A complete guide to visiting Lacock Abbey for Harry Potter fans, featuring 7 different Harry Potter filming locations and which movie scenes were shot at each spot!
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Lacock, a charming village located just outside of Bath, will truly teleport you back in time. With a population of just over 1,000, this medieval market town has been impeccably preserved. To give you perspective of the extensive history of the town, its newest buildings were constructed back in the 18th century.
Not only will Lacock transport you back to the past, it will also transport you to another world. This quintessential English village has been used as a backdrop for many film and TV productions.
Most famously, Lacock Abbey is one of the UK’s iconic Harry Potter filming locations. Serveral HP movies have been filmed here, including The Philosophers Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Half Blood Prince, and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
Here’s everything you need to know if you plan to visit the magnificent Lacock Abbey for a real-life Harry Potter experience!
What is Lacock Abbey?
Lacock Abbey is a stunning property dating back to the 13th century. In its 800 years, the property has been many things. It started off as an Augustinian abbey. It was then turned into a private home in the 16th century by the Talbot family.
Lacock Abbey was also the birthplace of photography. William Henry Fox Talbot creating the first photographic negative in the abbey in 1835. Fast forward to 1944, the property was handed over to the national trust. It is now home to the Fox Talbot photography museum.
It is also famous for being the filming location for many famous movies and TV productions. This includes Downtown Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Wolfhall, and of course, Harry Potter.
Let’s dive into what scenes in the Harry Potter movies were filmed at Lacock Abbey and where on the property they took place.
Booking.comFILMING LOCATIONS FOR HARRY POTTER: LACOCK ABBEY
Harry Potter Filming Location 1: Lacock Abbey Cloisters
The magnificent, medieval Lacock Abbey contains cloisters used in many Hogwarts corridor scenes. Below are a few of the most iconic scenes in various Harry Potter movies featuring the Lacock Abbey cloisters:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: You can see the cloisters at Lacock Abbey as Harry is wandering the halls in his invisibility cloak when he encounters Snape harassing Quirrel.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: The cloisters appear again when McGonagall introduces Harry to Oliver Wood to join the Quidditch team
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: When Harry and Ron finally crack the mystery of the Basilisk, the cloisters can be seen in the background.
Fantastic Beasts- The Crimes of Grindelwald: Leta is back at Hogwarts and goes back down memory lane, which again, features the Abbey’s cloisters.
The cloisters at Christ Church and New College in Oxford and Gloucester Cathedral were also used as Harry Potter filming locations.
Harry Potter Filming Location 2: Lacock Abbey Warming Room
The interiors of the Abbey also feature some notable Harry Potter filming locations. One of these is Lacock Abbey Warming Room, which you can go inside and imagine the filming taking place. Below is the Harry Potter scene filmed at the Lacock Abbey Warming Room:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: The Lacock Abbey Warming room was used as Professor Quirrel’s classroom for the Defense Against the Dark Arts scenes.
Harry Potter Filming Location 3: Lacock Abbey Sacristy
Another famous Hogwarts classroom scene that was filmed at Lacock takes place at the Abbey’s Sacristy. Again, you can visit this room, but it does look very different from the movies without all the props! Below is the Harry Potter scene filmed at the Lacock Abbey Sacristy:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone:The Lacock Abbey Sacristy was used as Snape’s classroom for his potion classes.
Harry Potter Filming Location 4: Lacock Abbey Chapter House
The final filming location to visit at Lacock Abbey is the Chapter House, featuring epic vaulted ceilings. Below are the Harry Potter scene filmed at the Chapter House:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone: The Mirror of Erised scenes when Harry Potter takes off his invisibility cloak and looks into the mirror to see his parents in the reflection happens in the Lacock Abbey Chapter House.
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: The revisions room is where Harry and his fellow classmates are studying after he’s just spoken in Parseltongue also happens at the Chapter House.
Want to discover more Harry Potter filming locations the UK? Check out the 16 BEST Harry Potter Locations in London and beyond!
Other HP filming locations around Lacock
While Lacock Abbey may be the most HP filming location, the town of Lacock has a few other iconic spots worth visiting.
Harry Potter Filming Location 5: Budleigh Babberton
In the scenes of the village where Horace Slughorn hides from the Death Easter in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, you can actually see Lacock in the background. The exact spot where Harry and Dumbledore first arrive in the village is at the end of Church street.
Harry Potter Filming Location 6: Horace Slughorn’s House
This large red-brick house shrowed in bushes is featured when Dumbledore and Harry visit Slughorn in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince movie. The house is on Cantax Hill, and if you search google maps for “Horace Slughorn’s Hideaway” you’ll find the exact location.
Harry Potter Filming Location 7: Harry’s Parents’ House
In the middle of the town of Lacock, you’ll find a very normal-looking family home. However, avid HP fans will recognize this house from the Philosopher’s Stone, when Hagrid tells Harry what happened to his parents.
The house is featured in a flashback when Voldemort walks through a gate, enters a house and kills Lily Potter. The house looks a little different these days as it has been painted and overgrown with bushes, but it’s still recognizable from the movies.
The house is located at the end of Church Street, near St Cyriac’s Church.
Watlings Gift Shop
Not a filming location but a great place to stop to pick up some Harry Potter souvenirs while you are in the town of Lacock.
Lacock Abbey Visitor’s Information
How to get to Lacock Abbey
Address: Lacock, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 2LG
Lacock Abbey is located in Lacock, which is a small village in Wiltshire outside of Bath. You can easily do a day trip here from London. If you want to visit Lacock and also see the surrounding areas such as Bath, I’d highly recommend booking a day tour from London.
The fastest way to get from London to Lacock Abbey is by driving, which takes 2 hours. Otherwise, you can take a train, which takes 2 hours and 20 minutes. If you want the cheapest option, you can catch a national express bus, which takes 3 hours and 30 minutes.
Where to stay when visiting Lacock Abbey
If you want to stay overnight in Lacock, there is a small range of accommodation options to choose from. My pick would be the Talbot House. The property is a quaint bed and breakfast with lovely garden views. The accommodation gets a 9.9 rating on Booking.com which is truly a rarity!
You can check prices and availability for the Talbot House Lacock here.
Lacock Abbey Opening Hours
The Lacock Abbey grounds are open from 10.00am till 5.00pm most days of the week. However, the Abbey rooms open from 10.30am and last entry is at 3.45pm. I’d recommend checking the Lacock Abbey website for up-to-date opening times before visiting,
How much does it cost to visit Lacock Abbey?
Tickets cost £15 for adults and £7.50 for children to enter Lacock Abbey. There is also a carpark charge for non-members of £4.50.
Visiting the UK for the first time? Check out this guide to see what each of England’s nine different regions has to offer!
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