TV and Film Locations in Norfolk
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by Keys Holidays Cottages
With its lush countryside, historic buildings and clear light, Norfolk has been a popular place for movie and TV producers to come and film for many decades.
From Marvel blockbusters to historical movies, classic sitcoms to serious arthouse productions, the county has played host to hundreds of film crews over the years.
A great way to see the county is to seek out these locations, and we have identified nine of the most famous for you to visit.
Cover image: Unsplash/Irham Setyaki
- Table of contents
- The Sainsbury Centre, Norwich - Avengers: Age Of Ultron
- Elm Hill, Norwich - Stardust and Jingle Jangle
- Holkham Beach: Deadpool & Wolverine, Shakespeare In Love and Annihilation
- Mid Norfolk Railway: Girl On A Train & The Body Guard
- Gorleston Beach - Yesterday
- King's Lynn - The Personal History Of David Copperfield
- Norwich Cathedral - Tulip Fever
- Cromer Pier - Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
- Thetford - Dad's Army
The Sainsbury Centre, Norwich - Avengers: Age Of Ultron
A stunning art gallery designed by a young Norman Foster and built in 1974 to house the Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts became the headquarters of The Avengers in the 2015 movie 'Avengers: Age Of Ultron'.
Stars including Robert Downey Jr, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Chris Evans were all on set as Earth's mightiest heroes once again came together to protect the world from global extinction.
The Sainsbury Centre can be found on the campus of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, where there is free access to walk in the extensive grounds and view the 350 acre outdoor sculpture park. The galleries are open six days a week, Tuesdays to Sundays, and operate on a 'pay if and what you can' basis.
Image: Newman Associates PR
Find out moreElm Hill, Norwich - Stardust and Jingle Jangle
One of the loveliest medieval streets in England, Elm Hill in Norwich is unsurprisingly a frequent host to film crews, drawn by its unspoilt beauty and period authenticity.
The 2007 movie 'Stardust', starring Clare Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Charlie Cox and Robert De Niro, saw several scenes filmed in Elm Hill, while the 2020 Netflix festive film 'Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey', set in an imaginary world that comes to life in a holiday tale of an eccentric toy maker, his adventurous granddaughter and a magical invention, was almost entirely shot in the street.
Today Elm Hill plays host to a number of quirky independent shops, some important medieval buildings, and the iconic Britons Arms, a 14th century thatched former beguinage which today houses a popular coffee house and restaurant.
Image: Newman Associates PR
Find out moreHolkham Beach: Deadpool & Wolverine, Shakespeare In Love and Annihilation
The vast open space at Holkham Beach, part of the Holkham Estate in north Norfolk, is a frequent location for film and TV producers, and has played host to many Hollywood megastars over the years.
Movies which have been filmed here include 'Shakespeare in Love' starring Gwyneth Paltrow, 'Annihilation' starring Natalie Portman, and most recently, Deadpool & Wolverine starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman (whose mum lives in Norfolk and who is therefore a frequent visitor to the county).
Holkham Beach is accessed via Lady Anne’s Drive, just off the main coastal road, A149, and opposite the entrance to Holkham Village and The Victoria Hotel. Opening times vary throughout the year depending on the season. Access to the beach is free, but parking charges apply on Lady Anne's Drive.
Image: © Holkham Estate
Find out moreMid Norfolk Railway: Girl On A Train & The Body Guard
The longest heritage railway in East Anglia, running both steam and diesel engines, the Mid Norfolk Railway runs between the market towns of Dereham and Wymondham. Its combination of period rolling stock and varied landscapes has made it a magnet for film producers seeking authentic railway locations.
Two of the productions filmed here are the 2018 TV series 'The Bodyguard' starring Richard Madden and Keeley Hawes - the nailbiting extended opening sequence was shot entirely on the line - and the 2021 Netflix production 'The Girl On The Train' starring Parineeti Chopra.
The Railway offers regular train running days as well as a varied programme of heritage events.
