International viewers of The Crown on Netflix have been happily bingeing Season 4 during lockdown and have been wondering where it is filmed? Many a sharp eye may have spotted some of the stunning interiors of Burghley House.
The Heaven Room is the location for a scene set in Windsor Castle in which Lady Diana Spencer, played by Emma Corrin, is choosing her engagement ring alongside fellow actor Josh O’Connor as Prince Charles.
But, it’s not the first time Rutland and the surrounding area has hit the small screen – or the big screen, for that matter.
Burghley House
The Elizabethan stately home is no stranger to the film crews as the house and grounds have been used for countless films and TV series, including period dramas the BBC’s series, Middlemarch (1994), Pride and Prejudice (2005) as Rosings Park and Bleak House (2005), as well as The Da Vinci Code (2006).
The dramatic aircraft scene with Tom Cruise at the beginning of the blockbuster Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (2015) was filmed a mile or so away from Burghley at RAF Wittering.
Rutland Water
Starfish, a 2016 film about local man Tom Ray was filmed in and around Rutland Water with scenes including the partially submerged Normanton Church. The film, based on a true story, follows a family who are thrown into turmoil when the husband contracts sepsis, a brutally damaging illness. It stars actors Joanne Froggatt and Tom Riley.
Brooke
St Peter’s church in the tiny village of Brooke appeared in the 2005 film adaptation of Pride & Prejudice which had a big name cast including Keira Knightley and Matthew Mcfadyen, Donald Sutherland, Brenda Blethyn and Judi Dench. The clergyman, Mr Collins, played by Tom Hollander, was seen preaching from the pulpit.
Many of the scenes set in the fictional village or Meryton were filmed in Stamford – famous for its Georgian architecture.
HMP Ashwell
A large portion of HMP Ashwell, a once category C prison, has been converted into the thriving Oakham Enterprise Park for businesses, but some of the of the modern cell blocks and original prison fencing remain. Previous productions filmed on site include Happy Valley, This is England 90, several short films and other BBC dramas including.
Teigh
In the infamous BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice (1995) starring Colin Firth as Mr Darcy, the Old Rectory in Teigh became Hunsford Parsonage – the home of Mr Collins, played by David Bamber and later his wife Charlotte (Lucy Scott).
Just a few miles away…
To the north of Rutland, Belvoir Castle is also no stranger to fans of The Crown – starring as Windsor Castle in the first three seasons. The lounge was used as Buckingham Palace in The Young Victoria (2009).
Belton House near Grantham was used as a location for Bleak House (1985) and Pride and Prejudice (1995), while to the south of Rutland, Boughton House – the “UK’s Palace of Versailles”, was used in the film of Les Misérables (2012).
Also in Northants, Kirby Hall was used as Mansfield Park in the 1999 film adaptation.
Rutland offers the ideal location for filming, being centrally located in the country and with easy access from London. Not only does Britain’s smallest county offer a peaceful environment, with picturesque landscapes and unspoilt villages, it has one of Europe’s largest inland lakes – Rutland Water – with numerous interesting locations.
If you are looking for a film location or a unit base with excellent facilities and require some local knowledge and support, please contact the Economic Development team via email at [email protected]
