Step beyond the screen and wander through the grand halls that shaped your favorite period dramas. From Edwardian palaces to Regency townhouses, these ten magnificent UK estates invite you to live out your own cinematic history.
British historical dramas bring elegance and grandeur to your screens. If you’ve ever watched Bridgerton or Downton Abbey and thought, 'Wow, I’d love to see those estates in real life!' Then you’re in luck. Many of the estates and locations featured in your favourite British historical dramas can be found across the UK, and you can even visit them, walking in the footsteps of your favourite characters.
If you want to trade your screen for a stroll through history, here are ten iconic estates where you can step directly into a period drama.
Highclere Castle (Hampshire)
Downton Abbey is one of the best historical dramas set in the UK. With high stakes and tension, it’s no wonder it's a classic. Highclere Castle was the set for the triumphs and heartbreaks of the Crawley family. Designed by Charles Barry, you’ll get a glimpse of high Edwardian elegance with a spectacular Jacobethan facade and an opulent, rich-red Library look, exactly as they do on screen.
Lyme Park (Cheshire)
For those who prefer Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in the 1995 depiction of Pride and Prejudice, you’ll want to visit Lyme Park, which was used as the exterior of the Pemberley estate in the BBC miniseries. Managed by the National Trust, visitors can walk the property’s 1,400 acres of wild deer park and gaze out over the lake that hosted that famous lakeside scene.
Chatsworth House (Derbyshire)
Situated in the Peak District, step foot in Chatsworth House, which reportedly inspired Jane Austen’s description of Pemberley. In the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, Mr Darcy’s estate was filmed in Chatsworth House. Visitors can marvel at the Painted Hall and the Sculpture Gallery, where Elizabeth Bennet famously admired Darcy's marble bust.
Castle Howard (Yorkshire)
For a two-in-one, Castle Howard was used as the Flyte family seat in both adaptations of Brideshead Revisited and the interior and Atlas Fountain served as Clyvedon Castle, the Duke of Hastings’ estate in Bridgerton.
Burghley House (Lincolnshire)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyejyGzWmBM
Burghley House was originally built by the chief advisor to Queen Elizabeth I; it is now one of the grandest surviving 16th-century homes in England. The estate’s massive stone courtyards and state rooms were used to represent Windsor Castle in the later seasons of The Crown during the royal family's more turbulent decades.
Wilton House (Wiltshire)
Wilton House has featured in several British period dramas, including Bridgerton, The Crown, Emma (2020) and Pride and Prejudice (2005). The Double Cube Room has been used as a step in for Buckingham Palace for The Crown, Queen Charlotte’s royal audiences in Bridgerton, as well as Permberley’s interior in Pride and Prejudice. The exterior is used as the backdrop for Hartfield in the 2020 version of Emma. Visitors should note that the interior is currently closed for major heating refurbishment but the grounds are still open.
Drumlanrig Castle (Dumfriesshire, Scotland)
Known as the 'Pink Palace', Drumlanrig Castle brings Scottish flair to the period drama scene. The castle was used as the Bellhurst Manor in Apple TV's The Buccaneers and was also used as the home of the fictional Duke of Sandringham in Outlander. Its dramatic turrets and sprawling estate are ideal for an afternoon of historic exploration.
Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
Blenheim Palace boasts actual historical importance as it was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. But for historical period dramas, it served as King George’s palace in the Bridgerton spin-off, with its staggering Baroque architecture and sprawling grounds designed by 'Capability' Brown.
No. 1 Royal Crescent (Bath)
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/yXW37UdgVGs
Perhaps among one of the most recognisable estates used in period dramas, No. 1 Royal Crescent in Bath is used as the exterior of the colourful Featherington family home in Bridgerton, giving visitors a taste of what daily life looked like in fashionable Regency Bath. It also featured in Persuasion (2022) and The Pursuit of Love (2022).
Hatfield House (Hertfordshire)
Hartfield House is a favourite among directors looking for atmospheric luxury, thanks to its dark wood panelling and historic long galleries. The Jacobean gem was featured in The King’s Speech (2010), Shakespeare in Love (1998) and critically-acclaimed royal drama The Favourite (2018).
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