Britain produces more period drama than any other country in the world, and almost all of it is filmed at real locations rather than on built sets. Here’s the guide to where the biggest period productions of the last decade were filmed — and a producer-eye view of what makes a property work for the genre.
Why the UK dominates period drama
Three reasons. First, the country’s stock of preserved historic homes is unmatched — over 1,500 grade-I listed country houses, plus thousands of Georgian and Victorian townhouses, working farms and unspoilt villages. Second, the production tax incentive is generous (typically 25-40% of qualifying spend). Third, the agency infrastructure makes it efficient: when a producer needs a Regency ballroom in Wiltshire by Tuesday, an agency like ours can put six options in front of them by Monday afternoon.
Where the big shows actually filmed
Bridgerton — Castle Howard (Yorkshire) for exterior of the Featherington home; Hampton Court Palace; Ranger’s House in Greenwich for Bridgerton family exteriors; Bath for street scenes; Wilton House (Wiltshire) for ballroom interiors. Plus dozens of supporting country estates and manor houses for individual scenes.
Downton Abbey — Highclere Castle (Hampshire) for the famous exterior, used continuously for both the original series and the films. Interior shooting also at Ealing Studios with extensive on-location work in Bampton, Oxfordshire (the village exteriors).
The Crown — Belvoir Castle (Leicestershire) for Windsor exteriors; Wrotham Park (Hertfordshire) for various royal residences; Lancaster House (London) for Buckingham Palace state rooms; Ardverikie (Scottish Highlands) for Balmoral.
Saltburn — Drayton House (Northamptonshire) for the entirety of the Saltburn estate. The film essentially turned a private home into a 90-minute character study.
Poor Things — A mix of Glasgow, Hungary and Hampshire location work, including substantial use of period properties for the more grounded interior scenes.
The Gentlemen (Guy Ritchie’s TV adaptation) — Filmed extensively at Halton House and Englefield House in Berkshire, plus a string of country estate locations across the Home Counties.
Wonka — Production base at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, with location work at Lyme Park (Cheshire) and various period villages.
What producers look for in a period drama location
Working from briefs we see weekly, the things that get a property booked for period drama:
— Authentic original features. Original parquet, lath-and-plaster walls, pre-electric fireplaces, period plumbing — all the things that have been “improved out” of most renovated houses. Productions can dress around modern features, but undisturbed authenticity always wins.
— Multi-room shooting potential. A great period property gives a director ten different “rooms” within one location — a state room, a study, a kitchen, bedrooms, servants’ quarters, exterior. Single-room locations are far less productive.
— Untouched grounds. Manicured National Trust gardens are easier than wild parkland for some shoots, but the trend in the past few years is towards more natural, less perfectly-maintained estates (the Saltburn aesthetic).
— Geographic clustering. Productions often need 4-6 period locations within an hour of base. Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Wiltshire, Yorkshire and Berkshire all have particularly dense clusters.
— Cooperative ownership. A house with a single decision-maker who’s used to filming runs more smoothly than one with a board of trustees, multiple inheritors, or restrictive covenants.
LC Locations’ period drama roster
Our country estates, manor houses and period properties span Tudor-era homes, Georgian townhouses, Regency country residences, Victorian townhouses and Edwardian villas. We’ve fielded briefs for Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+ and the major UK broadcasters across the last several seasons.
If you’re producing a period project and looking for locations, get in touch with the brief and we’ll come back with options within hours.
If you own a period property and wonder whether it might work, the answer is almost always yes. How to list your home as a film location →
Frequently asked questions
What’s the most-filmed country house in Britain? Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) is probably the best-known, but Castle Howard, Wilton House and Hatfield House have all hosted dozens of major productions across decades.
Can private period homes be used in shows like Bridgerton? Yes — most “interior” period scenes in big TV drama are filmed in private homes, not state-owned heritage properties.
How much do period drama productions pay for filming locations? High-end TV drama and feature films typically pay between £3,000 and £15,000+ per shoot day for a major period location. Full pricing breakdown →
How do I get my period property used in a film? List with a location agency. Send a few photos and a short description; if your home fits the brief, they’ll add it to their books.
Where can I find period locations near a specific UK studio? See our pages for Pinewood, Leavesden, Elstree and Longcross.