Recreate Your Favourite Period Drama Moments At These Historic Locations

11 January 2021

With the recent release of Netflix’s Bridgerton comes a refreshed desire to live the lives of our favourite period drama characters and witness the splendour of their stately homes for ourselves.

Thankfully, the UK is home to the filming locations of our many beloved films and TV series, which gives us the opportunity to step into the 1800s and explore the exquisite settings that we’ve come to love.

Here are our top five period drama-inspired locations to inspire your staycations this year.

1.   Regency Bath

While Bridgerton is set in London, most of the city-shots were actually filmed in Bath. Known for its regency-style architecture - and The Royal Crescent, in particular (pictured above) -  it’s the perfect location for any period drama.

It’s also a must-visit for Jane Austen fans, as she lived there with her family from 1801-1806. Thanks to The Jane Austen Museum, it’s not uncommon to see ladies and gents wearing elegant, Regency era style clothing. It’s the ideal holiday for anyone wanting to step back in time.

To see the beautiful city of Bath for yourself, click to see the tours we have available.

2.   The Cotswolds

The Cotswolds is full of exquisite locations that have been used in a variety of period dramas, including Sudeley Castle (Tess Of The D’Urbervilles), Chavenage House (Poldark), Stanway House (Wolf Hall), and Badminton House, which was most recently used as part of the interior of The Duke’s home in Bridgerton.

Every trip you could take to the Cotswolds is filled with idyllic landscapes, grand estates and medieval cottages, so it’s not surprising that film and TV scouts often flood the different towns and villages for their historic releases.

If you’d like to immerse yourself in the exquisite Cotswold settings, click for more info.

3.   Chatsworth House

Although not used in Bridgerton itself, anyone who dreams of life in the Regency era should not leave Chatsworth House off their staycation list. This beautiful manor house has featured in a variety of films and TV series, including Peaky Blinders, The Duchess, Jane Eyre (2011), and most famously, the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

It’s estimated that more than one million people visit Chatsworth House each year. The exterior alone is enough to leave you in awe, but the interior is just as grand. The home of The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, the 25 rooms of Chatsworth House include a magnificent Sculpture Gallery, State Rooms, and the Painted Hall.

To take a tour to Chatsworth House, click to see the next available dates.

4.   Highclere Castle

Highclere Castle is now more commonly known as Downton Abbey, as the castle is depicted as the Earl of Grantham’s home. Famous for its glamorous Victorian architecture, the castle also hosts its own Egyptian Exhibition as a commemoration of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamen with Howard Carter in 1922.

Sitting on an estate that totals around 6,000 acres, the splendour of the castle doesn’t end inside - the gardens are as beautiful as the building itself. With 1,200 tourists visiting each day during the summer, it’s not hard to see why this castle is so popular!

Check out this tour to walk the footsteps of your favourite Downton Abbey characters.

5.   Harewood House

Another Downton Abbey location, Harewood House in Yorkshire has had its fair share of screen time. More recently known as the setting for the King and Queen’s ball in the Downton Abbey film, Harewood was also used as Queen Victoria’s palace in ITV’s series Victoria.

Set over 100 acres of land, visitors of the stately home get to see the grand gardens (accompanied with a farm and bird garden!), the art gallery, and more, fully immersing themselves in the luxuries of this prestigious building.

For a private viewing of Harewood House, including its Treasure House – one of the greatest in the country – take a look at our ‘A Taste of the Stately High Life in Yorkshire,’ tour, where you can also visit Allerton Castle, Goldsborough Hall, and Ripley Castle.