Top 10 most beautiful film and TV period drama locations

These days, film and TV locations are the best they’ve ever been. Here are some period dramas shot in the most beautiful locations imaginable.

We are currently in what many people are calling “The Golden Age of Television.” It used to be that if a film was shot for TV, it was definitely second-rate and television was where big actors’ careers went to die. Thanks to streaming services like Netflix, the landscape of television has changed completely.

Made-for-TV movies are now huge releases with massive Hollywood names in them that rake in the cash like any box office hit. The places where these shows and movies are filmed are also now in line with the “big budget” Hollywood movies that previously kept all the best locations, scripts, and actors for themselves. 

Some truly inspired movies and TV shows have come out in the last decade, with picturesque locations to match. Period dramas, in particular, are filmed in such exquisite locations that your eyes don’t know what to take in first! Join us as we check out ten period dramas shot in some of the world’s most visually stunning locations.

 

Gentleman Jack

Shot in Halifax, Yorkshire.

Yes, it’s true; almost all period dramas that come out these days are British! Gentleman Jack, set in the 1830s, is a little bit different from the rest, though. It follows the life of lesbian writer Anne Lister, played to perfection by Suranne Jones. Many of the scenes in the BBC drama were actually shot at the home where Lister lived and wrote in Halifax. The building is over 600 years old and currently open for public viewing and tours.

 

Tess of the D’ Urbervilles

Shot in Sudeley Castle, Cotswolds.

There are many adaptations of this novel out there, but the 2008 BBC miniseries was the BBC’s first-ever crack at translating it to TV. The Thomas Hardy book follows a country girl, low-born, of course, who finds out that her family isn’t actually as plain as she thought. Sudeley Castle in the picturesque Cotswolds takes you back in time. In the castle’s thousand-plus years, it has played host to many royals and nobles and is famous for its unique design.

 

The Crown

Shot partially in Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire

Netflix spared absolutely no expense when they set out to make this personal, behind-the-scenes, and painstakingly styled look at the royal family. All of their locations were marvels of design and construction, but Belvoir Castle was particularly lovely. The castle’s hilltop location was where Windsor Castle was recreated. The formal gardens are impeccably kept, and the galleries are exquisitely maintained.

 

Poldark

Shot in Cornwall.

Moors and towering coastal cliffs are the backdrops for the TV adaptation of Winston Graham’s beloved novel. All the classic period drama emotions are in play: ambition, jealousy, love, and hatred. These well-known feelings play out against more than one National Trust location, from beaches to mines and headlands.

 

The Favourite

Shot in Hampton Court Palace, Surrey.

This dark and unusual period comedy sees two women vie for the most coveted position in Court, the Queen’s favorite. Hampton Court Palace is a well-known refuge that Queen Anne used to hide out during her reign, and a large portion of the movie was filmed in this one location. Henry VIII’s Kitchens, built and furnished during the decadent Tudor period, the Fountain Court, and the Cartoon Gallery all feature prominently in the film.

 

Bridgerton

Filmed at Royal Crescent, Bath.

If you haven’t watched Bridgerton yet, where have you been? Royal Crescent was the perfect choice for the popular regency drama series. The outside of the Featherington home was shot exclusively at the Royal Crescent, which is one of the best-preserved examples of Georgian architecture in the whole of the UK.

 

The Secret Garden

Shot in Helmsley Walled Garden, Yorkshire.

The most recent adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnette’s exquisitely detailed children’s book was shot at a location so lovely that no one, children or adults, could look away. Orphaned Mary Lennox is sent to live with her strange uncle, and her life begins to open up and unfold as she learns how to look after herself in the sprawling house and gardens. Helmsley Walled Garden sits below the ruins of Helmsley Castle and has been there since 1759.

 

Peaky Blinders

Shot in Birmingham.

All of the shops, homes, and streets in the global phenomenon were locations in classic, character-full Birmingham. The reconstructed pubs, homes, and shops are exact replicas of the building in the area back in the early 1900s. Dudley’s Black Country Living Museum got an incredible 30 million pound upgrade for the filming.

 

Downton Abbey

Shot in Highclere Castle, Hampshire.

The Abbey, as it is affectionately known, is actually the longtime home of the Carnarvon Family (since 1679). It was designed by the architect made famous for his design for the Houses of Parliament. Group tours of the house are currently available, along with tours of the Egyptian Gardens and grounds.

 

Pride and Prejudice

Shot in Chatsworth House, Peak District.

In the 2005 adaptation of the beloved novel, Chatsworth House takes on the role of Pemberly. The iconic staircase, the Painted Hall, and the Sculpture Gallery all feature prominently in the film and tours of the location. The house is also renowned for its art collection, which spans more than 4000 years.

 

So, who’s up for taking a film location tour throughout England? We are!