Rivals filming locations: A guide to the UK countryside spots
Rivals on Disney+ is the latest TV show to get the nation talking – but it’s not just the thrilling plot that has captured the attention of viewers.
Based on Dame Jilly Cooper’s bestselling novel of the same name, Rivals follows the cut-throat world of TV in the 1980s. With household names such as David Tennant, Katherine Parkinson, Danny Dyer and Poldark’s Aidan Turner, the show's wonderful array of country estates, manicured gardens and sweeping shots of the English countryside have left a lasting impression.
And, much like with Bridgerton, many have been wondering whether or not they can visit the filming locations featured in the eight-part adaptation.
So, if you’d like to take a step back in time or follow in the footsteps of some of the characters, keep reading for everything you might need to know.
Where is Rivals filmed?
Rivals is based in the fictional village of Rutshire – a setting that was initially inspired by the Cotswolds and led to an entire series of books, known as the Rutshire Chronicles.
The picturesque views and quaint market towns of the Cotswolds bring Rutshire to life in the TV series, with the natural beauty of Gloucestershire and Somerset made clear throughout the eight-part adaptation.
The town of Tetbury primarily serves as the fictional village of Cotchester and it's not too far from the real life village of Bisley, which Dame Jilly Cooper has called home for the past 40 years.
Additional scenes were filmed in Bristol, as well as the town of Corsham in Wiltshire and Monmouthshire in Wales.
What is the house that features in Rivals?
Probably the most memorable house in Rivals is The Priory, where the O’Haras live, and this is actually a real country manor near Tetbury, called Chavenage House.
The traditional Cotswold stone and Elizabethan Grade I-listed property, which has virtually gone unchanged over the past 400 years, was transformed into Declan O’Hara’s house in the series, complete with many of the property's original ashtrays and cheque books.
However actor Aidan Turner – who plays Declan in the show – would have already been familiar with Chavenage House, having previously filmed numerous scenes for Poldark there with producer Eliza Mellor.
Eliza managed to convince Chavenage House's owner Caroline Lowsley-Williams to use the impressive home for Rivals. Following this, Caroline then worked as the local eyes and ears, making lists of all the best suitable local houses for other characters in the show.
The house is available for tours but they must be booked through a reservation.
Other filming locations in Rivals
Tetbury and Corsham
For the series, Tetbury was transported back to the 1986, with shop fronts and signs being replaced to make them period appropriate. In fact, the production team took over the Gloucestershire village for around a week of filming to achieve the 1980s aesthetic.
Berkeley House, at 16 the Chipping, also stood in for American TV producer Cameron Cook’s abode, Hamilton Terrace. You can even rent the property if you fancy a little staycation there with your friends or family.
In addition to this, the local church, St Mary’s, was turned into St Agnes and St Isaac of Cotchester for the big wedding scene. While Corsham in Wiltshire was used to stand-in for the fictional village of Cotchester.
Neston Park, Wiltshire
Serving as David Tennant’s character, Lord Tony Baddingham's home (known as The Falconry on-screen), Neston Park is not ordinarily open to the public but Caroline was able to convince its current owners.
“Caroline introduced us to the owners of our Falconry, Lord Baddingham’s home, and also to those of the house where we shot the tennis,” Eliza said. “They’d never had filming before, so we’d never have got it without her.”
The grand country house dates back to the late 18th century, while the estate itself was first built as far back as the 15th century.
Viewers might also recognise this house as it was used for filming scenes in BBC's 2008 Larkrise to Candleford and ITV's 2007 Persuasion.
Bristol
Bristol actually served as the base for the production of Rivals, with a replica 1980s' TV studio being built at Bottle Yard Studios. But beyond this, one of the most notable scenes, the awards ceremony, was filmed outside of the Harbour Hotel in Bristol’s Old City.
Those who know the city well may also have spotted the magnificent Georgian park area of Queen Square, as well as the coastal Victorian town of Clevedon.
Wraxall, Somerset
Actor Aidan Turner let it slip that the iconic Battleaxes Pub in Wraxall was used for several of the scenes. The Tudor-style pub was opened in 1882 before closing just a few years ago, in 2020.
All episodes of Rivals are available to watch now on Disney+.
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