Last night, the period drama that caused the celebrity scandal of the year aired on BBC One. That’s right, we finally got to see the roles that saw Dominic West and Lily James get up close and personal in Rome last summer – and boy did it not disappoint.
‘Absolutely glorious’, ‘Jolly fun’ and ‘Radical’ are just a few reviews headlines this morning as fans of the 1945 novel also react to the series online. The star of the adaption though? It’s incredible locations.
That’s right, search for The Pursuit of Love and you’ll see countless people Googling ‘Pursuit of love film locations’ and ‘where was in Pursuit of Love’ filmed as viewers scramble to guess where they’ll be heading on weekends away this summer.
Well, we’re here to solve that query for you.
Where was The Pursuit of Love filmed?
The Pursuit of Love was filmed across Bristol, Bath and Somerset with a few scenes also shot in Paris. The Bottle Yard Studios in Bristol were the main location, home to a number of sets including Linda’s London home, the Radlett’s estate and Cheyney Walk House. The neighbouring estate, belonging to Lord Merlin, as also set there.
The terraced streets around Green Park Railway Station were used as a production location in Bath, as well as the Number One Royal Crescent Museum – which was Linda’s Marylebone house in Bryanston Square. In Oxfordshire, a 1635 Jacobean house was used as the Radlett family home, Alconleigh, and yes – it is someone’s real house in real life (the Cottrell-Dormer family, in fact).
Some scenes for Alconleigh were also shot in Gloucestershire though, in Badminton House, for those involving hunting and swimming pools.
Then there was Dyrham Park, in Gloucestershire, where Lord Merlin mentors Linda in many garden scenes and Lacock Abbey in Chippenham, used to film the University rooms. Both of these buildings are now owned by the National Trust.
When the crew was shooting in Bristol, senior Bristol film manager Laura Aviles couldn’t be more complimentary of the area. ‘This part of the UK has everything a production like The Pursuit of Love could possibly need; stately homes, studio space at The Bottle Yard, a strong crew base and supportive film offices in Bristol and Bath,’ she told Bristol Live.
‘Once government had given the green light, Open Book and Moonage Pictures did an excellent job getting the shoot up and running with Covid-safety guidelines firmly in place. It was the hard work and adaptability of crews and companies in Bristol and Bath that enabled the West of England to be at the forefront of shoots like this resuming in the UK.’
Read More:
All Things We Absolutely Need To Discuss About The Dominic West And Lily James Story