With Netflix period-drama Bridgerton one of the Summer’s biggest smash hits, Reading residents may not know that one of its most iconic moments was filmed on our very own Regency-appropriate doorstep.
The much-anticipated first kiss between a certain couple was filmed in the grounds of Basildon Park, the Grade I listed National Trust property located just north of Pangbourne.
After appearing in series two as the Featherington’s family garden, Basildon Park’s gardens returned for the third season, with the Formal Garden providing the setting for one of the most eagerly-awaited tv moments of the year.
The National Trust’s head of film and locations Harvey Edgington explained how the Bridgerton team created the look of a warm summer evening during the shoot in October.
“The production team brought in around 5,000 artificial flowers to fill the rose garden with summer blooms,” he explained. “They also added more greenery and foliage around the back of the house to create a dazzling backdrop for the action.
This season was also the first time Basildon Park’s 18th century interiors featured on the Netflix show, as the home of a new character, the wealthy widow Lady Tilley Arnold, played by Hannah New, where she is visited by fan-favourite Bridgerton brother, Benedict, played by Luke Thompson.
This is not the first time the house has been the star of a much-loved Regency production, as it took a central role in the 2005 production of Pride and Prejudice, starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen. The mansion was then transformed into Netherfield, Mr Bingley’s House, a ‘suitably grand residence for a young man of four or five thousand a year’.
Want to see these iconic Regency sites for yourself? Visit the Basildon Park National Trust page to plan your visit.
