News / Arts
Bristol locations star in Wolf Hall
Eagle-eyed viewers will be able to spot plenty of familiar locations in Wolf Hall which filmed in Bristol last summer and premieres on BBC Two at 9pm on Wednesday evening.
The highly anticipated adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker Prize-winning bestselling novel stars Mark Rylance, Claire Foy, Damian Lewis and Jonathan Pryce.
The historical drama chronicling the rise of Thomas Cromwell, the son of a humble blacksmith who became King Henry VIII’s chief minister, as he navigated the corridors of power in the Tudor court.
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Where was Wolf Hall filmed?
Wolf Hall based production at The Bottle Yard Studios in Hengrove from May to August 2014.
Bristol locations that feature in the drama include the Floating Harbour and Bristol Cathedral which doubles as Westminster Abbey for the lavish coronation of Anne Boleyn.
The coronation scene featured 140 extras when it was filmed in June. For photos from the filming, see the gallery above.
During the four-month shoot, Wolf Hall also filmed at a range of locations across the South West including the cathedrals at Wells, Winchester and Gloucester, and six National Trust properties Montacute House, Barrington Court, Lacock Abbey, Great Chalfield Manor, Chastleton House and Horton Court.
Bottle Yard Studios site director Fiona Francombe said: “It was a pleasure to host Company Pictures whilst they made Wolf Hall last year. At pre-production stage they were extremely busy on site, building sets, stocking props and planning everything needed for a production of this scale.
“During production the convenient location of The Bottle Yard Studios on the doorstep of the South West meant that the team could easily access the impressive range of locations the region has to offer, both here in Bristol and at the beautiful period houses that feature in the drama.”
Bristol Film Office’s Natalie Moore added: “On a production of such impressive scale as this, we work closely with the production team to firstly assist with recces around the city so that they can find their perfect locations that will suit both the script and their filming needs.
“Once locations have been chosen, we assist with the shoot by liaising with the key local parties involved, in this case Bristol Cathedral and the Harbour Office, and by ensuring the right permits and parking arrangements are in place to help filming run smoothly.”
Photos courtesy of Bristol Film Office and Company Pictures
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