In the Footsteps of the Stars

In the Footsteps of the Stars

Wiltshire locations have played a leading role in a host of big screen movies and TV costume dramas. From swashbuckling adventures to Jane Austen classics. Dr Dolittle to Dr Who. Hogwarts to Wolf Hall. Some of the best known are listed below...

A scene from Pride & Prejudice at Wilton House

Bradford on Avon – Featuring in the upcoming film version of Downton Abbey (2019), this charming town has also appeared in The White Princess (2017) and Creation (2009). Its Tithe Barn and surrounding areas were seen in the BBC’s Wolf Hall (2015) and Robin of Sherwood.

Castle Combe – Sometimes referred to as ‘the prettiest village in England’, Castle Combe has played host to many TV and film productions including Dr Thorne (2016), War Horse (2012), The Wolf Man (2010), Stardust (2007) and Dr Dolittle (1966).

Chavenage House – Just across the border in Gloucestershire, Chavenage House plays the part of Trenwith, Ross’s family home, in the BBC’s adaptation of Poldark (2015-2018).

Filming War Horse at Castle Combe

Corsham – This attractive market town has been making quite a name for itself in filming circles of late, thanks to its High Street being selected as the perfect match for 18 th century Truro in series one of BBC’s Poldark (2015). Locations near Corsham also featured in Lark Rise to Candleford (2008-2011).

Devizes – Devizes achieved renown as Casterbridge in Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd (1967) with scenes shot in the Market Place, St John’s Church, the Corn Exchange and the Shambles Market. Nearby Roundway Down featured in Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1984) starring John Hurt and Richard Burton.

Great Chalfield Manor – In Wolf Hall (2015) the Manor’s interiors stood in for Austin Friars, home of Thomas Cromwell. It also appeared – as Killewarren, home of the Penvenens – in series three of BBC’s Poldark and starred as the family home of the Boleyns in The Other Boleyn Girl (2008).

Filming Poldark in Corsham

Iford Manor Gardens – Keep an eye out for these romantic, awardwinning gardens in a re-make of The Secret Garden (currently in post-production; due for release 2019/2020). Iford Manor also featured in The Razor’s Edge (1984), the BBC’s Robin of Sherwood (1984-1986) and ITV’s Element of Doubt (1996).

Lacock – This charming National Trust village is a perennial favourite with location scouts. Having featured in the final series of ITV’s Downton Abbey (2015) it makes a welcome return in the film version, due for release in 2019. It has also played host to a variety of classic films including The White Princess (2017), Wolf Hall (2015), The Wolfman (2010), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008) and Pride and Prejudice (2005). Scenes from Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) were shot here. Lacock featured in ITV’s costume drama Dr Thorne (2016) too, and in the BBC production of Cranford (2007).

Lacock Abbey

Longleat – The safari park has starred in various series of the BBC’s Animal Park, while the Elizabethan house featured in The Four Seasons (2008), based on Rosamunde Pilcher’s best-selling novels The Shell Seekers and Coming Home. Other productions filmed here include a Bollywood movie.

Mompesson House – Situated in Salisbury’s Cathedral Close this National Trust mansion achieved celebrity status as the London home of Mrs Jennings in the Oscar-winning version of Sense and Sensibility (1995).

Mompesson

Old Wardour Castle – This impressive historic property experienced some modern-day drama when it was used for the filming of Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (1991).

Salisbury Cathedral – The cathedral was the inspiration behind TV mini-series Pillars of the Earth (2010).

Stonehenge – In recent years this iconic location has featured in Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Doctor Who (2010). It also appeared in the BBC production of Tess of the d’Urbervilles (2008).

Stourhead – This National Trust property’s magnificent gardens were used in the filming of Pride and Prejudice (2005) for the scene where Lizzie initially rejects Darcy’s proposal of marriage.

Wilton House – Most recently Wilton House has featured in Tomb Raider (2018) and The Crown (2017). In The Young Victoria (2009) it represented Rosenau Castle, Prince Albert’s Coburg and Buckingham Palace. The Double Cube Room featured in the cinema version of Pride and Prejudice (2005) and was also used for ballroom scenes in Sense and Sensibility (1995).

Animal Park at Longleat

Chavenage House