Where is Wolf Hall filmed? BBC hit’s filming locations explained - can you visit

• Wolf Hall is filmed in real historical locations.
• Many are owned by The National Trust - and can be visited.
• Some of the filming sites have real life links to Henry VIII.

BBC’s acclaimed historical drama Wolf Hall is back after nearly a decade. The show once again features handsome sets that feel as if you are being transported back to the court of Henry VIII.

The production of the Beeb’s beloved series is so incredible you might be wondering whether it is filmed in real locations - or if they made it all with technical wizardry. The UK is full of plenty of historical sites that date back to the time of the Tudors.

A number of the filming locations for Wolf Hall - both in 2015 and the current season airing in 2024 - have been confirmed. Here’s where filming takes place:

Where is Wolf Hall filmed?

The BBC historical drama was filmed at some of Britain’s most picturesque and historic sites. It includes locations that are under the care of the National Trust:

Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light

Montacute House, Somerset

The Elizabethan mansion in south Somerset returns for the second series of Wolf Hall. It once again acts as a stand-in for Greenwich Palace.

Great Chalfield Manor and Garden, Wiltshire

Built between 1465 and 1480, this Tudor era property takes on the role of Austin Friars, the home of Thomas Cromwell. The real Austin Friars is no longer standing.

Horton Court, Gloucestershire

A Grade-I listed building in the south west, this country house was built in the 16th century and is owned by National Trust - but is available as a holiday cottage. It is used for scenes in Thomas Cromwell’s study at his home, Austin Friars.

Wolf Hall (2015)

According to The National Trust, the following sites were used in filming for the first season of the hit BBC drama.

Barrington Court, Somerset

A Tudor era manor, it would make sense that Barrington Court would be picked as a filming location. In the original six episodes, it was transformed into York Place, the home of Cromwell’s mentor and friend Cardinal Wolsey.

Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire

Dating all the way back to the 13th century, it was originally founded as an Augustinian nunnery. Lacock Abbey, in the 2015 series, doubled as Wolf Hall, the Seymour family seat.

The abbey itself has a link to the real life Henry VIII, who sold the abbey to one of his courtiers, Sir William Sharington, during the dissolution of the monasteries. He turned it into a house after purchasing it.

Chastleton House, Oxfordshire

A bit younger than some of the other properties used for filming, this Jacobean country house dates to the 17th century. The small stone courtyard provided the location for the dramatic scenes from Cromwell’s miserable childhood in Putney.

The interiors were used for indoor scenes set at Wolf Hall (the seat of the Seymour family and the source of the name of the book and show). Built by a rich wool merchant between 1607 and 1612, the house has remained relatively unchanged for nearly 400 years.

Can you visit Wolf Hall filming locations?

The locations that are run by the National Trust can be visited. Opening hours depend on the day of the week and the season, so make sure you check online before visiting.

Horton Court can even be booked as a holiday cottage - if you have the money to afford it!

What do you think of the new season of Wolf Hall? Share your thoughts on the show and the books by emailing me: [email protected].