The Forsytes on 5: Filming locations of the lavish period drama 'recreate London' in another 'historic city'
The show's production team reveal how they brought Victorian London to life without stepping foot in the capital
The Forsytes on Channel 5 has used some very clever filming locations to bring to life the opulent world of the upper classes in the late Victorian era.
The six-part drama on Channel 5 chronicles the lives across four generations of stockbrokers. But, while the Forsytes are renowned for being sticklers for money and power, love and lust threaten to turn the heads of those in charge.
Based on author John Galsworthy’s novel series The Forsyte Saga, the drama takes us to the lavish ballrooms and beautiful homes with sweeping staircases of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But while all the action in The Forsytes might take place in London, the show was actually filmed in another ‘historic’ city.
Here is everything you need to know about filming locations used for The Forsytes on Channel 5.
Where is The Forsytes set?
The lavish period drama begins in London in the late 1800s. But while there are plenty of parks, elegant streets and even smoggy corners of Soho, none of the series was actually filmed in the UK capital.
In fact, cast and crew filmed in Bristol instead of London. The production team behind the series were keen to keep things bright on screen. Quite the task considering the period drama is set in Victorian London.
The Forsytes Production Designer, Dafydd Shurmer, explained why his team didn’t want to make 1887 London look dingy. He said: “We avoided the dark, smoggy, grimy feel of the series that have gone before. Instead we opted for a fresh, light and bright look which informed everything we designed.
“On a period drama like this, we were given a little artistic license to create these fresh, bright sets. I kept that in mind while doing my research.
“With any historical period, I always look at the buildings and furniture of the time, as well as the history and the personal aspect. Like how were people using spaces to live and work in?”
Where are The Forsytes filming locations?
As with other period dramas, The Forsytes was filmed on the historic streets of Bristol city centre (more on that below). With its elegant historical buildings, it is easy to see why the city was chosen to be the backdrop for London in 1887.
The Bottle Yard studios in Bristol were also where the show’s production was based.
This made filming on location in the same city made sense. The team have also returned to the same space for The Forsytes series 2, which was announced before the first episodes even landed on our screens.
Central locations such as All Saints Lane, Orchard Street and Christmas Steps were used as the perfect backdrop for Victorian Soho. This is where Eleanor Tomlinson’s character, dressmaker Louisa Byrne, has her business and home.
Clifton in Bristol was used for many of the upper-class areas thanks to its white pillared buildings. The Forsytes isn’t the first period drama to be filmed in the city. Shows like Poldark, Wolf Hall, Bridgerton, and Sanditon have all made use of the area’s historic architecture.
In addition to Bristol, Cardiff in Wales was used as a filming location for The Forsytes. Venice in Italy was also used for some of the show’s flashback scenes.
The Forsytes filming locations: How modern day Bristol became 19th century London
The series might be set on the Victorian streets of London, but the production team didn’t have to step foot in the city to bring the show to life.
“Recreating London somewhere else is a challenge because the city is so iconic,” says Director and Executive Producer, Meenu Gaur.
“We found locations around Bristol and Cardiff, and our designer also gave us beautiful sets. A lot of fashion in that period was heavily influenced by textile and artefacts from the colonies.
“Materials arrived from all corners of the British Empire, but we don’t often see that on our screens.
“Our team researched the ways in which countries like India, China, and Japan influenced the fashion and home decor of those times.”
Some of the key The Forsytes filming locations in Bristol:
- The Bottle Yard Studios were used as the main production hub for series 1 and 2.
- Clifton: The historical streets were used as a backdrop for scenes with the upper classes.
- Vyvyan Terrace: This beautiful street with elegant houses was used as the Forsytes’ homes.
- Christmas Steps in Bristol city centre were used to portray London in the 1800s.
- All Saints Lane provided the location for Victorian Soho.
- St Mary Redcliffe Church can be spotted in the trailer for the first series.
- Orchard Street also set the backdrop for Victorian housing.
Read more: Riot Women on BBC One: Inside the dramas filming locations
