5 min readJust as one hit TV series filmed in Bristol, Poldark, comes to an end, another is here to fill the Sunday evening primetime slot. Sanditon is an eight-part series based on Jane Austen’s unfinished final novel of the same name, written in 1817 before Austen’s death and adapted for the small screen by BAFTA-winning writer Andrew Davies.
Much of the ITV series has been filmed at Bristol’s Bottle Yard Studios as well as locations around the city and further afield in North Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Alex Protherough, who is Head of Production at Red Planet Pictures, explained that "there is a wealth of locations in this area, perfect for period drama, and particularly the Georgian period where our story is set."
Here we guide you around those filming locations in the area that are open to the public, so you can enter the fictional world of Sanditon for real.
- Explore the locations virtually with our Google Earth map
Image - ITV and Red Planet Pictures
The Georgian House Museum
When you imagine the set of a Jane Austen adaptation, elegant Georgian-style architecture is probably the first thing that springs to mind. It’s no surprise then that The Georgian House Museum was picked to star in Sanditon. This six-storey townhouse just off Park Street built in 1790 has been restored to how it would have looked in its heyday, transporting you back to life in the Georgian era.
As well as being the perfect Austen set, The Georgian House is worth visiting for an insight into Bristol’s links with Transatlantic slavery during that same period. Learn about Pero, the enslaved African who lived here after being bought by enslaver John Pinney, owner of the house and also a wealthy plantation owner.
It’s free to enter The Georgian House Museum, which is open between 11am – 4pm Mondays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Image - The Georgian House Museum
John Wesley’s New Room
The oldest Methodist meeting place in the world is another historic Bristol building to feature in Sanditon, set to appear in episode 6. Right in the heart of Bristol’s shopping quarter is where you find John Wesley’s New Room and it’s regularly used as a set in other period productions, including Poldark.
For visitors, The New Room Museum guides you through 18th century Bristol, the incredible Wesley family and the development of Methodism, exploring the central role this building has had as a meeting place from its beginnings right up to today. Like The Georgian House, it’s also a great place to discover more about what life was like in Georgian Bristol.
Image credit: The New Room
Bowood House and Gardens
Bowood House is the stunning Georgian home of the Marquis and Marchioness of Lansdowne, which has been in the family since 1754. The house itself is a remarkable place, with rooms such as a sculpture gallery, library and laboratory all on show together with fascinating artefacts and antiques from the family history.
Just as impressive are the 100 acres of surrounding grounds, including parkland landscaped by another 18th century icon – Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown. This picturesque setting has been used as a filming location for a selection of previous TV shows, ranging from The Apprentice to Countryfile.
Image - Bowood House and Gardens
Clevedon
Head out of Bristol to the North Somerset coast to find some of the seaside scenery from Sanditon, including Clevedon. Both the pier and seafront from the charming Victorian-esque town will make appearances in the series and make a great day out from Bristol.
The only Grade I listed pier in the UK is a popular spot for filming and you might already recognise it from TV show Thirteen or the film Never Let Me Go. Filming for Sanditon also took placed at Clevedon Marine Lake, just along the coast from the main seafront, which is open to the public for swimming all year round.
Image - Clevedon Pier
Weston-super-Mare
While no filming for Sanditon took place in Weston-super-Mare itself, it did along much of the coast around the seaside town. You’ll be able to see both Brean Beach and Brean Down, a dramatic natural pier that stretches out from the beach, in episode one. Also look out for the village of Uphill, a great place to visit for unrivalled views of the area, and top picnic spot Sand Point.
Image - Filming on the beach in Weston-super-Mare. Credit: ITV Studios and Red Planet Pictures
Dyrham Park
Another idyllic property that will grace our screens in Sanditon is Dyrham Park, a 17th century house and garden based near Chippenham. It has a history of being used on film, most famously featuring in Merchant Ivory’s adaptation of The Remains of the Day and also in an episode of Doctor Who.
As well as peeking into the past as you look around the baroque country house, everyone loves spotting fallow deer from the herd who roam the ancient parkland at Dyrham Park.
Image - Dyrham Park
West Littleton Church
Just a ten minute drive from Dyrham Park is West Littleton, a pretty village on the borders of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. Here you can find another Sanditon filming location in the Grade II listed St James’s Church. The original building dated all the way back to the 13th century but was largely destroyed by a fire, leading to a rebuild in 1855. However, the historic bell tower survived and is today renowned as one of the region’s finest.
Image - St James Church, West Littleton
Iford Manor: The Peto Gardens
Created by Edwardian architect Harold Peto, today the gardens at Iford Manor are Grade I listed. Made up of tranquil paths, ancient statues, pools, columns and a stunning selection of plants, these romantic Italianate gardens are open to the public between April and September on Wednesdays to Sundays and bank holiday Mondays.
Image - Iford Manor
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