016).Visit Montacute
Osterley Park, London: Osterley’s red-brick mansion, lakes and parkland made their debut in The Grass is Greener (1960) with Cary Grant. More recently, the interiors were used to represent Wayne Manor in The Dark Knight Rises (2012) and the stable block was transformed into an 1800s army barracks for Vanity Fair (2018). The latest adaptation of The Secret Garden (2020) used the kitchens to stand in for those of Misselthwaite Manor. The house also appeared in the latest series of Bridgerton, as the location for the Full Moon Ball.Visit Osterley

My most surreal experience (during filming) was being trapped in a corridor at Osterley, unable to leave because Sir Michael Caine and Christian Bale were rehearsing at the other end.

A quote by Harvey EdgingtonNational Trust Head of Filming and Locations

St Michael's Mount, Cornwall: St Michael's Mount, with a medieval castle perched on top of a rocky island, stood in for High Tide, the ancestral seat of the Velaryon family, in House of the Dragon (2022). The prequel to Game of Thrones included sweeping views of the Mount, showing soldiers on horseback approaching via the causeway.Visit St Michael's Mount
Stowe, Buckinghamshire: It’s not all period dramas. James Bond visited Stowe for The World is not Enough (1999) and Holywell for Die Another Day (2002). At Stowe, the Gothic temple in the gardens was used for the funeral of Sir Robert King, which was attended by MI6 staff.Visit Stowe
Tredegar House, Newport: Tredegar is a late 17th-century house that can be spotted in 11 episodes of Doctor Who, appearing on television between 2005 and 2020. This explains the Dalek you might encounter in the stables. The sweeping parkland at Tredegar also played the part of a First World War British army base for Journey’s End (2018), with the Stable Hall a convincing army general’s office.Visit Tredegar House

Supporting special places

As well as showing off beautiful locations, filming directly benefits the places in our care that star in the production. The income from location fees goes straight back into conservation work to care for historic houses and landscapes, so that we’ll all be able to see them both on screen and in real life for years to come.

National Trust on Screen

Looking for more locations and behind-the-scenes stories? Treat yourself to a copy of this book full of tales about the filming of big-screen blockbusters and classic TV dramas. It’s the perfect guide to help you explore iconic spots where the stars have been.

Buy the book