Shubhabrata Dutta
Steven Knight, the creator of ‘Peaky Blinders,’ brings yet another gripping period drama series showcasing the history of the world-famous Guinness brewery. Titled ‘House of Guinness,’ the Netflix show is set after the death of founder Benjamin Lee Guinness in 1868 and tracks the ups and downs faced by his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as they navigate the inheritance. The unprecedented success is tough to tackle, and with not one or two but four people at the helm, making decisions takes time and often leads to feuds and fights. All this is set against the backdrop of 19th-century Dublin and New York. Knight’s research and the resulting visuals take the viewers back in time, offering a rich and detailed depiction of how society was back then.
House of Guinness Filming Locations
‘House of Guinness’ is filmed in England, Wales, and Ireland, specifically in Liverpool, Manchester, Stockport, Cheshire, Derbyshire, and Yorkshire; Gwynedd; and Dublin, respectively. Principal photography reportedly began in the first half of July 2024 and continued for several months before wrapping up around the third week of December of the same year. Thorough research enabled the production team to shift from one location to another without losing track of the show’s requirements.
Liverpool, England
Liverpool, a port city in Merseyside, doubled for both Dublin and New York. Stanley Dock on the River Mersey was used extensively for several scenes featuring the Guinness brewery. The exterior of the Tobacco Warehouse, which is a part of the dock and is located at 21a Regent Road, reportedly doubled for the brewery. The iconic warehouse took 27 million bricks to build in 1900 and was believed to be one of the biggest brick buildings in the world at the time. Production designer Richard Bullock and his team took the tourist tour of the St. James’s Gate Brewery to ensure an authentic representation. A few shots were lensed outside The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, at Mount Street.
Filming took place outside St. George’s Hall at St. George’s Place, including a market scene, for which market carts with flowers, bread, and groceries were placed on the steps. The Grade I listed building houses concert halls and law courts, and dates back to 1854. The crew accessed Croxteth Hall, located at Croxteth Hall Lane, to record many sequences. The Grade II listed building is the ancestral home of the Molyneux family, the Earls of Sefton. Needless to say, it carries an essence of the past that is essential to the show. The Sefton Park Palm House at Sefton Park was used as a botanical garden. Its lush and colorful flora make it a must-visit for tourists and serve as a lively arts and cultural venue. Sets were built on William Brown Street, home to many public buildings. The crew added mud to the paving slabs for a Victorian look and feel.
Manchester, England
In Manchester, a city in Greater Manchester, the production team made use of the facilities and equipment of Space Studios, a state-of-the-art film and TV studio at Vaughan Street in Gorton. The 17-acre site boasts six acoustically treated soundstages totaling more than 85,000 square feet. A highly skilled crew further aids in a streamlined production. Shows like ‘Peaky Blinders’ and ‘The Crown’ were also shot here.
While Space Studios served as the base for indoor shots, the Northern Quarter, Manchester’s cultural hub, was transformed into 19th-century New York. It is a part of Manchester city center and is known for its queer bars, restaurants, and vintage shopping stores, among other cultural attractions. Dale Street, one of the Northern Quarter’s most popular streets, was decked with pigs, carts, market stalls, carriages, and vintage shopfronts to represent 19th-century New York. A few scenes were taped at Tariff Street, including the area near Tariff & Dale Cocktail Bar and Restaurant at 2 Tariff Street.
Stockport, England
Stockport, another Greater Manchester town, doubled for the streets of New York. Known for its historic architecture, the town perfectly matches the aesthetic of ‘House of Guinness,’ and was thus transformed with props and sets to highlight the same. Underbank, which is part of the old town, was used to capture scenes featuring the daily lives of the New York townsfolk. The blues bar Cracked Actor, located at 28 Little Underbank, was turned into a pub called The Oak. At St. Mary’s Church in Churchgate, a tombstone with the name ‘Benjamin Lee Guinness’ was created, seemingly to stress how his absence affects the business. It is one of the oldest parish churches in Stockport and gives the show a sense of the passage of time.
Cheshire, England
Many scenes set in Dublin, Ireland, were filmed in Cheshire, North West England. Its beautiful countryside and picturesque villages make it a go-to location for period dramas and shows. Ellesmere Port, a port town in the borough of Cheshire West and Chester, was dressed to shoot additional day and night scenes, including scenes with lightning and rain effects. The main car park to the museum on South Pier Road was closed during filming. Some shots were captured at the National Waterways Museum, a 200-year-old historic transport museum at South Pier Road. The crew sent letters to the locals informing them of the production. It also resorted to many mansions where it lensed various sequences. The team collaborated with the Cheshire West and Chester Council and the Film Office to ensure minimum impact on local businesses and residents.
Derbyshire, England
In Derbyshire, located in the East Midlands, a few scenes were reportedly taped at Calke Abbey. Located at Ticknall, the Grade I-listed country house dates back to the beginning of the 18th century and is yet another real-life addition to the show’s authentic nature. Part historic and part natural, Derbyshire adds a new layer to the show’s visual canvas. A few examples of the county’s architectural heritage are Derby Cathedral, the Masson Mill, Bolsover Castle, Haddon Hall, and Hardwick Hall.
Yorkshire, England
Yorkshire, in Northern England, was also chosen for filming. The crew shot at Broughton Hall, which doubled for St. Anne’s Estate and Ashford Castle. Located at Broughton Hall Estate, the hall’s library, dining room, drawing room, and several bedrooms were accessed for indoor scenes, while its sprawling outdoors, spread across 3,000 acres, served as the backdrop for outdoor scenes. Broughton Hall is also a Grade I listed building and offers spaces that can be rented for social and corporate events.
Gwynedd, Wales
The crew reportedly moved to Wales, where it captured several scenes in Gwynedd County. In Criccieth, a popular seaside resort by the Irish Sea, the crew lensed a handful of outdoor shots. The town is also known as the ‘Pearl of Wales on the Shores of Snowdonia.’ It offers many attractions of Welsh charm, like the Criccieth Castle ruins, the 18th-century stonehouse Caffi Cwrt, the Penpaled and Ty’r Felin cottages. The beach itself provides incredible views of the surrounding Snowdonia Mountains and is perfect for tranquil walks. Penrhyn Castle, located in the village of Llandygai in Bangor, doubled for the Ashford Estate in ‘House of Guinness.’ Boasting a fine collection of art, the Romanesque Revival-style hall is home to works of Canaletto, Richard Wilson, Perino del Vaga, and Bonifazio Veronese.
Dublin, Ireland
While most of the show was filmed away from Ireland, a few sequences were reportedly shot in Dublin, the Irish capital, which is also the home of the Guinness brewery. The decision was perhaps a show of respect to the roots of the show. Dublin is recognized as a global city, and despite its impression of modernism, it offers ample structures, terrain, and backdrops that can easily double for period shows and movies. It is home to many modern production studios with top-tier facilities. Some must-visit landmarks within the city are the Custom House, O’Connell Bridge, Dublin Castle, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, and the National Museum of Ireland.
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