The Bridgerton locations you can actually visit

Dearest Readers, As we countdown to Bridgerton season 2, here’s a look back at the filming locations from the first season that you can visit in real life…

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a Regency period drama must be shot on location in the English city of Bath. And so in opulent new Netflix series, Bridgerton (the name of a family not a place), Bath’s picturesque Georgian architecture stands in for London in 1813. All the exterior shots of “Mayfair” were actually filmed against the honey stone facades of Alfred, Bath and Great Pulteney Streets as well as Beauford Square and Royal Crescent.

Based on the popular romance novels by Julia Quinn, the television series centres around two high society families, the sophisticated Bridgertons and the gauche Featheringtons, as their daughters aim to find eligible husbands during the London Season. Described as Jane Austen meets Gossip Girl, the show is an over the top extravaganza of ultra bright colours, sumptuous costumes, steamy sex scenes and stunning locations.

As well as Bath, various historic buildings around England, many designed by England’s first starchitect Inigo Jones, were used as locations. The interiors are 50 per cent real, 50 per cent set design, Bridgerton’s production designer Will Hughes-Jones told me via email. Some of the real life locations are not open to the public, for instance *that* staircase scene with the anti-hero, Simon, the Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton was filmed is a private house on Queen Anne’s Gate, London. Below though are the locations you can visit when the lockdown is lifted. 

Bath, Somerset

The grand exterior of No 1 Royal Crescent, a Georgian era museum, is the Featherington’s Grosvenor Square house (the interiors are set designs). Holburne Museum of Art at the end of Great Pulteney is the exterior of the Duke’s godmother Lady Danbury’s mansion while the Bath Assembly Rooms, the scene of many real life Georgian balls, was the setting for Danbury House’s ballroom. Double bay windowed Pickled Greens café on Abbey Green is the location of Modiste couture dress maker while 12 Trim Street (in reality a hair salon) is Gunter’s Tea Shop, both featured throughout the series.

Ranger’s House, London

The exterior of Bridgerton House, also supposedly in Grosvenor Square, is this eye catching building in Greenwich, south east London (the interiors were shot at RAF Halton House, not open to the public). This Palladian style villa which the production team bedecked with wisteria now houses The Wernher Collection, an impressive range of artworks collected by Sir Julius Wernher in the 19^thcentury. 

Wilton House, Wiltshire

When the debutantes including Daphne and the Featherington sisters are presented to Queen Charlotte at St James’s Palace it’s in Wilton House’s stunning Single Cube Room, so called because of its dimensions of 30 ft long by 30 ft wide and 30 ft high. And when the displeased Queen confronts her nephew Prince Friedrich of Prussia at her home, Buckingham House, it’s in the even more splendid Double Cube Room. 

The house multi tasks as the exterior and interiors of the Duke’s London residence, Hastings House, too. The Cloisters features in several corridor stomping scenes and that fabulous ariel shot of “Hastings House” with is courtyard garden in the series finale of Bridgerton is Wilton. 

The Queen’s House, London

Also in Greenwich, this impressive Classical building – the first of its style in the UK – stands in for Somerset House where the debutantes flock around Prince Friedrich. The house was originally built for King James 1’s bride in the early 1600s and now houses an art gallery (though not the one seen in Bridgerton which was filmed inside Somerley House, a private events venue).

Painshill, Surrey

The 18^th century landscaped gardens in Cobham appear in the “Botanical Gardens” scenes where London society meets to picnic and promenade. The lake and both the Chinese and Five Arch bridges feature prominently – with the Netflix design additions of gazebos and a profusion of flowers. 

Syon House, London

While several of the Buckingham House interiors were shot at Lancaster house (owned by the British Government and not open to the public), some were also filmed inside this 16^th century house in west London. The neo classical gem also serves as the location of the Duke’s Hastings House study and dressing room. And the distinctive neo classical Great Hall is where the Duke’s belongings are packed up before he intends to leave England. Syon House’s garden courtyard inspired the set design for the London Season’s final ball.

Hatfield House, Hertfordshire

Lady Trowbridge’s Ball, featuring pivotal scenes for all the major Bridgerton characters, was filmed at this country house just north of London. As well as shots of the Jacobean exteriors and the ornamental East Garden, the Marble Hall with its black and white checked floor and wood carved walls features as the ballroom. The house has links with Queen Elizabeth 1 and a portrait of her circa 1600 hangs in the Marble Hall. 

Castle Howard, Yorkshire 

Both the magnificent exterior and interiors, including the centrepiece dome, of Castle Howard were shot for the Duke’s country seat, Clyvedon Castle. The Temple of the Four Winds in the grounds is the setting for another passionate scene between Simon and Daphne. Clyvedon’s dining room was actually filmed at Wilton House though and if you’re looking for the library – setting of yet another steamy encounter – you’ll need an invite to The Reform Club in London.

This article was originally published in January 2021