Britain has a wealth of beautiful stately homes, many of which are used as sets for filming period dramas for film and television. Here is our pick of the best
Belvoir Castle
The Young Victoria was filmed here in 2009. Rooms and grounds masqueraded as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Tel: (01476) 871002
Blenheim Palace
The birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, Blenheim saw carriages pulling into shot before the regal elegance of its Great Court, standing in for that of Buckingham Palace in The Young Victoria. Tel: 0800 849 6500
Burghley House
Posed as the home of John Dee, Queen Elizabeth I’s astrologer, in the 2007 feature film Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Tel:(01780) 752451
Chatsworth House
Appeared in The Duchess with Keira Knightly (2008) as home to the Devonshire family – itself! Also featured as Mr. Darcy’s Pemberley in the 2005 film of Pride and Prejudice. In 2009, it took on a more gloomy aspect, shrouded with weeds for a remake of The Wolfman. Tel: (01246) 565300
Haddon Hall
Interiors were used in the 2005 film of Pride and Prejudice. It also became Mr Rochester’s Thornfield in the BBC TV drama serial Jane Eyre (2006); the Boleyn family seat in The Other Boleyn Girl (2008); and was one location used in Elizabeth (1998) starring Cate Blanchett. Tel: (01629) 812855
Ham House
On the Thames at Richmond Park, its sumptuous gardens and luscious interiors became Kensington Palace in The Young Victoria. Tel: (020) 8940 1950
Hatfield House
A spectacular Jacobean House, which depicted Chartley Hall, Queen Mary’s private dwelling, in Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Tel: (01707) 287010
Holkham Hall
Holkham provided some aspects of the Devonshires’ Bath Villa in The Duchess, while the library and the rear elevation outside became Georgiana’s family home at Althorp. Tel: (01328) 710227
Kedleston Hall
Its undercroft appeared in flashbacks to Mr Rochester’s youth in the BB C’s Jane Eyre, and in 2007, it welcomed Colin Firth and Jim Broadbent for the filming of And When Did You Last See Your Father? It also featured in The Duchess. Tel: (01332) 842191
Osterley Park
The polished timbers of its Long Gallery were featured as Buckingham Palace in the film The Young Victoria. Tel: (020) 8232 5050
Sudbury Hall
Follow in the footsteps of Colin Firth as Mr Darcy down the Long Gallery which portrayed Pemberley in the BBC series of Pride and Prejudice (1995). Tel: (01283) 585305
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