The Buccaneers is an Apple TV+ period drama that dropped on the streaming platform on November 8th, 2023. The series was inspired by the final novel of Edith Wharton and is set in the 1870s, so expect lashings of exquisite costumes, sets, and filming locations. The series opens with the most lavish of weddings, setting the tone for the series to follow, so the production is doing a lot of heavy lifting. Fasten your corsets, folks — we’re delving into the details of where The Buccaneers was filmed.
Where was The Buccaneers filmed?
Glasgow, Scotland, U.K.
Glasgow City Chambers, standing in for London’s Grosvenor House | Image via Wikipedia
Lots of location work was done in Glasgow, often thought to be the capital city of Scotland (though it isn’t.) The city is used extensively by film and TV crews, due to the ability the city has to double for other iconic locations.
The Buccaneers would film on St. Vincent Street, in the heart of the city centre, emulating Madison Avenue in New York. Meanwhile, the interiors of the Glasgow City Chambers, found right next to George Square, would stand in for Grosvenor House in London.
Other location work was recorded on Cochrane Street once again recreating the busy streets of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.
Glasgow was also recently used in the Disney production Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and often attracts filmmakers who find the locations they need, and the financial incentives to work there.
Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire, and various areas
Drumlanrig Castle, standing in for Tintagel Castle in Cornwall
Scotland is not short of castles, and this particular venue was used to stand in for Tintagel Castle in Cornwall. However, further location work would be needed for the scenes, so another popular Scottish attraction, Hopetoun House, near Edinburgh, was also utilized to create the illusion of the opulent Cornish setting.
The Cornish coastline had to be emulated for the show. Still, luckily the crew found other Scottish locations that could stand in for the southern coast, so Seacliffe Beach, St Abb’s Head, Pettico Wick Bay, and Portencross Castle in Ayrshire on the West coast of Scotland were all used for various shots.
Shooting in and around Scotland is very viable, as these varied locations are all within driving distance of each other, helping to keep costs down. Scotland is smaller than you think.
Gosford House, East Lothian | Manderston House, Berwickshire | Moray House, Edinburgh
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- Gosford House, East Lothian | Image via Wikipedia
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- Manderston House | Image via Historic Houses
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- Moray House as the Brightlingsea Townhouse | Credit: Film Edinburgh
The luxurious home of the St. George family was brought to life by filming in the above-mentioned locations. The beautiful historical homes were also used for the Closson family home in the series.
The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) building on Moray Place in Edinburgh was another location used to help create the feel of the show, and scenes filmed here were part of the production to represent Brightlingsea Townhouse interior and exterior shots.
Who produced The Buccaneers?
The team behind the stunning period drama includes the series creator Katherine Jakeways, and the director, BAFTA award winner Susanna White, is also an executive producer on the series along with another BAFTA nominee Beth Willis.
The production company behind the Apple TV+ show is The Forge Entertainment, a UK-based drama production company that specializes in UK TV drama.
What is The Buccaneers about?
The official synopsis from Apple TV+ reads: “A group of fun-loving American girls burst onto the scene in tightly corseted 1870s London, kicking off an Anglo-American culture clash.”
If you’re interested in learning more about the show you can always watch it on Apple TV+ or read our extensive coverage of the show instead. We have recaps of Episode 1, Episode 2, and Episode 3 already, which should be enough to give you a much clearer picture of the goings-on.
