What to do at the Weekend:
Visit the Harry Potter Filming Locations in Lacock Village
In September, we travelled down to the Southern Cotswolds to the beautiful village of Lacock and Lacock Abbey to see where some of the filming locations from the Harry Potter film series can be found.
Aside from being one of the oldest and prettiest villages in the UK, it is also littered with filming locations used throughout the Harry Potter movie franchise.
Obviously, this is ideal for big Harry Potter fans like us!
In this blog we’re going to review some of the Harry Potter Filming Locations in Lacock Abbey and Lacock Village. Plus, we’ll tell you where they appear on screen.
What we did at the weekend:
Visited Lacock Village and Lacock Abbey
Location: Lacock Village, Wiltshire
Our rating: 8/10
Where was Budleigh Babberton Filmed? (Lacock Village)
“This, Harry, is the charming village of Budleigh Babberton” so said Albus Dumbledore to Harry Potter in the sixth book (and film) The Half-Blood Prince.
In the Harry Potter film series, Lacock Village provides the perfect filming location for Budleigh Babberton.
And with good reason, Lacock Village is like something out of a postcard.
The village’s quaint 13th century cottage-like houses are dressed in that hallmark Cotswolds limestone.
There are also little ‘local’ shops and pubs around almost every turn.
It is every single bit the quintessentially English village – much like Budleigh Babberton appeared in our imaginations.
The kind of setting you imagine some Americans think all of England is like.
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Where is Lacock Village?
The village of Lacock is nestled in Southwest England, not too far away from the gorgeous Cotswolds village of Castle Combe.
Slightly further afield is the historic City of Bath – well worth a visit if you are in the area.
(You can check out some of our photos from Bath here).
In modern times, Lacock Village has become extremely popular as a movie and television backdrop.
This is due to the lack of modern day mainstays such as telephone poles and antennas.
So, if you feel retracing Dumbledore and Harry’s steps through Budleigh Babberton, Lacock Village is the place to be.
Lacock’s other major claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of photography.
William Henry Fox Talbot created the earliest surviving photograph negative in 1835. This was a picture taken of Lacock Abbey (which we’ll come to later.)
How much does it cost to walk around Lacock Village?
Nothing! It is FREE to walk around Lacock Village.
So, you can check out many of these Harry Potter filming locations without spending a penny.
Lacock Village is owned by the National Trust and aside from the cost of parking (which is free for National Trust members), the village is completely free to walk around.
Where are the Harry Potter Filming locations in Lacock Village?
Such a pretty village is naturally the ideal location for J.K Rowling’s Budleigh Babberton.
Below, we’ll tell you which locations were used in the filming of the Harry Potter films and what to look out for.
Where was Lily and James Potter’s House Filmed?
Lacock Village plays host to the the original portrayal of Lily and James Potter’s house in Godric’s Hollow.
Lily and James Potter’s house appeared in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone for our American readers) film.
Walk past St. Cyriac’s Church in Lacock Village and at the end of Church Street, you’ll see a little private house with a blue door.
This is number 21 Church Street and the original house used for Lily and James Potter’s house in Godric’s Hollow.
This pretty little dwelling has two tall hedges at the front and a low garden gate.
Where does Lily and James Potter’s house appear in the Harry Potter films?
The house (this version) appears as Hagrid recounts the events that led to Harry becoming orphaned.
In the film, we see Lord Voldemort break in through the front door, before murdering Harry’s parents using the Avada Kadavara curse.
(Hopefully that’s not a spoiler for anyone).
Godric’s Hollow appears again in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, but it is obviously not the same house.
This time, they used a different location in the Suffolk village of Lavenham.
Much to the relief of the family that owns this house in Lacock Village, we imagine.
If you are re-watching the Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer’s Stone), the house appears at 29:41 and again at 30.02.
Where is The House That Horace Slughorn is Hiding in?
“(I) Never stay in one place more than a week. Move from Muggle house to Muggle house — the owners of this place are on holiday in the Canary Islands — it’s been very pleasant, I’ll be sorry to leave.”
Horace Slughorn explains to Harry and Dumbledore as he is introduced to the first time in the Half-Blood Prince.
It is revealed that Slughorn has been hiding out from Death Eaters (Voldemort disciples) in the village of Budleigh Babberton, while they try to recruit him.
The house where Horace Slughorn is hiding is in fact one of the Harry Potter filming locations in Lacock Village.
