Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire was used as a filming location for Season Three of Bridgerton, featuring in a ballroom scene.

The Netflix drama, Bridgerton, heavily features Grimsthorpe Castle near Bourne, in the much-anticipated third season. The first four episodes were released on 16th May, with part-two set to come out on 13th June. 

Grimsthorpe Castle Filming - Scene from Bridgerton - Colin Bridgerton and Eloise Bridgerton (c) Netflix
Grimsthorpe Castle Filming - Scene from Bridgerton - Colin Bridgerton and Eloise Bridgerton (c) Netflix

Built in the 13th Century, Grimsthorpe Castle is a majestic structure and the final masterpiece of Sir John Vanburgh, architect of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. It has a surprising marriage of architectural styles including Tudor and Baroque. 

This spectacular castle with its central courtyard and extensive parkland of great antiquity retains a great amount of its original glory – which is noticed on screen during the filmed episodes of Bridgerton. 

Featured in Season Three of Bridgerton the ton, the top characters of high society, are invited to a spectacular ball at a new character’s residence. Lord Hawkin’s Ball is shot in the Lincolnshire Castle’s Vanburgh Hall, which was transformed into a ballroom. 

Grimsthorpe Castle is made from golden limestone and Vanburgh Hall’s ancient flooring is of precious stone and marble. So, to protect the original features of the Castle, film crew and set designers created a replica “fake” floor with Vinyl laid on top of wood and protective materials. 

Grimsthorpe Castle Filming (c) Grimsthorpe Castle
Laying the protective flooring at Grimsthorpe Castle for the filming of Bridgerton (c) Grimsthorpe Castle

In an interview with BBC Radio Lincolnshire, Lucie Voncarthy, the castle’s Public Access Lead shared that “a lot of the actors said the castle was the most beautiful location they had filmed at.”

Grimsthorpe Castle, Park and Gardens are open to the public from March to October each year. They offer guided tours of the Castle during your visit and host events throughout the year, including outdoor theatre shows and cinema screenings, music concerts, car shows, storytelling sessions in the Adventure Playground, reenactments, Tudor-themed days, and much more. 

Lincolnshire is no stranger to being used in the Bridgerton series. 

In May 2023 Belton Estate near Grantham featured in the spinoff series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story. 

Discover more historic locations in Lincolnshire that have been used in film and television here, including The Da Vinci Code, The Crown, Downton Abbey, Napoleon and Bodies.