A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was filmed in 4 classic Game of Thrones locations
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms returned to Game of Thrones' most famous country
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the newest Game of Thrones spin-off – and you’d be able to tell that it’s set in Westeros after seeing its filming locations.
The new series follows ‘Dunk’ (Peter Claffey), a hedge knight who journeys across Westeros with Egg, a young stableboy he allows to be his squire.
This puts them on a collision course with powerful people; notably, three Targaryen princes and a ‘laughing’ Baratheon.
However, unlike Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon, this unfolds on a smaller scale. Don’t expect to see dragons in the sky, nor will the series jump back and forth between characters spread across the continent. That’s allowed A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to revisit some familiar filming locations.
***Warning: spoilers for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode 1 ahead***
Where is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms set?
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set in Westeros. More specifically, most of the series takes place in Ashford Meadow, located in the Reach.
Unless you’re clued up on Game of Thrones and the geography of the ‘known world’ (we’ll come back to this), that probably means nothing to you.
Bizarrely, there are nine regions within the Seven Kingdoms: the north, the Iron Islands, the riverlands, the Vale of Arryn, the westerlands, the crownlands, the Reach, the stormlands, and Dorne.
However, Dorne wasn’t originally considered part of the Seven Kingdoms, which were established by Aegon the Conqueror.
It only fell under the Iron Throne’s rule after King Daeron II (the current ruler in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms) brought it peacefully into the realm.
Where is Westeros?
Westeros may resemble medieval Britain, but it’s not meant to be an alternate version of our history and existence. It’s its own continent on a completely fictional map, known as the known world.
Across all of George R.R. Martin’s mark, three continents have been established: Westeros, Essos, and Sothoryos.
Essos is separated from Westeros by the narrow sea, and this is where Daenerys stayed in the early seasons of Game of Thrones.
Sothoryos is far more mysterious, as it’s mostly unexplored. It hasn’t appeared in any TV show, and it’s unclear if it ever will.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms filming locations
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was mostly filmed across Northern Ireland.
Some reports claim scenes were filmed in Cáceres in Spain. This wouldn’t be unusual, given it’s been used for King’s Landing scenes in both Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. However, this also hasn’t been confirmed.
Titanic Studios
Following in Game of Thrones’ footsteps, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was largely filmed at Belfast’s Titanic Studios.
Robert Dowling, owner of Game of Thrones Tours, told the BBC that fans were disappointed after House of the Dragon was shot elsewhere. “This announcement confirms that the city is the home of the Thrones franchise,” he said.
Showrunner Ira Parker also told The Telegraph that returning to Belfast paved the way for past crew members to come back.
“It’s that institutional memory – we’ve got several people on our team who started off as production assistants on Game of Thrones and they’re line-producing for us now,” he explained.
Fortunately, this doesn’t mean A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is full of green-screen scenes and sequences shot on the Volume. The studio was mostly used for its interior scenes and some set pieces, with the production team seeking awe-striking, outdoor scenery for the rest of the series.
Myra Castle
Myra Castle, located near Downpatrick, County Down, was constructed in 1844. However, as the Lord Belmont in Northern Ireland blog points out, its “pseudo-medieval detail” wasn’t typical of houses of its time.
That makes it perfect for Westeros, and that’s why it was selected as the exterior for House Bolton’s Dreadfort in Game of Thrones.
In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it will portray Ashford Castle, as well as being used for scenes in Flea Bottom.
Tollymore Forest Park
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms also filmed its crownlands scenes in Tollymore Forest Park.
If you recognise it, it’s because it was used as a filming location in Game of Thrones season 1. This is where Ned Stark found the dying direwolf. The park was used for other places too, like the Haunted Forest beyond the Wall.
Glenarm Castle
Glenarm Castle was used for Ashford Meadows in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
According to the estate’s website, it was also used in Game of Thrones… but there is no record of exactly where scenes were filmed.
These are the estate’s exact words: “Glenarm Castle has also featured in the award-winning HBO series Game of Thrones.”
There’s a chance its interiors were used for a few scenes in the original series. This time, as per the Wiki of Thrones, it was “transformed into a bustling village” for the series.
How to find Ser Arlan and Dunk’s Elm Tree
This Elm Tree appears in the opening scene of the series, where Dunk buries Ser Arlan of Pennytree.
Like the rest of the series, this was filmed in Northern Ireland. It may require a bit of a hike, but you can get to this picturesque location yourself.
A tree prop (probably the site where Dunk buries Ser Arlan) on the filming location of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms near Mourne Mountains, NI (photo credit @Cathal50404944) pic.twitter.com/ecKOIgZXxZ
— Redanian Intelligence (@RedanianIntel) July 2, 2024
It was filmed near the Mournes; specifically, Slievemoughanmore, one of the smaller mountains in the range.
To be clear, the tree is a prop. It may still be there, especially if it’s revisited in season 2. But don’t be disappointed if you go all way there and you’re only greeted with more grass.
Read more: Ser Duncan the Tall is connected to a Game of Thrones legend
