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7 things you didn’t know were filmed in Gloucestershire

Aside from Gloucestershire’s beautiful country side, and infamous Gloucester docks, it’s been the home to many filming locations of some of the biggest on screen hits! It seems to be becoming a favourite for TV and film producers.

  • Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince (2009), The Chamber of Secrets (2002), and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)

Gloucester Cathedral was one of the five locations picked to be transformed into the magical Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Keep an eye out when you’re next visiting for Headless Nick, and the entrance to the Gryffindor Common room.

Whilst filming, the production team had to make some changes to the Cathedral, such as covering up plugs and electrical wiring with panels painted to look like stone walls, which are still in place now. 

  • BBC mock-umentary ‘This Country’

The famously loved Kurt and Kerry Mucklowe, did in fact actually film in Gloucestershire! Swindon football team obsessed Kerry, who’s house is a key filming place in the series, in real life is a residential property in Northleach, which is a five-minute walk from the village high street. If you get close enough, you may hear Sue Mucklowe shouting from her bedroom.

St Mary’s Church in the show, is actually the Church of St Peter & St Paul in real life in Northleach. It’s at the centre of the village, and has been for over 800 years.

  • Peter Rabbit 2 – The Runaway (2020)

Beatrix Potter’s characters from the tales of Peter Rabbit, were captured running around the scenes of Gloucester. Although the College Court was recreated in a studio, the film did include scenes of the historic Gloucester Docks and the Cathedral. Next time you’re at Gloucester’s Farmers Market, keep your eyes peeled for Peter and his friends.

  • Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)

The Mad Hatter, played by Johnny Depp, and Alice, played by Wasikowska, filmed in Gloucester for a week. The maritime scene, filmed in the docks, was made to become period London circa 1850. If you visited at the time, you’d have noticed the busy buzz of production, as the docks featured 300 crew, 150 extras, 40 vehicles, 18 horses and two llamas, and an incredible five tall ships. The sequel to Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland was always going to be extravagant.

  • Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

Puzzlewood in the Forest of Dean was named “the most magical forest on the face of the earth”, by Star Wars producer Kathleen Kennedy. 

The forest doubled as a part of ‘planet Tokodana’, where heros Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Finn (John Boyega) travel to and encounter enemy Kylo Ren for a lightsaber battle.

  • Doctor Who

This iconic and popular TV series was also filmed in Puzzlewood as a regular location. Matt Smith filmed his first and final episodes here, and the 2013 Christmas special, where the Doctor was regenerated and Peter Capaldi took over. The weeping angels, which some consider one of the Doctor’s scariest adversaries was also at this location.

  •   James Bond: Die Another Day (2002)

The man famous for his shaken not stirred martini, 007 spy, played by Pierce Brosnan, filmed in the Cotsworlds. 

Originally the car chase scenes in ‘Die Another Day’, were meant to be in Iceland, however the ice on Joekulsarlon was too thin, which caused the change of location to Gloucestershire, Bourbon on the Water. 

Gloucestershire was transformed into Iceland, with the help of Stroud special effects company Snow Business.

Mr Brosnan visited the location for just one day, whilst the rest of the crew were there for weeks. Surprisingly, it wasn’t Brosnan doing his own death defying-stunts.

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