Fancy staying somewhere you’ve seen on screen? From The Secret Garden to Harry Potter, there are some fantastic movie locations that you can visit and stay in the UK.
Top 10 UK Movie Locations
Be inspired by breathtaking locations, retrace the footsteps of your favourite characters and discover the true stars of the screen as you read our top 10 UK Movie Locations.
1- Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Several key scenes from the Harry Potter series were filmed at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland. The castle is perhaps best known for featuring in both Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Famous scenes included broomstick training from The Philosopher’s Stone, shot next to the Outer Bailey. The grand Lion Arch also doubled as the entrance to Hogwarts, while many of the scenes of students walking between classes were filmed within the castle’s courtyards and gates. The Inner Bailey is the location where Harry and Ron crashed the Weasleys’ flying car. Today, guests to the castle can experience the magic of Harry Potter with their own broomstick training lesson.
Some of Alnwick Castle’s other movie appearances include Transformers and The Last Knight.
Search for self-catering accommodation near Alnwick Castle with Snaptrip.
The Outer Bailey at Alnwick Castle is recognisable as the area where Harry and his fellow students learned to fly broomsticks with Madam Hooch (Zoe Wanamaker). Harry also learned the rules of the wizarding sport Quidditch in the Outer Bailey.
2 – Chatsworth House, Derbyshire
Perfect for romantics, Chatsworth House is one of England’s largest and most opulent homes. With grounds totalling 35,000 acres, Chatsworth House comprises a magnificent stately home and picture-perfect wooded areas. it’s no surprise it has become a popular film location in the UK, particularly with period dramas.
Chatsworth House is most recognisable from its appearance in Pride and Prejudice. Not only is it mentioned by Jane Austen as one of the estates visited by Elizabeth Bennet before she reaches Mr Darcy’s home at Pemberley in Pride and Prejudice, but it stood in for Pemberley itself in the 2005 adaptation of the book, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. Knightley returned to the location in 2008 for filming on The Duchess.
3 – Hatfield House, Hertfordshire
Dark comedy, The Favourite was filmed at Hatfield House, a Jacobean property located in Hertfordshire. It was the size and grandeur of the house that inspired director Yorgos Lanthimos, who visualised lonely characters in expansive spaces.
The house, which is close to many of the major studios, is a popular filming location, having been used for the likes of Wonder Woman, Batman Begins, The King’s Speech, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, and Paddington 2.
4 – Lacock, Wiltshire
Just outside of Bath is a small quiet village called Lacock, one of the oldest villages in England. With its quaint cottages and historic streets, the Wiltshire village played a starring role in Downton Abbey’s big-screen debut. Set in 1927, Church Street was transformed into a livestock market, with sheep, pigs and even a bull joining the cast.
Harry Potter fans may also recognise the village with Lacock Abbey being the most iconic Harry Potter filming location. The interiors of Laycock Abbey were used as the interiors of Hogwarts School for a significant number of scenes in the first two Harry Potter films. More recently, it has also been used in the Fantastic Beasts film: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Stay in an attractive 15th-century cottage in the centre of Lacock village with National Trust Holidays. Click Here to learn more.
5 – Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire
Fountains Abbey has old ties with The Secret Garden, having originally been used as a location for the 1993 film adaptation. In that version, Fountains Hall was used as the exterior of Misselthwaite Manor, while a small gated doorway just opposite became the hidden entrance into the garden.
In the 2020 version of the movie, the ancient abbey ruins are the star of the show, having been transformed into a sunken temple complete with vine-covered walls. The film crew constructed temporary pools which allowed them to cover the ground with water for the children to splash around in, while still protecting the historic site.
The picturesque remains of Fountains Abbey are no stranger to big and small screens, having appeared in fan favourites such as The History Boys (2006), Death Comes to Pemberley (2013) and Gunpowder (2017).
Located in the houses and gardens featured on screen, the National Trust holiday cottages offer the perfect base to explore these film locations. Click Here to learn more.
6 – Aysgarth Falls, Yorkshire
Nestled within the Wensleydale forest along the River Ure in North Yorkshire lies the descending flight of waterfalls that form an iconic rocky staircase in the rustic English countryside. The Aysgarth Falls act as the watery battleground where Robin Hood (played by Kevin Costner) confronts Little John in the movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. The two woodsmen take up wooden staffs and set about duelling.
There are some sweeping shots that show how minuscule Robin Hood and Little John are on the flight of waterfalls as they battle along the descending levels dragging themselves through the knee-deep water.
In order to encounter the raw power of the Aysgarth Falls try and view them after heavy rain to see what the cast and crew in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves had to deal with.
Why not make a day of it and combine a trip to Aysgarth Falls with the fantastic Forbidden Corner (only a short drive away). Please Note, you will need to pre-book your Forbidden Corner tickets.
7 – Bourne Woods
Bourne Wood has been the backdrop for many blockbuster movies over the years. Perhaps best known for its inclusion in 2000’s hit film Gladiator. The opening battle of the film was shot in the woods and the movie itself is largely accredited with accelerating the popularity of the woods as a filming location.
The woods are reportedly chosen by producers and directors thanks to their proximity to central London film studios and the spacing of the trees which maximises natural light.
Subsequent years have seen a host of movies and TV shows filmed in the woods, including Avengers: Age of Ultron — where the opening car chase scene was filmed — Snow White and the Huntsman, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Wonder Woman.
8 – Wollaton Hall, Nottingham
The historical building of Wollaton Hall will be immediately recognisable to Batman movie fans as Wayne Manor from The Dark Knight Rises. While the abandoned Mentmore Towers in Buckinghamshire was used as an exterior location for Batman Begins, a fake graveyard was built at Wollaton and several internal refurbishments were made in order to create a home fit for a superhero. The Elizabethan home is also famous for its surrounding parkland, which is home to a herd of red deer.
9 – Cragside, Northumberland
Cragside is a Victorian country house near the town of Rothbury in Northumberland, it was used as Lockwood Manor in the latest instalment of the Jurassic World films. Recognisable features include the house, iron bridge, and surrounding coniferous landscape. 2017 film The Current War was also filmed at the estate.
Cragside holds the title of being the first house in the world to be lit using hydroelectric power.
National Trust Holidays has a number of self-catering cottages within the grounds of Cragside, choose from Park Cottage and Garden Cottage, both of which sleep 6. Larger groups can stay at Rothley Lakehouse which sleeps 13.
10 – Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire
Hardwick Hall was transformed into a film set for Josie Rourke’s Mary Queen of Scots, starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie. Hardwick and the privately-owned Haddon Hall a few miles down the road stood in for Hampton Court in the film.
There are some magnificent shots of Hardwick in the film with the main scenes being shot in and around the West Court of the Hall (the area where you arrive at Hall through the gatehouse) and up on the roof.
Hardwick Hall also made an ideal stand-in for the exterior of Malfoy Manor in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). A few pointy towers were added in using CGI to ensure the house looked suitably forbidding.
Enjoy a short break at Hardwick Hall with National Trust Holidays. Click Here to learn more.
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Author: Dan
I am passionate about Theme Parks and Attractions. I love riding roller coasters and thrill rides. With two young boys I understand how expensive family days out can be and this was one of the main driving forces behind Attractions Near me. My aim is to help you and your friends enjoy some great days out without costing the earth. Thanks for reading and have a great time - Regards Dan
