Winchester’s hidden gems, historic architecture, quintessentially English market towns and natural countryside are fast becoming the location of choice for film and television producers.
Here are just some of the locations that are already taking a starring role on the big screen and waiting for their next chance to appear...
Winchester city centre is known for its iconic architecture and historic cobbled streets. It has some of the oldest shops in the country and has many pubs and restaurants which have maintained the charm and character of their buildings throughout their interior.
Looking for a cosy fireside scene or an almost 300-year-old bookshop? Winchester has you covered. Not to mention the grandeur of Winchester Cathedral, The Great Hall and Winchester College which are frequently used for filming and have featured in blockbusters such as The Crown, Les Miserables and The Da Vinci Code.
Just outside the city, St Catherine’s Hill offers stunning panoramic views of Winchester and is itself a natural beauty spot. The site of an iron age hill fort, St Catherine’s Hill is also home to a 17th century turf ‘mizmaze’, a copse of beech trees and an abundance of local wildlife.
If it’s beautiful landscapes you are looking for then the South Downs National Park has so much to offer. Rolling hills, glorious heathland, river valleys and ancient woodland provide magnificent views and are home to internationally important wildlife and cultural heritage. The use of flint in many of Winchester’s historic structures is characteristic of the area due to its natural formation on our chalky earth.
Dotted throughout the district we have a variety of quaint market towns and villages with unique historical significance, period architecture, listed buildings and industrial heritage.
Alresford is known for its Georgian buildings, crystal clear chalk streams, and being the ‘Capital of Watercress’. It is also home to the Watercress Line, a 19th-century heritage steam rail line and The Grange, a 19th century home mansion, featuring impressive Greek revival architecture.
Bishop’s Waltham boasts a beautiful and well preserved medieval High Street alongside beautiful nature reserves and a vast fishpond. The remains of Bishop’s Waltham Palace and the ruins of the Great Hall sit within well maintained grounds near the centre of the town.
Wickham Square features beautifully preserved Georgian houses and 15th century cottages and has a tranquil water meadow at its heart. Wickham is also home to Chesapeake Mill, an extraordinary Grade II listed mill that incorporates timber from the US Frigate Chesapeake.
Our local film support suppliers
If you need specialist support, local expertise or studio space, we have that too. Curation Studio and Burnt Cake Media can support you with specialists from cameramen, directors, editors, animators, sound recordists, audio mixers to voice over whizzes.
Biotope offer ‘vet on set’ services ensuring animal welfare is embedded into your production, they’ve previously worked on Harry Potter and 101 Dalmatians.
The team behind Team Engine, software designed to streamline processes in film and television, and experienced production managers, are based in Winchester.
Woodcut Media, an award winning, certified B Corp, international television production company, also call Winchester home.
Zealous media have sound-proofed studios with green screen, white infinity and blackout options.
One of the UKs biggest studios, Black Hangar, is also just outside the district at Lasham Airfield.
If you’re interested in bringing your production to Winchester district, you can find out more information on our filming pages.
Images © Steve Favell (Cover image) Hampshire Cultural Trust (The Great Hall) South Downs National Park (View from St Catherine's Hill) Zealous Media (Studio)