Here are five famous buildings, landmarks and houses in Berkshire that have been used to shoot scenes on the big screen.

Some may surprise you.

Basildon Park - Reading

Perhaps a slightly lesser-known estate when compared to the others on this list, the 18th century Basildon Park house also has some impressive credits, including Pride & Prejudice (2005), The Gentlemen, Dorian Gray and Marie Antoinette.

Now owned by the National Trust, the park offers visitors fantastic landscape views and picturesque trails for both Summer and Winter walks.

Harry Potter’s childhood house - 12 Picket Post Close - Bracknell  

The unassuming house 12 Picket Post Close in Bracknell and was used in 2001 as the home of Harry Potter’s extremely unlikeable family – The Dursleys.

It is important to remember that this is a private home, however, it does not stop the particularly keen fans from visiting to get a photo in front of the world-famous house.  

Swinley Forest - Bracknell

Sticking with Harry Potter another modest example of local settings making it to Hollywood, Swinley Forest was the chosen setting for scenes in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

This return to the area came a decade after filming at the Bracknell property.  

As an incredibly popular local spot with dog walkers and joggers, Swinley Forest is still no stranger to cinema and big stars. In 2021 James Bond himself was there when Daniel Craig attended to film sequences for his final outing as the world-famous spy in No Time to Die.

Highclere Castle – Newbury

Perhaps one of the most recognisable inclusions on this list, Highclere Castle is the home of the incredibly popular Downton Abbey. Located on the outskirts of Newbury, the stunning estate made its jump to the cinema screen in 2019 after the series came to an end.  

Many people will visit to find themselves immersed in the same scenery as the characters from the series, but with picturesque grounds and incredible architecture, you will quickly forget about fiction and instead be amazed by the distinctive and historical castle you find yourself in.  

‘Insert video touring the castle’.

Englefield House - Reading

With superhero films taking over the latest era of cinema, many fans will be familiar with Englefield House, as it was used by director Matthew Vaughn as the home of James McAvoy’s character (Charles Xavier) in the 2011 film X-Men: First Class.

Although this estate is private and not open to the public, you still have the chance to walk the same path as a superhero with the gardens still being open to visitors. 

Other credits the property holds include Tom Hooper’s Oscar-winning The King’s Speech and Netflix’s Black Mirror, where it was used to film the episode ‘Playtest’.