Films and TV series are powerful motivators for travel, and the incredible impact of ‘The English Period Drama’ on tourism has led to it being crowned with the Outstanding Contribution to Tourism accolade at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

Popular shows like Bridgerton, whose third season has just dropped on Netflix, and Downton Abbey take viewers on a journey through iconic English countryside, coastlines, and cities, while also shining the spotlight on England’s culture, history, and heritage. With almost a third of potential visitors to the UK keen to visit locations used in filming, film and TV tourism is an increasingly valuable part of the UK’s global tourism market, often taking visitors to less-explored regions and boosting local economies.

From The Crown to Pride & Prejudice, here are some must-visit sites for period drama aficionados.

Bridgerton, Royal Crescent, Bath, Somerset

With its wonderful Georgian architecture, Bath was a natural choice for the filming of the Netflix Regency drama series Bridgerton. Following the release of the first season, the City of Bath noted that at least £1.5 million would be generated for the local economy due to the success of Bridgerton, one of Netflix’s most-watched series of all time. Fans of the sumptuous drama can visit its Bath filming locations on a Bridgerton Experience walking tour, led by an experienced guide who also provides insights into the history of the area and life in the early 1800s. The exterior of the Featherington household – whose members include Penelope (Irish actor Nicola Coughlan), Eloise Bridgerton’s best friend – was shot on the iconic Royal Crescent in Bath, lauded as one of the greatest examples of Georgian architecture anywhere in the UK. Number 1 Royal Crescent is the name of the crescent’s townhouse museum, which invites visitors to step beyond the famous Palladian façade and see what life was like for the wealthy and their servants in 18th-century Bath. For those who wish to stay overnight, The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa has occupied houses numbers 15 and 16 on this famous street for the last 50 years. The hotel won the gold VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022 Large Hotel of the Year Award and offers a luxury spa, beautiful bedrooms, fine dining, and an acre of carefully tended gardens. www.visitengland.com/where-was-bridgerton-filmed

Picture above: Bridgerton was filmed at Royal Crescent in Bath, Somerset. Credit: Visit England/Joanna Henderson

Cover picture: The fictional Clyvedon Castle in Bridgerton was filmed at Castle Howard, in the heart of Yorkshire. Picture: Pwojdacz/Wikimedia Commons

The Crown, Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire 


Belvoir Castle was used to replicate Windsor Castle in The Crown. Picture: Visit England/RJ Brown

The no-expense-spared Netflix series The Crown features some of England’s most regal locations, all providing a lavish backdrop for the story of Queen Elizabeth II’s life. Proudly standing on a hilltop in the Vale of Belvoir, the interior rooms of the 19th-century Belvoir Castle were used to replicate Windsor Castle in The Crown. After meandering through the castle’s formal gardens and getting lost in its opulent galleries and rooms, visitors to this Leicestershire icon can take in a bird’s eye view of the surrounding landscape. The Belvoir estate also offers a number of homestays and glamping spots for overnight stays. www.visitengland.com/where-was-crown-filmed

Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, Hampshire


Much of the exterior shots of Downton Abbey and most of the interiors are both filmed at Highclere Castle, Hampshire. Picture: Visit England

With all that drama playing out in such a grandiose setting, it’s no wonder Downton Abbey has become an international TV hit. Highclere Castle in Hampshire (aka Downton Abbey) has been home to the Carnarvon family since 1679 and was designed by Charles Barry, the same architect who constructed the Houses of Parliament and stately homes such as Bowood House and Harewood House. Highclere Castle welcomes visitors to tour the castle, visit the Egyptian Exhibition, and explore the surrounding grounds and gardens. Due to the Downton Abbey effect, Highclere Castle also introduced overnight stays in a Georgian Grade II-listed gatehouse known as London Lodge. www.visitengland.com/where-was-downton-abbey-filmed

Pride & Prejudice, Chatsworth House, Peak District


Chatsworth House in the Peak District was used as Mr Darcy’s home in Pride & Prejudice. Picture: Visit Peak District

The 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice saw Chatsworth House taking the leading role as the iconic Pemberley. It is also believed that Jane Austen may have based her idea of Pemberley on Chatsworth House and written the novel while in the nearby town of Bakewell. Visitors may recognise the grand staircase and ceiling of the Painted Hall, where Lizzie Bennet (Keira Knightley) and the Gardiners start their tour of Pemberley. Meanwhile, the Sculpture Gallery was used in the scene where Lizzie sees the bust of Mr Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). Today, Chatsworth House is renowned for the quality of its art collection, which spans 4,000 years. Visitors can see works of art from ancient Roman and Egyptian sculpture, and masterpieces by Rembrandt, Reynolds, and Veronese, to pieces by outstanding modern artists, including Lucian Freud, Edmund de Waal, and David Nash. www.chatsworth.org / www.visitpeakdistrict.com

Words: VisitEngland.com