House Of Guinness has landed on our screens today, and we're banking on it becoming our latest binge watch obsession. The show charts the story of the fascinating brewing family and the power struggle that ensues after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness. Expect scandal, debauchery, enemies and political rivalries as the siblings each cement the family legacy in their own way.
The star-studded cast include Anthony Boyle as Arthur, Louis Partridge as Edward Emily Fairn as Anne and James Norton as Sean Rafferty. While the series is based on a real family, it takes creative liberties with the plot and their stories. The show is set in 19th century Ireland - primarily Dublin - with scenes also in New York, Cloonboo and Ashford Castle. However, the filming actually all took place in locations in the North West of the UK.
Speaking about the decision not to film the show in Ireland, Executive producer Karen Wilson said: 'Obviously, Guinness couldn't be more Irish - and we carried that responsibility seriously. We spent a lot of time looking at photographs from the period, diving into the research about where Ireland and Guinness were in 1868,' continuing 'Unfortunately, very little remains of Dublin that still looks like it did in 1868. We quickly realised we'd have to film elsewhere. We travelled the length and breadth of Ireland and the UK, ending up in the North West of England, which had stately homes and Dublin-style streets - everything we needed.'
Liverpool
The team behind House of Guinness filmed at a number of key locations in Liverpool. These include St George's Hall - a grand building which contains concert halls and law courts - Collingwood Docks, Tobacco Warehouse and Stanley Docks. On William Brown street, the set had signs that read 'Vote for Mr Arthur Guinness' - a reference to Anthony Boyle's character - and an orchestra.
Stanley Docks played an integral role in the filming, as it's where the infamous Guinness brewery is set. Speaking to Time Out, production designer Richard Bullock said Liverpool’s Stanley Dock was ‘the only place that could come close’ to replicating the brewery, adding 'We were in there for about three months before we filmed, doing a full dress and a partial build inside this derelict warehouse.'
Meanwhile, St George's Hall was used as the location for the Fenians protest in Dublin’s College Green - an IRL event that saw them gather to protest the execution of fellow Republican Michael Barrett in London
Broughton Hall Estate, North Yorkshire
One of the stately homes used to bring the series to life is Broughton Hall Estate in North Yorkshire. The incredible historic house dates back to the 16th century, and is nestled among 3,000 acres of estate grounds, skirting the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The home became the location for Arthur Guinness’s country retreat, St Anne’s House.
Manchester
Alongside Liverpool, Manchester was an integral city to the filming of House of Guinness. They filmed the show's New York scenes in the vibrant Northern Quarter of the city, which is known for its small independently-owned shops, street art and impressive architecture.
The show also made use of a production hub in the city that was used for Peaky Blinders, transforming it with lavish decorations into Iveagh House for the wedding scene in episode four. For the outside of Iveagh House, the production used Croxteth Hall in Liverpool.
Wales
It wasn't only the North of England that was used for filming. The Guinness family's country home, Ashford Estate, was filmed at Penrhyn Castle in Wales, a country house constructed in the style of a Norman castle. In the show, we see a brooding Edward escape there to think over his troubles.
Wales was also used as the location for Cloonboo, an impoverished, rural community near Galway that is portrayed in House of Guinness. The producers chose Snowdonia, with Bullock telling Time Out ' the landscape in far west Wales feels very similar to parts of Ireland.'
When is House of Guinness on Netflix?
You can stream all eight episodes of House of Guinness on Netflix from today. You just need a Netflix subscription to watch them.
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.