From British classics to Hollywood blockbusters, the UK has appeared many times in film and TV over the years…
Whether it’s action-packed adventures, romantic comedies or side-splitting comedies, some of the most popular films of our time were shot right here in the UK!
So, whether you’re looking to find out if your favourite holiday hotspot appears on the silver screen or you’re simply interested in visiting some of these iconic locations, this guide to the best UK filming locations will be sure to impress you!
Keep scrolling to uncover all the best UK filming locations across the country…
15 Iconic Filming Locations in the UK
1. Skyfall – Glencoe & the Scottish Highlands
Featured in the twenty-third James Bond film Skyfall (2012), Glencoe serves as the backdrop to the emotional climax of the film, when Daniel Craig’s eponymous character returns to his childhood home, known as Skyfall Lodge.
Added to the character’s backstory by creator Ian Fleming after Sean Connery’s convincing performance in Dr No (1962), Bond’s family ties to the region were confirmed later in the 1969 film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”, and the scene filmed in Glencoe was the first time that this was acknowledged fully in the Bond film series.
In the film, you’ll see Bond and M standing at the Pass of Glencoe before arriving at Skyfall Lodge. Although the house itself doesn’t exist in real life and rather was built as a set before being destroyed during the film, much of the scenery around the shots filmed in Glencoe remains untouched to this day.
In fact, many other productions have also taken place here, including the hit series Outlander. Additionally, if you’re a big fan of the film series and want to discover all the places where these iconic films were shot, be sure to check out this guide on all the best James Bond filming locations too!
Watch Skyfall on Amazon Prime Video »
2. Fantastic Beasts – St George’s Hall, Liverpool
The first spin-off film created for the massively popular Harry Potter series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was released in 2016 and served as a prequel to the franchise, with its title being a reference to a fictional textbook referenced in the original novels.
A debut for J.K. Rowling in screenwriting, the film takes viewers out of the usual British setting and expands the Wizarding World across the Atlantic, being set predominantly in New York City during the 1920s.
However, during the film, the scenes featuring the “Magical Congress of the United States of America” were actually filmed in the UK, specifically the interior of St George’s Hall in Liverpool! Used for its grand and impressive architecture, it was actually one of two filming locations used in the city, the other being the Cunard Building on the city’s waterfront!
Watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on Netflix »
3. The Irregulars – Abbey Square, Chester
Released by Netflix in March 2021, The Irregulars was a supernatural spin-off series loosely associated with Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes character, where a group of rebellious teenagers team up with Dr Watson to track down his former partner.
Despite being set almost entirely in Victorian London, much of the show’s filming took place all over the country, including the city of Chester. During filming in January 2020, production crews used the historic Flookersbrook area of Hoole for various shots, as well as the picturesque Abbey Square located just behind Chester Cathedral.
Additionally, the National Waterways Museum in the nearby town of Ellesmere Port was also used as a filming location two months later before production moved to other areas of the region, including Liverpool and North Wales. Although the series was cancelled by Netflix after just one season, you can still spot all the Chester-based scenes, particularly around the areas signposted “Archibold Grove”!
Watch The Irregulars on Netflix »
4. Star Wars: The Force Awakens – Thirlmere, Lake District
Released in 2015, Star Wars: The Force Awakens was the much-anticipated sequel to the massively popular sci-fi franchise, released ten years after “Revenge of the Sith” back in 2005. However, despite being set in “a galaxy far, far away…”, a number of crucial scenes were actually filmed right here in the UK, particularly around the impressive Lake District in the North West of England.
Eagle-eyed viewers will first see the Lake District when the main character Rey arrives on the planet Takodana, commenting “I didn’t know there was so much green in the whole galaxy”! As they arrive, you’ll spot the Millennium Falcon passing over Derwentwater, one of the region’s biggest and most impressive lakes. Visible in the shot is Maz Kanata’s castle, which was added to the end of the lake using CGI, as well as the fells of Catbells and Maiden Moor.
Not only that, but another scene depicting X-Wings passing over a vast lake was shot at Thirlmere, in which you can also spot a number of fells in the background including Raven Crag, Lonscale Fell and High Seat. For more iconic films that were shot here, check out this guide covering all the most famous Lake District Filming Locations!
Watch Star Wars: The Force Awakens on Disney+ »
5. Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 – Peak District
Built during the Elizabethan era and known for being one of the most impressive country houses in the Peak District, Malfoy Manor was inspired by Hardwick Hall, an immediately recognisable UK filming location in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (2010).
Used by Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters as their sinister headquarters, this impressive building was altered using CGI for the film, adding pointed roofs to each of the two towers that stand on either side of the hall’s entrance. With many scenes shot around the estate, including when Harry and his friends are taken captive by Voldemort and the scene where Voldemort kills Charity Burbage, Hogwarts’ Muggle Studies teacher.
