A HISTORIC building has been featured in the new series of a hit Netflix show.
The National Trust’s Petworth House in West Sussex provided a location for the filming of series two of Netflix’s popular regency show Bridgerton.
Based on the novels by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton follows the lives of eight close-knit siblings navigating Regency-era London’s competitive high-society marriage market.
The second series began airing on Friday, March 25 and viewers can spot Petworth House in episode seven.
The Grade I listed country house displays one of the finest art collections in the care of the National Trust, making it the ideal stand-in for an art gallery in Bridgerton.
Filming took place in the North Gallery, with four of the other showrooms used for equipment storage and the “video village”.
Before the production teams arrived, the Petworth team worked to prepare rooms for the show.
Sue Rhodes, Petworth’s visitor experience manager said: “We had to move some collection items to make way for filming, including our incredible Molyneux Globe.
“We brought in specialist art handlers to support our collections team as some of the paintings needed to come down, including one of the biggest ones – a painting by Northcote.
“We also had filming conservators on site while the production company was with us and they were a huge support, we couldn’t have done it without them.”
The production team didn’t have to do much set dressing, but they did bring in some prop sculptures to sit alongside the remaining artworks – including one called “the lovers”.
Sue added: “It was wonderful to see the cast and the large number of supporting artists all in beautiful regency costumes walking through the house.
“It was as though the people in the paintings had stepped out of their canvases – you got a real glimpse of what Petworth would have been like during its golden age when the 3rd Earl of Egremont was hosting and entertaining.”
As well as showing off beautiful locations, the filming of Bridgerton directly benefits the places that star in the series.
The location fees go back into conservation work to care for these historic houses and landscapes, so that viewers will be able to see them both on screen and in real life for years to come.
Petworth House is open to visit from Monday 4 April, 10am-4:30pm, last entry 4pm.
From Monday 4 – Wednesday, April 20 select rooms will be open for visitors, visit Petworth House’s website for up-to-date information before travelling.
No advance booking needed, but visitors are required to purchase a ticket to the site to enter, it is free for National Trust members.
For prices and opening times visit the Petworth House and Park website.
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