The Tudors have always been primetime period drama fodder, so its no surprise that after the successes of The White Queen, The White Princess and The Spanish Princess, Starzplay have turned their attention to probably the most famous Tudor monarch of them all – Elizabeth I – for their next series, Becoming Elizabeth.
Long before she ascended the throne, young Elizabeth Tudor, played by Alicia von Rittberg, was an orphaned teenager who became embroiled in the politics of the English court. Alicia will be joined by Romala Garai as Mary I, Jessica Raine as Catherine Parr and Tom Cullen as Thomas Seymour.
As one of my most anticipated period dramas of 2022, when Becoming Elizabeth hits our screens on the 12th of June I will be paying close attention. But now you can get even closer to the action and visit the actual historical filming locations used in the production. Just follow my handy guide below!
Cardiff Castle
In the heart of the capital city of Wales is Cardiff Castle. It’s a truly remarkable site with a history that spans over 2000 years.
Images of the filming in Cardiff show a number of film crew members and trucks parked in and around the castle. Several horses were also spotted inside the castle grounds. There was also a scene which appeared to show two people ‘being hanged’ from one of the castle walls.
P.S. Cardiff Castle featured in my Welsh history travel guide – learn more about it here.
Bristol Cathedral
Over the border, Bristol’s beautiful and historic Cathedral is located on College Green in the city. A church has almost certainly stood on the site for over a thousand years.
Filming crews were spotted at the historic cathedral in early 2021, but there was no evidence as to what scenes were being filmed there. The cathedral actually has interesting links to the Tudors – it was previously an abbey before the Dissolution of the Monasteries, but was raised to the status of a cathedral by Henry VIII in 1542.
Wells
Wells is England’s smallest city, and an easy drive from Bristol and Cardiff. It’s iconic cathedral is the earliest English Cathedral to be built in the Gothic style.
The show’s crew were sighted in mid January and again in April filming at the memorable building. They were also spotted using nearby St Andrew Street in March.
The crew of Becoming Elizabeth were also spotted in The Bishops Palace in Well. The Bishops Palace is a popular period drama filming location, featuring in The Spanish Princess and Poldark – and of course the iconic comedy Hot Fuzz!
Holy Cross Church, Avening, Gloucestershire
Many of the historic filming locations used for Becoming Elizabeth are key sites which have been used as the backdrop for multiple period dramas. However, some smaller and lesser known sites have also been used – including the Church of the Holy Cross in Avening, Gloucstershire.
The church has an interesting history, and was founded in the late 11th Century by Matilda of Flanders, the wife of William the Conqueror.
Filming at the church took place in mid March, where several cast members were spotted.
Great Chalfield Manor
In late March, filming moved to Wiltshire and the gorgeous Great Chalfield Manor. With its Arts and Crafts garden, ponds and unspoilt countryside surroundings, it would be difficult to find a more romantic medieval country house than Great Chalfield Manor.
Largely unaltered since the 15th century, the manor has proved popular as a location for period dramas such as Wolf Hall, The Other Boleyn Girl and Poldark.
Any of these Becoming Elizabeth filming locations would be a delight to visit. You could even combine them all for a period drama-inspired road trip one weekend.
Spot any other historic filming locations in Becoming Elizabeth? Let us know in the comments below and we will add them to this guide!
Looking for other places with Tudor history links to visit? Then I thoroughly recommend St Faith’s Church in Bacton, Herefordshire – especially if you are a fan of Gloriana. I also have a bit of a soft spot for Harvington Hall with all its hidden priest holes in Worcestershire.