Feed your ‘Sanditon’ obsession: Plan a vacation to these filming locations

Do you love Sanditon as much as we do? Are you desperately hoping the show will get a season two? Well, if you can’t stop thinking about the show, then why not plan for a vacation where you can see some of the beautiful filming locations? For after quarantine, of course.

Sanditon was, of course, filmed in England, so anyone native may well be able to pop over to a location or two by train, but just about everyone else is going to have to get on an airplane. Here are some of the best locations to visit if you adore Sanditon.

Dyrham Park

Lady Denham’s estate was an awe-inducing fixture of the show throughout the season. If you’d like to see this massive “home” up close and in person, you most certainly can. The real estate is named Dyrham Park and can be found between Bath and Bristol. 

Entry is only £13.50 for adults, so it’s a lovely afternoon idea. The fee covers entry into the park, garden, house, tea-room and shop. (Of course, tea and souvenirs cost extra.)

Bonus points: Dyrham Park is even bigger than it looks on screen – the “streets” Sanditon filmed on when Charlotte walks through town is actually the side entrance to the kitchen of Dyrham Park.

Brean Beach

If you’re wanting to see the seaside – which let’s be real, of course you do – then you’ll be wanting to visit Brean Beach. This is where all the beach scenes were filmed including the episode one bathing machines and all of those lovely strolls by the water.

However, it’s important to note any of the swimming scenes, including the one where Mr. Parker exits the water nude, were filmed at Weston-Super-Mare Marine Lake. The lake is near the beach though, so visiting one would make the other rather easy.

Bowood House’s grotto

If regattas are more your style then you can visit the location Sanditon’s boat race was filmed by going to visit the Bowood House. The estate’s lake, waterfall, and grotto were all used during episode seven. (The gorgeous waterfall is where Esther is first proposed to.)

The estate was built in 1725, however, the beautiful grounds which are seen in Sanditon were landscaped in 1760. They’ve been maintained since then – why change something so beautiful?

You can actually stay at Bowood House, as it is now a Hotel, Spa, and Golf Resort. So you could happily spend a week there exploring the grounds and enjoying the scenery.

Bowood House and its grounds were also utilized in the Downton Abbey movie.

Iford Manor’s Peto Gardens

If you want to relive a little angst then you may want to stop by Iford Manor. Their gardens were used in episode one, when Charlotte is getting advice from her father on the bridge as to whether or not she should leave home.

Their website currently states they are not open due to the pandemic, however whenever they are able to open back up entry prices are listed at a mere £7.50 for adults. (Children under three are free.) They also have a wonderful tearoom you can visit.

The “real” Sanditon

Alas, Sanditon is not a real seaside resort town. However, most people believe the fictional place is based on the town of Worthing in Sussex. Austen was staying in Worthing in late 1805, at the time when the resort was first being built – so in all likelihood Sanditon the book was inspired by Worthing.

Worthing is a lovely little seaside town south of London and could easily be a day trip away from the city or even a long stay for out of country visitors.

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