If you’re a big fan of this popular series and want to find all the most iconic locations where the film was shot, then this guide to all the best Harry Potter filming locations will be sure to help you out further!
Watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on Netflix »
6. Captain America: The First Avenger – Manchester, North West England
Filmed during the summer of 2010, Captain America: The First Avenger (2012) is set in the mean streets of New York City during the 1940s and features one of Marvel’s most iconic superheroes. However, despite being set in the Big Apple, many of its scenes were shot in filming locations across the UK, with Manchester’s Northern Quarter serving as a major location for shooting several iconic scenes in the film.
An area known for its New York-style architecture, filming took place in a number of locations around the bohemian Manchester neighbourhood, most notably Dale Street, Tariff Street, Mangle Street and Back Piccadilly.
Eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot these in the scene where Steve is taken to the mysterious ‘Brooklyn Antiques’, as well as the following car chase scene. Following that, the scene where Steve and Kruger finally face each other was actually shot at Stanley Dock in Liverpool!
Other major locations used during filming included Aldershot in Hampshire, as well as parts of London including Whitehall and Trafalgar Square.
Watch Captain America: The First Avenger on Amazon Prime Video »
7. Hot Fuzz – Wells, Somerset
Nestled in the heart of Somerset, the UK’s smallest city, Wells, was used as the main location for filming the hit movie Hot Fuzz (2007), a classic in British cinema and one of the most popular films produced by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.
From the Swan Hotel where Sergeant Angel stays when he first arrives in the town to the iconic market square that features many times during the film, this city is packed full of iconic locations that’ll be familiar to eagle-eyed fans of this cult classic! Some of the most well-known include the City News cornershop, The Crown pub, the high street and the Bishop’s Palace.
In fact, if you’re looking to make a pilgrimage to this historic city to see all the places that were used for filming, we’d highly recommend embarking on an organised Hot Fuzz walking tour so you can fully appreciate this UK filming location. On the other hand, if you’re feeling confident in your film knowledge, you could always challenge yourselves and come up with a route of your own!
Watch Hot Fuzz on Amazon Prime Video »
8. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation – Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
Released in 2015 and starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation was the fifth film to be released in this popular series which saw Cruise’s daring character race across the globe to prove the existence of The Syndicate.
During filming, multiple locations across Europe and North Africa were used, including places like Vienna, Morocco and even London! However, for some shots intended to portray London, this autumn bucket list location, Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire was used to represent an important government building.
In fact, the scene where Ethan Hunt meets the Prime Minister (played by Tom Hollander) was actually filmed here instead of in the capital. Other locations across the UK that were used for filming included RAF Wittering, Southampton Water and Fawley Power Station.
Watch Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation on Amazon Prime Video »
9. Notting Hill – Notting Hill, West London
Known for being one of the most iconic romcoms of the 1990s, Notting Hill (1999) had to be included on our guide to the most iconic UK filming locations. And of course, it was, indeed, filmed in the beautiful Notting Hill area of West London!
Famous for its picturesque streets including the likes of Portobello Road, the eponymous film starring Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts was mostly filmed around this London suburb, with many of its locations still visible to this day.
Not only that but many other iconic British classics were also filmed in this fashionable district. This includes both Paddington films, The Italian Job and Love Actually… another Hugh Grant classic! In terms of television shows, a number of Doctor Who episodes have been filmed here over the years, as well as some outdoor scenes from the hit comedy The IT Crowd.
Watch Notting Hill on Amazon Prime Video »
10. Peaky Blinders – Port Sunlight, Merseyside
Set in Birmingham during the interwar period, Peaky Blinders follows the fictional Shelby family’s rise and fall, depicting life in the Heart of England and the capital during this time.
However, despite being set in England’s ‘second city’, much of the filming for the series took place all over the country, including the historic village of Port Sunlight in Merseyside. Built by the Lever brothers (founders of Unilever) for their factory workers, much of the village’s impressive architecture and layout still remains to this day.
One of the most well-known places used for filming is Bridge Cottage, found just a stone’s throw away from the bowling green that was used as Aunt Polly’s house in the series. Other locations include Park Road and The Dell Park, both appearing in pivotal scenes during the second and third series.
Watch Peaky Blinders on Netflix »
11. Pride & Prejudice – Chatsworth House, Peak District
Chatsworth House – Image supplied by The Chatsworth House Trust
Based on the 1813 novel by Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice (2005) was one of Kiera Knightley’s biggest starring roles and a film she’s well-remembered for even to this day.
During filming, many locations across the South West of England and the Midlands were used, but none were as iconic and memorable as those scenes shot at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, set in the heart of the beautiful Peak District.
