
LIGHTS, camera, action! You can’t beat a good castle when it comes to film-making. Whether it’s on the big screen or streamed into your living room, directors lay siege to them.
Little wonder then, that Grimsthorpe Castle, which rises majestically above sweeping parkland, is centre stage again – as one of the new locations for Netflix smash Bridgerton, which returns for a third season on May 16.

It’s only a few weeks back that the Lincolnshire county pile featured in big budget Mary & George, and now it’s doubling in Bridgerton as the home of eccentric Lord Hawkins.
He’s a new character in the series, and all we’re told is that he’s a lover of new inventions, and that his home is appropriately ahead of the times in the Regency romp.
Grimsthorpe, which opens to the public each year from April to September, will doubtless benefit from the Bridgerton boom, with movie location tourism increasingly big business.
Read more: James Bond on movie location mission to boost tourism
The Castle, near Grantham, was built on the site of a medieval fort and in 1516 was a wedding gift from Henry VIII to William, 11th Lord Willoughby de Eresby and his bride, Maria de Salinas, lady-in-waiting and confidante of Henry’s Queen, Katherine of Aragon.

Remarkably, it has remained in the family ever since – and not just any family. The Willoughby de Eresby family is one of three in England who fulfill the office of Lord Great Chamberlain, the Monarch’s representative at the Palace of Westminster.
Due to this role, Grimsthorpe houses one of the largest collections of royal thrones and furnishings outside the Royal Palaces.

We last saw the house onscreen in Mary & George, starring Hollywood A-lister Julianne Moore, where it was transformed into the French chateau home of the aristocratic Jean.
You can learn more about Grimsthorpe Castle, and public opening hours, on the official website. For tourism information on Lincolnshire and the county’s attractions, head to Visit Lincoln.
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