Did you see the period drama, Wolf Hall, on Sunday evening?

The period drama shows the rise of Thomas Cromwell (remember King Henry VIII and the Dissolution of the Monasteries?), and Mark Rylance leads the adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s tales from Tudor history.  

One of the incredible things about the series – indeed of any period drama – is where it was filmed.   Both English Heritage and the National Trust have a wonderful range of properties you can visit, and did you know that many of them have featured in film and television series over the years?

One of the things I love about BBC period dramas is their attention to detail.  I think they do their research really well to make everything as believable as possible.  How they get the filming done without the sound of aircraft going overhead, I will never know.  But the level of detail they achieve is quite extraordinary and for me, it adds to a really good drama. 

This is Tilbury Fort in Essex now in the care of English Heritage.
It's got its own moat and bridge along with a run of Georgian style terrace houses,
which are known as the officers' quarters.

The historic properties certainly add to the atmosphere, like an orchestra giving a performance extra power and weight,   And for film buffs and those of us who love a good TV series, as you stroll through parkland you’ve seen in a dramatic episode, or enter a long pictured gallery which has been the site of a very tense scene, you can almost hear the characters voices and words.

For instance, the Wolf Hall 2015 series featured Brandford-on-Avon Tithe Barn and Dover Castle; both are under the care of English Heritage.

This is Great Chalfield Manor and Garden in Wiltshire,
one of the settings for Wolf Hall.

Downton Abbey, Anna Karenina, Jane Austen novels, Rebecca, Far from the Maddening Crowd, Belgravia, Games of Thrones, Dracula Untold, Harry Potter, The Secret Garden, Enola Holmes,  Death and Nightingales, Hampstead, Swallows and Amazons, Malificent, Snow White and The Huntsman, Cinderella, Napoleon – they’ve all featured scenes or longer at various National Trust properties – you can see which ones are where here. Poldark had lots of the coast and countryside areas in it.  And let’s not forget Bridgerton, The Pursuit of Love, Doctor Who and The Unlikely Pilgrimage.

Scenes from Bridgerton were filmed at Osterley Park and House, West London

The income from the location fee goes back into caring for these wonderful properties, which is great news!

Take a look at the National Trust properties, some of which have appeared in films and on TV!

And here are the English Heritage ones!

A gift membership to either could make a lovely membership for someone who enjoys films and dramas.

English Heritage give us an idea of what it’s like to have films and TV shows on location with them – some of the more unusual requests they’ve received was firstly to bring in a tortoise and secondly to bring 35 horses.  (That last one must have given them some good manure for the gardens.)

The top priority is to protect both fabric and collections and lighting equipment can give challenges because it can affect the conditions of a room.  As you’re probably aware, some pieces in any collection will demand specific conditions such as the right temperature or amount of light.  English Heritage work closely with production teams so that any potential risk can be assessed in advance and risks minimised.  We've got to look after our heritage!