Portraying Pemberley, the home of the iconic character Mr. Darcy, the house first appears when main character Elizabeth Bennet first arrives at the estate, showcasing the grand exterior of the house. She then takes a tour of the building with her aunt and uncle, which features the Painted Hall and the grand staircase near the entrance.
Other parts of the house that appear in the film include the Sculpture Gallery and the gardens, where Elizabeth unexpectedly meets Mr. Darcy, a pivotal scene in the film. There are plenty of other Peak District filming locations for you to spot too!
Watch Pride & Prejudice on Amazon Prime Video »
12. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – Aysgarth Falls, North Yorkshire
Released in 1991 and starring Kevin Costner as the title character, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves featured many famous and memorable UK filming locations, plenty of which still remain the same to this day.
Whilst some of the most notable include places like Sycamore Gap at Hadrian’s Wall and the Seven Sisters cliffs on the south coast, arguably the most iconic was Aysgarth Falls in North Yorkshire, where the dramatic fight scene between Robin Hood and Little John takes place towards the end of the film.
For those of you who are familiar with the location, you’ll instantly recognise the Upper, Middle and Lower Force sections of the waterfall, all of which appear in this extensive scene.
Watch Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves on Netflix »
13. Snow White & The Huntsman – Lake District
A 2012 adaptation of this classic fairytale story, Snow White and The Huntsman stars Kristen Stewart as the eponymous Snow White, Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna and Chris Hemsworth as Eric the Huntsman.
Filmed between October and December of 2011, most of the film’s indoor scenes were shot at the legendary Pinewood Studios in London. However, for many of the outdoor scenes, eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot a number of different locations across the country, one of which is the beautiful Lake District!
Initially, the Lake District first appears on screen when Snow White and her companions cross a river, a scene which was shot Blea Tarn in Great Langdale. Likewise, the cave scenes were also shot in the region, specifically at the Cathedral Quarries in Little Langdale. Other areas of the UK that appear in outdoor scenes include Windsor Great Park in Berkshire, as well as Marloes Sands in Pembrokeshire for the final battle scene.
Watch Snow White & The Huntsman on Amazon Prime Video »
14. The Batman (2022) – Glasgow Cathedral & Cemetery, Scotland
Starring Robert Pattinson as the titular character, The Batman (2022) was a much-anticipated addition to this legendary DC Comics and the first time that this legendary actor starred in this tricky role. Set in the fictional Gotham City, many of the iconic buildings that appear in the film are actually right here in the UK!
With places like the Royal Liver Building in Liverpool being used as the orphanage where Bruce Wayne grew up, other locations in the city like St George’s Hall were also used to depict Gotham Town Hall and features in a number of scenes involving the city’s mayor.
However, another lesser-known location also played a pivotal role in the film, Glasgow Cathedral in Scotland. Doubling up as Gotham Cathedral, it first appears in the scene depicting the mayor of Gotham’s funeral when The Riddler makes his first attack on the title character. Additionally, the necropolis around the cathedral was also used during the fight scenes between Batman and Catwoman.
In fact, the cathedral even features in the final scene of the film when Batman and Catwoman finally part ways. Both characters ride off on their motorbikes, leaving Glasgow Cathedral in the background and creating a truly atmospheric scene to end the film.
Watch The Batman on Amazon Prime Video »
15. The Da Vinci Code – Belvoir Castle, Leicestershire
Lastly on our guide to UK filming locations is Belvoir Castle which features in The Da Vinci Code. Based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code (2006) was one of the biggest mystery drama films of the noughties and has stood the test of time in terms of popularity.
Starring Tom Hanks who plays Robert Langdon, an American symbologist who’s suspected of committing a gruesome murder at the Louvre in Paris. On discovering a host of cryptic clues left by the victim, he and Sophie Neveu (played by Audrey Tautou) go on a journey to uncover a religious mystery kept secret for over 2000 years.
During the film, the main characters travel across the continent on their quest, which brings them to many UK-based locations. One of the most memorable is Lincoln Cathedral, which serves as a stand-in for Westminster Abbey in London. Another Lincolnshire-based location that appears in the film is Burghley House, which is used to portray Château Villette, the home of Sir Leigh Teabing (played by Sir Ian McKellen).
Additionally, the impressive Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire also appears during the movie and is used to portray Castel Gandolfo, the Pope’s summer residence. In fact, this impressive country house even appears in the hit series The Crown too!
Watch The Da Vinci Code on Amazon Prime Video »
For all the movie buffs out there, be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to a host of iconic Film & TV locations across the UK!
Image Credits: Robert Cutts – (CC BY 2.0); Tilman2007 – (CC BY SA 4.0); Rodhullandemu – (CC BY SA 4.0)