Naman Shrestha
Based on ‘The Warlord Chronicles’ series of novels by Bernard Cornwell, MGM+’s ‘The Winter King’ is a British historical drama series created by Kate Brooke, Ed Whitmore, and Bernard Cornwell set in the 5th century that revolves around Arthur Pendragon who evolves from an outcast son to a legendary warrior and leader as he tries to find his place in the world. The narrative also focuses on an unpopular Lancelot, an ambitious Guinevere, Merlin, and Mordred, the legitimate heir to the throne, all while the Saxon invader threats and Druid-Christian tensions exist.
Featuring Iain De Caestecker, Jordan Alexandra, Stuart Campbell, Ellie James, and Eddie Marsan, the series unfolds in Post-Roman Dark Age Britain with a lot of interesting and suitable sites in the backdrop. It makes the audience wonder where exactly ‘The Winter King’ is filmed. Well, if you are one such curious soul, allow us to fill you in on all the details about the same!
The Winter King Filming Locations
‘The Winter King’ is filmed in England and Wales, specifically in Bristol, Somerset, Wiltshire, Lydney, and Monmouthshire. According to reports, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the historical show commenced in July 2022 and wrapped up in January 2023. Now, without further ado, let’s get a detailed account of all the specific locations that make an appearance in the MGM+ series!
Bristol, England
A major chunk of ‘The Winter King’ is lensed in Bristol, a city, ceremonial county, and unitary authority in South West England. In particular, the production team constructed a temporary film set with a fortified encampment in Patchway Studios at 1 Highwood Road in Patchway. The set, consisting of a rocky canyon structure made up of prefabricated polyurethane foam panels on scaffolding, forms the courtyard of Caer Cadarn, one of the fortresses that play a key role in the series. Having 44,000 square feet of flexible production space, the film studio also has an additional 56,000 square feet of backlot area, making it a suitable filming site for different kinds of productions.
In late September 2022, the cast and crew members were spotted setting up camp in and around Blaise Castle Estate near Henbury, Bristol. They transformed a specific area of Blaise Castle grounds into a village with various film sets to tape several key portions of ‘The Winter King.’ A couple of other Bristol sites that served as important filming sites are The Brabazon Hangars (permanently closed) and the Iford Valley below the Grade 1-listed Iford Manor Gardens.
Other Locations in England
For shooting purposes, the production team of ‘The Winter King’ also travels to other locations across England, including the town and civil parish of Lydney. They even utilize the premise of the Tropiquaria Zoo on Washford Cross in the town of Watchet as a filming base and the area within a 5-mile radius of the Wildlife Park and aquarium. In mid-September 2022, several locals and passersby spotted the cast and crew members near Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire recording important scenes for the period drama series!
Monmouthshire, Wales
Additional portions of ‘The Winter King’ are also lensed in Monmouthshire, a county located in the southeast region of Wales. The filming unit reportedly built yet another set next to the former Livox Quarry in St. Arvans in the Wye Valley area near the town of Chepstow. The set includes a mock-up tower of 42 meters in diameter and some small wooden huts with grass roofs and earthwork-looking walls, which provide them with a 5th-century appearance.
