Where was The Winter King filmed? We discuss the 2023 MGM+ series and the filming locations used by the production team.
How many times has the story of Arthur, Merlin, and The Knights of the Round Table been adapted? I don’t know, but I imagine there have been probably more than you first think.
I can even recall a storyline in classic Doctor Who called Battlefield that featured Sylvester McCoy’s much-underrated Doctor being dropped into a tale of Arthurian legend, with him being named Merlin, knights in armor crash landing on Earth, Ace rising from the lake holding Excalibur, and The Brigadier facing off against a blue demon summoned by the sorceress Morgaine to destroy the world.
The rich mythology of Arthur has managed to capture the imaginations of creative teams from all corners of the media world, and it seems that the trend of re-imagining the world of King Arthur is still attractive. Lo and behold, MGM+ has adapted Bernard Cornwell’s trilogy of novels, starting with The Winter King.
With its tone set firmly within the confines of other productions such as The Last Kingdom and Game of Thrones, this new series will no doubt be placed under some scrutiny by fans of the lore.
With fifth-century Britain in a dark age and various factions of society battling for power, Arthur has his work cut out for him in this gritty, violent retelling. You can read total reviews of each episode on your favorite review site, but this article focuses more on the show’s production.
So, if you are a fan of location work, you might be interested in this piece that answers the question, where was The Winter King filmed?
Where was the MGM+ series The Winter King filmed – a breakdown of filming locations
Bristol, England, UK
It seems that the whole series was filmed in the UK, and with a legend such as King Arthur, it makes sense that they would film here, where the lore takes place.
A set was built at Patchway Studios at 1 Highwood Road in Patchway.
Lizzy Ralph, the studio manager for Bad Wolf Productions, who is also behind the 2023 series of Doctor Who, would say, “Patchway Studios was our home for eleven months, and the local community couldn’t have been more welcoming.”
Bristol, Blaise Castle Estate, Henbury
An article from Bristol World states that “parts of the Blaise Castle Estate in Henbury have been cordoned off as the location for a major new TV drama.”
Areas at the location were transformed into a busy fifth-century village for the show.
Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
This beautiful part of the UK is ideal for filming historical dramas, as there are so many buildings and locations that look frozen in time and are perfect for film crews to use as locations.
With the area a popular tourist destination, areas had to be cordoned off for the shoot to take place.
Lydney, Gloucestershire, England
Found on the West bank of the River Severn in the Forest of Dean district, this is another stunning location, ideal for this kind of historical drama, and well used in this production.