Image: Unsplash/Guy Sugden
Find out moreGorleston Beach - Yesterday
Danny Boyle's quirky 2019 film 'Yesterday' stars Himesh Patel as struggling musician Jack Malik who, after an accident, finds himself the only person who remembers the Beatles and becomes famous after taking credit for their songs. The movie also features Lily James, Sophia Di Martino and Ellise Chappell, as well as music superstar Ed Sheeran playing himself.
One of the climactic scenes features Malik performing on the rooftop of the Cliff hotel, Gorleston, to a crowd of several thousand - made up of local residents who were invited to take part in the filming.
With its own huge bay and riverside, and a stunning sandy beach stretching into the distance below cliff gardens and a grand promenade, Gorleston is a firm favourite with locals and visitors for lazy days in the sun; it's also one of the best destinations in Norfolk if windsurfing, surfing or body-boarding is your preferred seaside activity.
Image: Unsplash/2H Media
Find out moreKing's Lynn - The Personal History Of David Copperfield
A modern take on Charles Dickens’s classic tale of a young orphan who is able to triumph over many obstacles, Armando Ianucci's 2019 movie 'A Personal History Of David Copperfield' made extensive use of locations throughout north and northwest Norfolk, with the period docks at King's Lynn featuring front and centre.
One of England’s most important ports since the 12th Century, King’s Lynn’s maritime past is featured throughout the town, with fine old merchants’ houses stretching down to the river between cobbled lanes, and the elegant Custom House overlooking the original medieval harbour.
The Grade 1 listed St George’s Guildhall is Britain’s oldest working theatre, with performances since 1445. Recent academic research supports local tradition that Shakespeare performed at the Guildhall in 1593, and Shakespeare’s comedian Robert Armin was born in King’s Lynn.
Image: Unsplash/Charlie Jones
Find out moreNorwich Cathedral - Tulip Fever
Set against the backdrop of the 17th-century Tulip Wars, the 2016 film 'Tulip Fever', starring Judi Dench, Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan and Christopher Waltz tells the story of a married noblewoman who has an affair with an artist and switches identities with her maid to escape the wealthy merchant she married. She and her lover try to raise money together by investing what little they have in the high-stakes tulip market.
Many scenes were filmed in the cloisters at Norwich Cathedral, which were transformed into a 1600s market for the shoot.
Measuring 141 metres in length and 54 metres in width, and with its spire reaching 96 metres into the sky, the cathedral is an inspiring sight. It sits in one of the loveliest cathedral closes in England. Visitors can explore its magnificent stained glass, its cloister (complete with labyrinth), its 400 carved ceiling bosses, and its stunning carved wooden choir, complete with medieval misericords.
Image: Bill Smith/Norwich Cathedral
Find out moreCromer Pier - Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
When the radio station of famous Norfolk DJ Alan Partridge (played by Steve Coogan) is taken over by a new media conglomerate, it sets in motion a chain of events which sees Alan having to work with the police to defuse a potentially violent siege, with the climax of this 2014 movie happening on the iconic pier in the north Norfolk town of Cromer.
Partridge is something of an ambassador for Norfolk, and many of his previous outings have also been filmed in the county.
Crowned Pier of the Year 2024 by the National Piers Society, Cromer Pier is a Grade II listed, 151 metre long traditional Victorian pier. It is one of only five UK seaside piers with a full working, flourishing theatre, and is home to the only end of pier show of its kind in the world.
Image: Unsplash/James Armes
Find out moreThetford - Dad's Army
Running from 1968 until 1977, this classic sitcom featured an all-star cast of British character actors, including Arthur Lowe, John le Mesurier, Ian Lavender and Clive Dunn.
Almost all of the long-running series was shot in and around the market town of Thetford, which has taken its TV connection to its heart. You will even find a statue of Captain Mainwaring sitting on a bench on Bridge Street in the town centre.
Fans won't want to miss the Dad's Army Museum, which also offers walking tours of various locations used during the series' long run.
Image: Dad's Army Museum, Thetford
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