Filming at Calke Abbey
In winter 2024, Calke Abbey played host to the upcoming Netflix feature film, 'Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.' For the first time, the estate became the set of a major cinematic production, welcoming stars Cillian Murphy, Rebecca Ferguson and Packy Lee to shoot key scenes.
Transforming the house and grounds
Inside the House, scenes were captured in passageways and corridors, the Kitchen, Schoolroom and Night Nursery, as well as other rooms normally used as collection stores. Filming also took place in the Stableyards, at Middle Lodge, and in the surrounding parkland. Set dressers and the production team transformed spaces to meet the creative vision – including enhancing the abandoned atmosphere of the estate, with a vintage car adding period detail and a cinematic feel.
Calke Abbey’s enduring character made it a compelling location for the film. Many areas of the house and stables remain largely unrestored, vividly portraying a period in the 20th century when numerous country houses fell into decline and did not survive to tell their story. This authentic backdrop allowed the filmmakers to capture the sense of history that is central to the production, while also highlighting the estate’s unique ability to reveal the social and architectural story of a country house in transition.
Behind the scenes
Filming at Calke involved hundreds of people, including the principal cast, supporting artists, set designers, lighting and camera crew, hair and make-up teams, and catering. The National Trust’s filming and locations team, along with the property staff, worked intensively to prepare the interiors and grounds. Around 1,300 collection items were carefully packed and moved to storage, floors were protected with matting and plywood, and delicate surfaces wrapped, while freelancers and in-house teams helped supervise every stage of the shoot.
An amusing challenge arose with the snow. At the start of the shoot, natural snow had fallen across the estate, which caused continuity issues for scenes shot through the Schoolroom windows. Ironically, artificial snow then had to be introduced for later sequences, using biodegradable powdered wood pulp and foam bubbles, to achieve the desired wintry effect without harming the historic fabric or natural environment.
Protecting Calke during filming
Every major production involves meticulous behind-the-scenes planning. The Calke Abbey collections team worked with conservators and the crews to protect historic floors, collections and fragile surfaces. Thousands of objects were carefully packed and moved, vulnerable areas were wrapped, covered and padded, and specialist conservators remained on hand throughout the shoot.
Filming also brought opportunities for the team to learn new skills, solve challenges and see familiar rooms transformed through lighting, set dressing and camera work. The location fees have already helped to fund essential conservation projects across the estate - from improved blinds that protect sensitive interiors to path works and repairs that otherwise wouldn't have been possible at this time.
What you'll see when you next visit Calke
To mark the release, there will be new ways to explore Calke's on-screen transformation. Download a walking route using the link below (coming soon) to take in the key filming locations across the estate and discover how familiar spaces were adapted for the screen. Inside the House, look out for new interpretation inspired by Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, sharing behind-the-scenes stories and images showing how Calke was altered for filming. Additional interpretation in the Stableyards will reveal how the spaces were dressed, disguised and digitally enhanced to create worlds far removed from present-day Derbyshire.
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man comes to cinemas from 6 March, and launches on Netflix on 20 March.
The downloadable walking trail and interpretation about filming at Calke will be available from Saturday 14 March.
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