The production team dressed Bristol streets and buildings to recreate period locales in European capitals

The Forsytes, Mammoth Screen’s new iteration of John Galsworthy’s classic Forsyte novels, filmed on location in Bristol and at The Bottle Yard Studios, dressing streets and buildings as 1880s London and Paris.

For delivery to 5 and Masterpiece, the six-part series follows the lives of the affluent Forsyte family in 1880s London and stars Francesca Annis, Jack Davenport, Tom Durant Pritchard, Jamie Flatters, Millie Gibson, Danny Griffin, Susan Hampshire, Owen Igiehon, Tuppence Middleton, Stephen Moyer, Joshua Orpin, Josette Simon and Eleanor Tomlinson.

The 12-week shoot took place largely in Bristol in from May-August last year (with stints in Italy and Wales) and was supported by Bristol Film Office. Around 75 crew members were working each day with up to 150 per day for multiple unit days; the producers estimate that three quarters of the crew were local to the south-west area.

The show filmed across a plethora of Bristol locations. Christmas Steps was dressed as 1880s Montmartre and St. Mary Redcliffe Church was a prominent location that has featured heavily in the show’s trailer and first look images.

All Saints Lane, Denmark Street, Hobbs Lane, Orchard Lane, Frog Lane and Frogmore Street in the city centre became busy Soho streets with horse and carriages, carts and market stall dressings while at the University of Bristol’s Goldney House, the Mahogany Parlour was used as the setting for a gentleman’s club.

The suburb of Clifton was also used for architectural backdrops, with properties on Vyvyan Terrace and Christchurch Road used as exteriors for main character residences; Dowry Square in Hotwells was also filmed.

Other locations included: Blaise Castle Estate, Ashton Court Estate and Arnos Vale Cemetery, where a Grade II-listed chapel was transformed into a boxing ring. with transformational results.

Set interiors were built at The Bottle Yard Studios for rooms in Jolyon Forsyte’s Richmond Park house ‘Robin Hill’, Soames Forsyte’s Knightsbridge house on Montpelier Square, the solicitors offices of Forsyte & Co, the cottage home of Louisa Byrne, the Soho dressmaker who is Jolyon Jr Forsyte’s first love, and architect Philip Bosinney’s office.

Katherine Nash, The Bottle Yard’s head of studios, said: “The Bottle Yard has a long-standing relationship with Mammoth Screen, so it was an absolute pleasure to welcome them back for the making of this lavish new drama.

“We have hosted some stunning period dramas over the years, but The Forsytes team truly excelled themselves, with outstanding attention to detail, craftmanship and finishing across all departments including production design, costume, hair and makeup. We’ve since had the team back in the studio to make a second series so there will be plenty to look forward to once series one has aired.”

Adela Straughan, Bristol Film Office manager, added: “There are few UK cities that can contend with what Bristol has to offer lavish period dramas like The Forsytes. From Clifton’s breathtaking architecture to secluded Georgian squares, the range of settings we can supply is outstanding. High-end TV drama shoots like this bring tens of millions of pounds towards Bristol’s economy each year and also put our locations on the screen tourism map, supporting visitor destinations to shine on screen and generate valuable income.”

The Forsytes is directed by Meenu Gaur and Annetta Laufer and is produced by Sarah Lewis. The executive producers are Sheena Bucktowonsing, Debbie Horsfield, Gaur and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, part of ITV Studios, and Susanne Simpson for Masterpiece. It is produced in association with ITV Studios, which will handle international distribution, with PBS Distribution handling North American rights.

Series Two of The Forsytes, now wrapped, began production at The Bottle Yard Studios in early June.

The economic impact of productions filming on location in Bristol and at The Bottle Yard Studios rose by 55% in 2024-25 to £46.6m, according to figures from Bristol Film Office earlier this year.