Well-known UK film locations

By Craig Dillan


The UK has been the setting for many classic films to have hit our cinemas over the last few decades. James Bond is a well-travelled man, but many scenes in the 007 series were shot in the UK. New films like Harry Potter and the King's Speech have done their bit for the country, too, while some classics have turned some spots in the country into dedicated museums and tourist spots.

What better place to start than in London, one of Europe's most diverse cities. A wide variety of films have been shot in the English capital over time and the range of emotions the likes of 28 Days Later and Potter cover could not be any more different. Remember the opening scenes in 28 Days Later when the usually packed streets of London are empty? Or when a fresh-faced Potter was transported off to Hogwarts via platform 9 at King's Cross?

Alnwick Castle and the Ribblehead viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle railway have also featured in Harry Potter's world of wizardry, as J.K. Rowling practically took him and the rest of the cast on a tour of the UK. The country has featured heavily across the entire Potter series.

Roughly 200 miles north of London is the Yorkshire city of Leeds, where Elland Road football ground has been in a couple of new films to receive plenty of attention over the past few years. The home of Leeds United was used as a replica of Wembley Stadium in The King's Speech, which told of King George VI's battle to overcome a stammer problem that hampered his confidence. The ground also provided the centrepiece for The Damned United, the story of Brian Clough's ill-fated spell in charge of Leeds.

Given that James Bond is a member of the British Secret Service given a license to thrill fans in cinema all over the world, it's hardly surprising that some of the most memorable scenes from the series take place in the UK. Like the scene shot at Stoke Park in Goldfinger when Oddjob shows Bond his hat skills. The luxury country club also features in Bridget Jones's Diary and Layer Cake.

Another frequented film location in the UK is the Nene Valley Railway in Cambridgeshire, which has featured in two other Bond classics, Octopussy and Goldeneye. The railway has also featured in numerous TV shows and adverts over the years.

On the railway theme, Carnforth Station in Lancashire shot to fame after hitting the big screen in Brief Encounter, the 1945 smash-hit film that is still enjoyed in some arthouse cinemas to this very day.

Heading even further north, Castle Stalker in Argyll was one of the locations in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The last scene sees John Cleese at Castle Argh, as it is known in the film, taunting King Arthur with his rather imperfect French accent.




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