At 4-6 Chapel Hill in Lacock Village, we find the house that was used as Slughorn’s hideout in the Half-Blood Prince.
How to look out for Slughorn’s Hideout in Lacock Village
Horace Slughorn’s hideout is a large property visible from the bridge as you approach from the village.
It is important to note that the Slughorn House is a private property, so if you are planning to visit, please be respectful.
Like when Horace Slughorn was hiding there, the house in Lacock looked unoccupied when we visited. Perhaps the tenants had enough people like us taking pictures.
The garden gate has a hole in it and the place is looking a bit sorry for itself.
Maybe however, it is meant to look that way by another wizard laying low there.
If you are re-watching the Half-Blood Prince, the house appears at 05:33 and again (after Dumbledore and Harry talk to Slughorn at 11:00.
Where was The Babberton Arms Filmed? (Sign of the Angel Pub)
In the 6th film, Harry and Dumbledore are wandering through the ‘charming village’ of Budleigh Babberton.
Eagle eyed viewers and avid Potter fans will notice that pass the ‘Babberton Arms’ whilst heading over to Slughorn’s hideout.
The Babberton Arms is actually a pub called Sign of the Angel in Lacock Village.
This timber-framed 15th-century is just like any other old pub in England in reality.
It features low doorways, wood floors, ales, and good food.
Fancy a night at the Babberton Arms?
You can also stay the night if you fancy stopping over and checking out all of the Harry Potter Filming locations in Lacock over the weekend.
We stopped for a beer in the large beer garden, which features a small river to the rear.
We visited on a Sunday and it does get quite busy due to folks popping in for their Sunday dinner.
Well worth a visit, even if it’s just to say you have been there!
If you are watching the Half-Blood Prince, you will need to watch closely at 5:09 – the pub is the white and black building in the background.
At 11:27, Harry and Dumbledore pass the “Babberton Arms” sign too.
About Lacock Abbey
So, before we get onto the Harry Potter filming locations at Lacock Abbey we just thought we’d tell you a bit about Lacock Abbey itself, because it’s really cool.
Located just next to Lacock Village, it is a beautiful old building that is owned by the National Trust.
Lacock Abbey is almost 800 years old having been founded in 1232 by the Countess of Salisbury.
Back then, the abbey also housed a convent and the monasterial past is quite evident.
Ela, The Countess of Salisbury who founded the building, was one of the most powerful women in England at the time.
However, she actually became one of the nuns living at the Abbey soon after its completion.
The convent closed in 1539 as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
Lacock abbey was bought by William Sharington in 1540 for £730.
He transformed the abbey buildings from a convent to a country house.
Sharington chose not to demolish the stone cloister, which is probably the most striking feature of the Abbey today.
Fans of the Harry Potter films will certainly recognise it and agree.
Lacock Abbey: The Birthplace of Photography
William Henry Fox Talbot was a pioneer of Victorian photography and he created the earliest surviving photographic negative at Lacock Abbey in 1835.
His ambition to create a way to ‘fix images’ was driven by his frustration at his lack of painting and drawing prowess.
The famous negative he produced is of an image of a window at Lacock Abbey.
This is now come to be recognized as the world’s earliest surviving photographic negative.
Lacock Abbey Admission Prices
Unlike Lacock Village, there is a charge to go into Lacock Abbey.
Non-National Trust Members will be charged £20.00 each for an adult and £10 each for children.
Full details of admission prices are available on the Lacock Abbey website.
Harry Potter Filming Locations at Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey has served as the filming location for some of the scenes inside Hogwarts in the first two films and Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald.
Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom Filming Location – The Warming Room at Lacock Abbey
As you enter Lacock Abbey turn right and you will see The Warming Room.
This is a large airy room that is well lit on bright days in the sunshine.
At first glance, the cast iron cauldron placed in the centre of the room is perhaps a nod to the Harry Potter scene shot in this room.
But it isn’t.
The cauldron is a genuine 16th Century artifact from the warming room at Lacock.
Image Credit: National Trust (it’s much better than our pic!)
The Warming Room is featured in Harry Potter and Philosopher’s Stone and serves as professor Quirral’s Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom.
In the film, Professor McGonagall interrupts Professor Quirral’s class to ask for Oliver Wood (Gryffindor Quidditch Team Captain) and nominates Harry Potter as the team’s seeker.
The Warming Room / DADA classroom can be seen at 59:30 if you are watching the Philosopher’s Stone.
