The Hardacres S2 filming locations: Yorkshire-set period drama - and THAT stunning house – was filmed in another county
Cast and crew recreated 1890s industrial Northern England
The Hardacres returns to Channel 5 with a series 2 in May 2026, and the beautiful filming locations once again take centre stage.
Series 1 of the period drama chronicled the sweeping rags-to-riches story of a working-class family in 1890s Yorkshire. The series followed the lives, loves and fortunes of the Hardacre family as they moved up the world from a fishy dock to a vast country estate.
The series first landed on our screens in 2024, and viewers and critics alike warmed to the sprawling family saga. And now, they’re back and it’s all change again as electricity arrives at Hardacre Hall…
So where is The Hardacres set, and what filming locations were really used? Here’s everything you need to know.
Where is The Hardacres on Channel 5 set?
Channel 5 period drama The Hardacres is set in 1890s Yorkshire. Grimsby, Bridlington and Whitby are all mentioned in the books.
The series is based on the novels by CL Skelton, and follows the the Hardacre family from their working class roots to their sudden fortune. The sweeping, rags-to-riches tale follows generations of the Hardacres from Victorian times to the 1950s.
The lives of the Hardacres are shaped by the extraordinary events of the Boer War, the Great War, the Wall Street Crash, the Second World War, Hitler’s Germany and the London Blitz. And author CL Skelton, from Northumberland, set his books in the adjacent historic county of Yorkshire.
But cast and crew didn’t actually set foot in Yorkshire at all…
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The Hardacres filming locations: Where was it actually filmed?
Like the first series, cast and crew of The Hardacres series 2 filmed on location in and around Ireland. Specifically in Dublin and Wicklow.
At the time of series 1, set designer Derek Wallace revealed the reason Ireland could easily pose as Yorkshire. He said: “Back in the 1800s, Dublin was the second biggest city in the Empire. It was London and then Dublin. So we do still have a lot of Georgian infrastructure and Victorian infrastructure.”
On creating authentic sets in Ireland, he added: “The buyers were tasked with finding as much as they possibly could here in Ireland because of the logistics for Brexit. And in fairness to them, they came up trumps. Almost 90 per cent we sourced here in Ireland.”
Northern Ireland actor Liam McMahon, who plays Sam Hardacre, loved “coming home”. He added: “I think that the themes are universal so for it to be filmed in Ireland and not Yorkshire doesn’t really matter. Basically at that time in the 1890s everybody had the same struggles going on everywhere.”
The Walsh Sisters was recently set and filmed in Dublin, as was BBC One detective drama Lynley. Cooper & Fry was filmed in Wicklow, too.
County Wicklow – aka “the Garden of Ireland” – is a region south of Dublin in the east of Ireland. Locals recognise the area for its beautiful mountains, stunning Irish Sea coastline, country estates, and the Wicklow Way.
What house was used as country estate Hardacres Hall?
In series 1, the Hardacres rose from working-class fish gutters to wealthy entrepreneurs. And their living conditions changed dramatically. They couldn’t believe their luck when arrived in their palatial country estate.
The fictional Yorkshire estate that the family moved into is subsequently named Hardacre Hall. The real mansion is called Cabinteely House, and can be found in Cabinteely Park in Dublin.
Cabinteely House is a stunning 18th-century country mansion built in 1769. It’s located within 45 hectares of parkland in Cabinteely Park, South Dublin. Owned by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, it offers free guided tours and features restored interiors, a popular tearoom in the former stables, and a history linked to politician Joseph McGrath.
The nine-bay, two-storey mansion looks especially beautiful in the autumn, as the ivy turns red. And that’s often when cast and crew film the Channel 5 period drama.
The house has appeared in several film and TV productions, including the Glenn Close film Albert Nobbs, and the 1998 crime thriller The General. It was also used in the period drama Miss Scarlet and The Duke.
The Hardacres filming locations: Where is Emma Fitzherbert’s house?
Snooty Emma Fitzherbert’s house in The Hardacres is actually 18th-century Georgian mansion Marlay House, located in Rathfarnham, County Dublin. Originally known as ‘The Grange’ in the early 18th century, it was acquired by banker David La Touche in 1764. He expanded it into the mansion visible today, named after his wife’s family.
The HUGE house is a fine example of Georgian architecture, featuring intricate plasterwork by Michael Stapleton and a T-shaped plan. The mansion is situated within Marlay Park, a 300-acre public park that includes woodland walks, landscaped gardens, and a crafts courtyard converted from the former stables. Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council own the house and it’s occasionally open for guided tours.
Key filming locations used in The Hardacres series 2:
- In series 1, viewers saw the Hardacres’ rapid rise from fish gutters to wealthy entrepreneurs. The docks were filmed in the corner of Bray Harbour, County Wicklow. Bray Harbour is located at the mouth of the Dargle River, in the Little Bray locality. It is approximately ten miles south of Dublin Bay, and is the most northern harbour in Co. Wicklow. The Hardacre family, former fish gutties, now control the business.
- Anybody familiar with Dublin will recognise various streets and locations that were filmed in and around the capital of the Republic of Ireland. These replicated 19th-century Yorkshire.
- Powerscourt Estate features in The Hardacres series 2. The house is listed as one of the top 10 globally by Lonely Planet, and has 47 acres of gardens. The magnificent mansion house, just 30 minutes outside of Dublin, is famous for its perfectly manicured formal gardens, sweeping terraces, striking statues, charming ornamental lakes, secret hollows, and rambling walks. Powerscourt started life as a 13th century castle over 800 years ago. More than 50 different movies and TV series have been shot at the Powerscourt Estate over the years.
‘I love filming in Ireland, there’s something so special about it’
Talking about filming in Ireland, Mary Hardacre actress Claire Cooper said: “It’s always good to be back in Ireland. I love filming in Ireland. There’s something so special about it. Being back with the cast feels like coming home.”
Of course, her fans will know she’s married to Dublin-born Emmett J. Scanlan. So that’s a nice bit of serendipity!
Adam Little, who plays Joe Hardacre, is also Irish and happy to be back filming in Dublin and Wicklow. He said: “It was a blessing to be back and actually see everyone again. It was nice because it really is like a family. You are a tight knit group and you are in your own little bubble. We were in another country for 10 weeks and they are the only people you get to see.”
He also revealed his “favourite location was Powerscourt Estate”. He explained: “It is so high up and the drive in is beautiful. You can see the mountains and the sunrise. It is freezing, but the set design makes you feel like you are truly in that world. It helps so much as an actor. You look around and there are donkeys, horses and stables everywhere.”
Meanwhile, Shannon Lavelle – aka Liza Hardacre – described Ireland as “just the most beautiful place and country”. She admitted that filming The Hardacres in Ireland “is an absolute dream for me every day being there”.
Shannon also loved filming “in the woodland area at Powerscourt”. She said: “We were walking through the woods all day. The heavens did open at one point, but I love filming outside.”
Read more: The Hardacres on Channel 5 series 1 ending explained
