Bridgerton filming locations: 7 iconic Regency settings you must visit

Steamy, colourful, and impeccably dressed, Bridgerton turned into an overnight sensation after it’s release on Christmas Day. Based on the best-selling romance novels by Julia Quinn and brought to live on television by acclaimed producer Shonda Rhimes (yes, the Grey’s Anatomy Shonda Rhimes) – it’s proven to be the perfect lockdown-escaping viewing for stuck-at-home watchers who’ve all but completed Netflix after a year of being confined to our living rooms.

But did you know you can experience the locations for yourself? Lockdowns aside, most of the locations used for filming Bridgerton can be visited and are open to the public – allowing you to discover the actual majesty of the rooms and houses in the program (and they don’t disappoint).

1: The Bridgerton Home

The home of our eponymous family is the setting most of the happenings in London’s social season – the home of Daphne, Anthony and their six siblings, as well as matriarch Lady Violet. The red-brick exterior was filmed at Ranger’s House in Greenwich – formerly a home to aristocrats and royals, it’s now an art museum and well worth a visit.

The interior was filmed in Buckinghamshire, at the spectacular Halton House in the Chilterns. It’s only accessible on Heritage Open Days as day-to-day it’s a key part of the airfield at RAF Halton – as the Officer’s Mess.

2: Hastings House

The London residence of the Duke of Hastings plays host to some of the raunchiest scenes in Bridgerton, but very little of it was filmed in London.

Instead, Wilton House near Salisbury played the part of the exterior (as well as a number of locations). Built in the 16th Century for the Earl of Pembroke, the house boasts a seriously impressive heritage with state rooms that would make Buckingham Palace envious. Indeed, the iconic pictures of Queen Catherine on her throne were filmed inside the house – in the same room used by The Crown.

The Duke’s study and Simon’s dressing room were filmed in the equally impressive Syon House is London.

3: Ballrooms

The upper echelons of Regency England were nothing without their ballrooms - and it was Bristol and Bath that stepped in to make sure that every quadrille was performed in the most sumptuous of surroundings.

Both the Crawford and Princes Ballroom can actually be found at Leigh Court in Bristol, which normally serves as a spectacular events space and wedding venue (as well as an occasional Poldark backdrop), with staircases curving up to the balcony where Daphne appears after arriving at the ball.

The Rambury Ballroom can be experienced in the Bath Guildhall, a 350-year-old building whose incredible interior belies it's rather ordinary municipal history.

4: The Featherington Home

With so many of the street scenes being filmed in Bath, it's no wonder it enjoyed being the home of one of Bridgerton's key families. The outside of the Featheringtons classically Georgian abode was actually No. 1, Royal Crescent - now a museum dedicated to Georgian life. And of course it makes sense - this sweeping iconic landmark, 30 terraced houses arranged around a perfect lawn is one of the UK's greatest examples of Georgian architecture.

While the outside was in Bath, the inside was a mix of Hatfield House in Hertfordshire and Halton House in the Chilterns.

5: Lady Danbury's Home

The home of the formidable dowager Lady Danbury is the equally formidable Holburne Museum of Art in Bath - an exercise in neo-classical architecture that defines the entire Georgian era. It served as the city's first dedicated public art gallery, and still hosts an incredible collection of art originally curated by Sir William Holburne.

The grand hall of the Danbury residence was part of the Wilton House repertoire - as was the drawing room.

6: St James's Palace

Aside from the St James’s Palace state rooms that Wilton House so skilfully mimicked, Lancaster House in the West End also enjoyed the spotlight as other parts of the Palace. Now part of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, it’s not easy to visit – but if you’ve got the budget you can hire out the various rooms. Those of us with smaller purses, however, prefer to take the 360-degree tour that the FCDO kindly offer.

St James’s Palace, strangely enough, didn’t feature in Bridgerton – the exterior of the palace was actually played by Hampton Court Palace (just as accessible from the nearby Hampton Court station).

7: The Coaching Inn

Alright, it’s not strictly Regency, but we can’t miss it from this list. The iconic coaching inn where Daphne and Simon finally consummate their marriage after seven episodes is an early Tudor manor house known as Dorney Court and can be easily reached from Windsor.

So whether you’ve already watched the series or we’ve persuaded you to start, remember that when we’re all able to travel for leisure again it’s worth booking your tickets in advance to save money. Before you travel, check our latest Coronavirus travel advice, and remember your face covering – you’ll need to wear it as soon as you arrive at the station. Don’t forget to tag us into your photos @sw_railway – we love seeing where you’ve visited!