Professor Snape’s Classroom Filming Location – The Sacristy at Lacock Abbey
As you enter Lacock Abbey, turn left and walk towards the far end of the corridor – towards the Harry Potter film totem.
The Sacristy is one the left and this room served as Professor Snape’s Potions classroom in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
The Sacristy is actually one of the oldest parts of the building, having been there since the 1230’s.
Back when Lacock Abbey was a working building, the Sacristy would have been used to store vessels (but probably not potions) for church services.
You can easily recognise the room in the background of the “clearly, fame isn’t everything” dressing-down that Snape gives Harry in his first potions lesson.
Again, those on the lookout for the Sarcristy can see it in the Philosopher’s Stone at 53:20.
The Mirror of Erised Scene Filming Location – The Chapter House at Lacock Abbey
As you enter Lacock Abbey, turn left and walk about halfway up the corridor.
Turn left into the Chapter House.
The Lacock Chapter House served as the resting place for the Mirror of Erised in the first film.
In one of the most touching and iconic scenes of the whole book and films series, this scene sees Dumbledore explain to Harry how the Mirror of Erised works.
“It shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts.”
Explaining how Harry is able to see his deceased parents in the mirror’s reflection.
Fans will recognise the Chapter House from this scene but The Chapter House of Lacock Abbey is used again in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
This time its a study hall and the scene shows the Hogwarts students studying for an exam.
The mirror of Erised scene in the Chapter House begins at 1:31:41 in the Philosopher’s Stone.
In the Chamber of Secrets, keep an eye out for the Chapter House at 1:10:37.
Where were the Hogwarts corridors filmed? Lacock Abbey Cloister
Whilst we’re still hoping that our Hogwarts letters are merely delayed by postal strikes.
We are happy to have sampled at least a taste of what it’s like to walk the Hogwarts corridors.
The cloister of Lacock Abbey was the backdrop to some iconic scenes within Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Some however were filmed at Gloucester Cathedral.
Luckily, we have also written a guide to the Harry Potter filming locations at Gloucester Cathedral too.
Back to Lacock, Potter fans will recognise the corridors from when Harry escapes from Filch after being in the restricted section at night whilst under his invisibility cloak.
He then observes Snape warning Professor Quirrell.
The Cloister in the Chamber of Secrets
In the Chamber of Secrets Lacock Abbey cloister makes an appearance in a couple of the night-time scenes.
We remembered it from the scene where Harry finds a petrified Nearly Headless Nick.
More recently, the Lacock Cloister has featured in the Fantastic Beasts film: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
If you spot any more scenes where it is featured, let us know in the comments!
In the Philosopher’s Stone the Cloister can be seen from 1:30:21 as Harry escapes from Filch in the Hogwarts library.
In the Chamber of Secrets, Harry leaves the study room at 1:11:29 and finds nearly headless Nick. This is the Cloister at Lacock Abbey.
Pro-Tip for Visiting Lacock Abbey
We say this with everything but it is important here – get there early.
Lacock Abbey opens at 10.30am.
Especially on weekends, arrive as early as possible if you want to get unobstructed pictures of the Lacock Abbey Cloisters and corridors.
We were very lucky, managing to get as many pictures and videos as we wanted before it started getting busy.
It is understandably very popular with Harry Potter fans!
More Harry Potter Related Adventures
If you want to read more of our Harry Potter related content, head on over to our blog post about the Harry Potter Studio Tour in London.
Went spent the day nerding out at the Warner Brothers Studio and learning about everything there is to know about the Harry Potter films.
Harry Potter Filming Locations at Gloucester Cathedral
The halls of Hogwarts were also filmed at Gloucester Cathedral and we have a complete guide to the filming locations, right here.
6 responses to “Harry Potter Filming Locations in Lacock”
Beautiful locations. I need to go there.
Thanks so much for the comment. It’s truly a lovely little place, definitely worth checking out not just because of its Harry Potter connection.
Oh that would be so much fun to visit. Thanks so much for sharing!
Even without the HP claim to fame this lions like a fun village to visit. The pictures remind me a bit of Lower Slaughter. I’d love to do a HP scavenger hunt here, though!
Hey Paul, oh absolutely, even if you’d never heard of Harry Potter, it’s a beautiful place to visit. You are quite right, very Cotswolds-y and very much like Lower Slaughter!
Such a fun post! I am totally geeking out over these locations, but they are all beautiful in their own right. Love these!