Blog - News

February 3, 2026

By Charlotte Wood

Creative England’s Filming in England team spotlight the stunning period backdrop that brings 1920s England to life with Netflix’s new Agatha Christie adaptation.

The three-part limited series, follows the classic ‘Queen of Crime’ whodunnit murder mystery plot with Lady Eileen “Bundle” Brent [Mia McKenna-Bruce] leading on the investigation into a sinister murdering spree all under a clock-themed conspiracy. The Seven Dials, a suspected criminal underworld is slowly unravelled with the support of ‘aptly named’, Superintendent Battle [Martin Freeman].

The production filmed predominantly on location in the South West region – using historic stately homes, Georgian streets doubling for London and an iconic heritage railway all within easy access to the main production hub of Bristol and The Bottle Yard Studios.

Katherine Nash, The Bottle Yard’s Head of Studios says:

“Hosting this major Netflix drama is a ringing endorsement for The Bottle Yard Studios and the locations support delivered across our region, by Bristol Film Office and neighbouring Film Offices across the West of England. We know that productions like ‘Seven Dials’ helped generate an overall production spend of over £46m in Bristol last year, making them highly significant to our local production industry and the city’s wider economy. As well as creating employment for regional freelancers, the ‘Seven Dials’ production team also helped bring forward new local talent by engaging fully with All Set West, helping bridge that step into the industry for the crew of tomorrow, which is fantastic to see.”

Adela Straughan, Bristol Film Office Manager, further adds:

“Bristol was delighted to support ‘Seven Dials’, a production that brings Agatha Christie’s world to life and showcases the city’s ability to double for period settings. From the historic character of St Nicholas Market, which transformed seamlessly into 1920s London, to the evocative Victorian grandeur of the chapels and grounds of Arnos Vale Cemetery, our city provided visually striking locations that add real atmosphere and authenticity on screen.

Supporting a production of this scale and quality is always a collaborative effort, and the ‘Seven Dials’ team worked closely with the Film Office, local traders and residents to ensure filming ran smoothly. With a strong reputation for high-end drama, projects like this play a vital role in driving screen tourism. As audiences increasingly seek out the places they’ve seen on screen, we know ‘Seven Dials’ will encourage viewers to explore Bristol, and experience first-hand the locations that make the city such a compelling filming destination.”

South West Production Landscape

The production team behind Seven Dials was made up of over 70% local crew based in the South West region. Filming in England alongside local Film Office partners connects productions with regional talent across all skill levels and backgrounds.

The South West film-facilitation landscape has evolved over the years, with a number of newly emerged Film Office provision within the majority of counties. Screen Somerset, a Somerset Council led initiative launched in 2023 and provided further support to the production in securing locations.

Mark Ford, Somerset Film Office Lead at Screen Somerset reflects on the support provided and the unique locations in Somerset:

“It was a pleasure to support a production of this scale and of such quality. They did an amazing job of capturing the stunning West Somerset Railway which runs between beautiful coast and countryside and is one of the county’s most unique and attractive locations. The fact the train scenes ended up being the setting for the climax of the series is an added bonus. It’s a great advertisement for the area that should attract both visitors and location managers.”

Kerry Noble, General Manager at West Somerset Railways further adds:

“It is a privilege for the railway to be showcased in such a high-profile series. Opportunities to highlight how diverse the railway can be, are great for not only exposure of the railway but also economic growth in the local area. I am extremely proud of the West Somerset Railway staff and volunteers for pulling together and fulfilling the requirements of the filming, we are so fortunate to have a willing and adaptable volunteer base who enable things like this to happen.”

The ‘Hero’ Filming Location

The stunning stately house at Westonbirt in the rural Cotswold countryside, featured prominently throughout the series. The production were based on site for eight weeks, with nine principal shoot days and additional time for drone footage. The team at Westonbirt House provided extensive behind the scenes support including crew holding, hair and makeup spaces, video village and equipment storage.  

Key scenes were filmed in some of the most striking rooms at Westonbirt – from a dramatic dinner sequence in the Reading Room, an interrogation scene in the Library with Martin Freeman, and a memorable escape through the window of Mr Holford’s bedroom. The house provided huge scope for The Seven Dials production team. The Great Hall, ante Library, Mrs Holford’s bedroom and the balcony above The Great Hall were all featured along with the formal Italian Gardens.

David Runciman, Commercial Manager at Westonbirt further comments:

“It was fascinating to see how the many different departments and crew come together to create such a stunning production, and to witness the attention to detail at every part of the process. The entire production team were brilliant – from the Exec Producers and Director to the Locations team. The whole time on set was seamless and we are thoroughly enjoying seeing Westonbirt House brought to life on screen.” 

On Location in the Wider South West

Further South West locations within South Gloucestershire (neighbouring with Bristol) and the city of Bath were used to capture historic scenery.

South Gloucestershire Council Cabinet Member and Heritage Champion, Councillor Chris Willmore, said: 

“South Gloucestershire was delighted to be a backdrop in the exciting new adaptation of Agatha Christie’s ‘Seven Dials’. Whether showcasing the stately grandeur of Badminton House or filming vintage cars travelling through our lush country roads, the production highlights some of the many stunning locations available in the district.”

To add further scale to The Seven Dials world, the rich architectural city of Bath provided the ‘London Doubles’ required to create the dramatic chase scene.

Rachel Bowers, Manager at Bath Film Office details the extensive support provided to accommodate the production:

“Bath offered the scale and authenticity the ‘Seven Dials’ creative team needed for this ambitious period production. Abbey Green provided intimate, historic charm, while Great Pulteney Street — one of the widest and grandest Georgian boulevards in the UK — delivered a spectacular backdrop for recreating a car chase through 1920s London. Closing and fully ‘de‑modernising’ a street of that size in a UNESCO World Heritage city is a complex operation, and it required detailed coordination between the production’s location team and the Council, as well as close internal collaboration across our Highways, Parking and Film Office teams. The production also did an excellent job liaising with residents and businesses to minimise the impact of filming.

The Bath Film Office has extensive experience in supporting high‑end period drama, and we’re proud of the city’s strong track record in helping productions create ‘movie magic’ in sensitive historic settings. Screen tourism is a growing force — Bath has already felt that through the phenomenal popularity of Bridgerton — and we hope ‘Seven Dials’ will give audiences yet another compelling reason to visit and experience the city’s unique Georgian character for themselves. As ever, this project also benefitted from effective regional cooperation. It’s our close links with The Bottle Yard Studios, Creative England and our neighbouring Film Offices that help make the West of England such an attractive base for major drama.”

Creative England would also like to congratulate the location department led by Supervising Location Manager, Dee Gregson whose meticulous work brought the world of Seven Dials to life with authenticity and charm.

The Seven Dials Mystery filmed on location in the South West region across Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire. The limited mini-series is now available to watch on Netflix.

For further information on the supporting Film Offices please visit: Bristol Film Office; Bath Film Office and Screen Somerset.

For further information and images on the locations featured please visit the Filming in England National Location Directory.

For more information on filming in the South West, please contact Charlotte Wood, our Production Liaison Manager for the South West region: charlotte.wood@creativeengland.co.uk