Have I been here before?
As Oxfordshire gets ready to welcome visitors from abroad, many of the three-quarters of a million or so expected to stay at least one night in the county will already have seen it as a backdrop in internationally-known TV and film franchises as diverse as James Bond and Midsomer Murders. But how many will be aware of the region’s thriving film industry?
Oxfordshire’s starring role
Blenheim Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site – and occasional film set. Bridgerton Season 3 and spin-off prequel Queen Charlotte were filmed here, as were some scenes from Netflix series The Diplomat. The Palace’s other film credits include James Bond 007 Spectre (2016), Mission Impossible Rogue Nation and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
Other key locations for the Harry Potter series were provided by the University of Oxford, with the Bodleian Library, New College and Christ Church College all standing in for parts of Hogwarts School. Scenes for the His Dark Materials trilogy included Oxford landmarks such as the Bridge of Sighs, the Botanic Gardens and the Pitt Rivers Museum. The Radcliffe Camera and the Sheldonian Theatre were used in the filming of 2023’s Wonka. And of course, all the plotlines in the Inspector Morse and Endeavour series, shown around the world, revolve around the city where it was filmed. Another TV crime favourite, Midsomer Murders, used filming locations in Oxfordshire, while production and filming of last year’s hit Masters of the Air took place in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
Tour companies in the county regularly offer trips to see key film landmarks, and visitors can have fun location-spotting in some of the outlying villages such as Bampton (where some Downton Abbey scenes were regularly filmed) and Cornwell (featuring in The Holiday).
A flourishing film industry
Oxfordshire plays its part as a business proposition as well as a tourist destination. The region, with its excellent connections and accessibility to Pinewood, has a thriving film sector. Vicon, a pioneer in motion capture technology, is based in Yarnton, and the county also boasts independent screen producers Quicksilver, leading children’s producer Novel Entertainment, documentary makers Landmark Films and several post-production houses.
The creative industries attract important inward investment into the UK. Last year, international feature film production brought in £1.9 billion, with inward investment in high-end TV delivering £2.8 billion. In 2024, US investment rose by 83% in UK film and 25% in high-end TV compared to 2023.(1)
As the peak season approaches, approaches, hospitality and heritage centres in Oxfordshire are hoping that the number of annual visitor trips will be even higher than the 28 million recorded in the most recent survey.(2)
Some of the visitors to Oxfordshire, enjoying views captured on screen, could raise their glass or cup of tea to the British film industry.
(2) https://www.experienceoxfordshire.org/economic-impact-of-tourism-in-oxfordshire-2023/
Image provided by Blenheim Palace