North and South : Locations

North and South was filmed at a variety of locations in Scotland, Lancashire, Yorkshire and the south of England.

'Marlborough Mills' was filmed in four locations. The exterior of the mill, including the millyard, was Dalton Mills in Keighley. The interior of the mill was filmed in two mills that are now museums. The weaving shed where we first see John Thornton watching over his workers was filmed in Queen St Mill, Burnley. The other mill interior shots (eg the spinning mules and John Thornton's office) were filmed at Helmshore Mills Textile Museum about 10 miles away. And the drawing room and dining room of the Thorntons' house at 'Marlborough Mills' were filmed in an 18th century townhouse in Fitzroy Square, London.

Pictures of the mills >>

Most of the street scenes in 'Milton' were filmed in Edinburgh. In New Town, St Stephen's Place was the street in which the Hales lived, and nearby St Stephens church was the 'Lyceum', where Mr Hale gave evening classes and the union members met (although the interior of the 'Lyceum' was a school in Hampstead in London). And the shops that feature in several scenes were in William Street.

Other 'Milton' exterior locations were in the Old Town. Two of the many narrow alleyways leading off the Royal Mile were used in the filming. Borthwick's Close was shown in several scenes as the slums in 'Milton'. The long flight of steps at Warriston's Close was used for the scene in which Mason asked Thornton about the incident at the railway station that led to the death of Leonards. Elsewhere, the Guthrie St steps were where Margaret was jostled by the mill workers as they left work.

The views over Milton were shot from Calton Hill - with some CGI work to add smoking chimneys, and horse-drawn carriages on North Bridge. Several of the characters are seen walking here at various times - including John Thornton, before and after his ill-fated proposal.

Locations in Selkirk were also used - Scott's Close contained the exterior of Higgins' house.

London locations included a house in Portland Place that contained the interior of Aunt Shaw's house, the mortuary, and the 'mill-owners' club' (from whose window John Thornton looked down on Margaret Hale entering the 'Lyceum' 300 miles away in Edinburgh). The church where Mrs Hale's funeral and Fanny's wedding took place was St Johns in Hampstead. And the Great Exhibition scene was filmed at Alexandra Palace.

Pictures of the London locations >>

'Helstone' was the village of Hambleden in Buckinghamshire. The various railway station scenes were all filmed at Horsted Keynes station on the Bluebell Railway in Sussex. The aerial shots of the train and of the interior of the train carriage in the very last scene were filmed on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

The interiors of the Hales' house and of Higgins' house were shot on a specially constructed set at Ealing Studios in London.

Thanks to the members of the C19 messageboard who found many of these locations.

Links

The two mills used as the interiors of 'Marlborough Mills' are open to the public and are well worth a visit. Queen St Mill, Burnley
Helmshore Mills Textile Museum

And the two railways used in the series can also be visited.
Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
The Bluebell Railway

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