Stately Stars Of The Silver Screen

Discover some of our truly magnificent mansions, which were used as filming locations

- Miriam Rodell

Rousham House

Oxfordshire

The fictional Alconleigh is the Radlett family home in Nancy Mitford’s The Pursuit of Love. In the BBC’s recent dramatisation, Alconleigh was portrayed by Rousham House, which dates back to 1635 and is the home of the Cottrell-Dormer family. You can book a house tour, but the garden, open daily, is what most visitors come for. It was designed by William Kent in the 1740s, with ponds and cascades, wooded glades and sweeping lawns. TV gardener Monty Don once said, ‘Kent is the great genius of 18th-century garden design and Rousham is his masterpiece, one of the greatest gardens in the world.’ rousham.org

Ranger’s House

London

The exterior of this elegant villa (with added CGI wisteria) appeared in the Netflix drama Bridgerton as the Bridgerton family home. Built in 1723 for a naval officer, it later became the official residence of the Ranger of Greenwich Park. Princess Sophia Matilda, a niece of George III, was made Ranger in 1815, despite a royal scandal. Her parents – a prince and a commoner – had married in secret. She lived at Ranger’s for nearly 30 years. It’s now a public gallery, housing priceless works of art.

english-heritage.org.uk

Highclere Castle

Hampshire