By Neela Debnath
Copyright belfastlive
The highly anticipated period drama, House of Guinness , has landed on Netflix today (September 25), with all eight episodes now available for streaming, reports the Irish Mirror . This expansive tale of family duty, love, politics, and above all, business, comes from the creative mind of Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, although it’s been creative with history at times . The narrative kicks off in 1868 with the passing of Guinness magnate Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, marking a new chapter for the company as his children Arthur Guinness (portrayed by Anthony Boyle), Edward Guinness (Louis Partridge), and Anne Plunket (Emily Fairn) start to implement radical changes, steering the business in a fresh direction. Set in the 1800s Ireland, the majority of the action takes place in Dublin, but scenes are also set in New York, Cloonboo and Ashford Castle. Let’s delve into the filming locations of House of Guinness and discover where the TV show was actually shot. Contrary to what one might expect, House of Guinness wasn’t filmed in Dublin or Ireland, but rather in the North West of England. The filming locations included Manchester, Liverpool, North Wales and Yorkshire, which served as stand-ins for Ireland and other settings depicted in House of Guinness. Executive producer Karen Wilson outlined the reasoning behind not shooting in Ireland: “Obviously, Guinness couldn’t be more Irish – and we carried that responsibility seriously. We spent a lot of time looking at photographs from the period, diving into the research about where Ireland and Guinness were in 1868. “Unfortunately, very little remains of Dublin that still looks like it did in 1868. “We quickly realised we’d have to film elsewhere. We travelled the length and breadth of Ireland and the UK, ending up in the North West of England, which had stately homes and Dublin-style streets – everything we needed.” Wilson added: “I really hope we’ve done Dublin justice.” Creator Knight shared similar views, explaining that the filming locations were ultimately determined by the design team and the director. He remarked: “What they are looking for are things that looked most like Dublin in 1868. And the fact is that Dublin now looks less like Dublin in 1868 than other areas do. “If you’re not in Dublin, you’ve got the whole of Great Britain to choose from, so there might be a street corner in Liverpool that looks perfect, and I think it’s a compromise to insist to oneself you have to go and shoot it all in one place..” He continued by noting that his other major production Peaky Blinders wasn’t shot in Birmingham because the city no longer bore resemblance to its 1920s appearance. Much of the Cillian Murphy-led drama was filmed in Leeds and Bradford. Knight explained that the choice to film House of Guinness in sections of Liverpool was a “purely practical decision”. Liverpool’s Stanley Docks served as a substitute for the Guinness brewery in the series and proved to be a vital location for filming. Producer Wilson explained: “Finding an amazing brewery location was crucial – the show could live or die by how it looked, and finding Stanley Docks was a revelation. “It gave us scale, depth, and so much that we could use in-camera. Given how many different brewery locations we needed – the stables, the cooperage, the docks, the mash tun – it was invaluable to have all of that in one place, so the characters could move through it naturally. “We had to bring in a lot, including VFX, but Stanley Docks was the moment we realised we had to base ourselves in the North West.” The Stanley Docks appeared in scenes featuring exterior shots of the stables, yards, interior shots of Rafferty’s (James Norton) and Edward’s offices, the factory floor, the workshop, boiler room, amongst many other sequences. The historic Croxteth Hall in Liverpool featured in numerous scenes, including the interior shots at Temple Bar, the corridors and outside of Arthur’s bedroom, the probate office, the birthing room and the Hope Street Bedroom. The venue also served as exteriors for Jude’s Tavern and Iveagh House. Croxteth Hall, a blend of Tudor, Georgian and Queen Anne architecture, is available for hire for conferences and private events. The property boasts 500 acres of woodland as well as a Grand Hall, Victorian Walled gardens and various other luxurious suites. Sefton Park Palm House in Liverpool, a Victorian botanical garden, was used for the interiors and exteriors of the Botanic Gardens. Visitors can go to the palm house from Sunday to Thursday, with the location featuring a cafe and various activities. On Fridays and Saturdays, the palm house is closed for various celebrations. Manchester’s historic Northern Quarter stood in for the streets of New York in the show. The area is known for its small independently-owned shops, street art, music and unique cafes. There are also markets and vintage boutiques set amongst some impressive architecture. Penrhyn Castle in Bangor , Wales, played the sweeping Ashford Estate of the Guinness family. Penrhyn Castle is a National Trust property, which people can visit and see the Neo-Norman castle built between 1820 and 1837, a walled garden, 60 acres of parkland and a play area. The castle offers views of Snowdonia’s summits and the Great Orme and Puffin Island. Interestingly, the real Ashford Castle is now Ireland’s top hotel, where guests can stay in luxurious suites with gorgeous designs at the five-star property. The historic Broughton Hall Estate in Skipton, Yorkshire served as multiple locations in House of Guinness, including the exterior of St Anne’s estate, a bathroom and bedroom, Olivia’s (Danielle Galligan) bedroom, a drawing room, stairs, a library and the exterior of Ashford Castle. Broughton Hall is available for hire for private events, such as house parties, corporate events, retreats and special occasions. The bedrooms are impressive, with period details that transport visitors to another era. Magna Rotherham in Rotherham, South Yorkshire was used for the interior workshop, factory floor and the mash tun room scenes. Magna Rotherham is actually a science adventure centre that families can visit, featuring interactive and immersive science fun. The centre is housed in the former Templeborough steelworks building, offering an insight into history, science and innovation. House of Guinness is streaming on Netflix now
