Move over Bridgerton, there's another period drama in town - and it's got everyone wanting to know where The Buccaneers was filmed.
New Apple TV drama The Buccaneers has already got viewers talking for all the right reasons. It's got romance, feminism and some beautiful costumes, and those who are eagerly waiting for Bridgerton season three have been adding it to their what to watch list for this month, as it promises similar levels of steaminess and an equally iconic soundtrack.
It follows five young American women as they arrive in the UK in search of a husband, leaving many wondering what The Buccaneers is based on. Though it tells a tale that many women from nouveau riche America experienced in the late 1800s, when in actual fact, it's based on the unfinished Edith Wharton novel of the same name. Set between New York, London and Cornwall, the series features ornate stately homes and beautiful coastlines - but where is The Buccaneers filmed?
Where was The Buccaneers filmed?
The Buccaneers was filmed entirely in Scotland. Much of the action was filmed in Glasgow, which has also recently been a filming location for Outlander, Tetris and Annika, to name a few.
In the series, Cochrane Street in the centre of Glasgow served as the filming location for Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, while another major street, St Vincent Street, was used as an entrance onto Madison Avenue, in the heart of the Big Apple. In addition, interior shots of Glasgow City Chambers were used in place of Grosvenor House in London, where the debutantes’ ball takes place in The Buccaneers' opening episode.
The cast were spotted filming in Glasgow city centre back in July 2022, with the streets doubling up as 1870s New York. The Glasgow Times reported that Montrose Street, South Frederick Street and the path between George Street and Ingram Street were all closed to traffic while filming was taking place.
The scenes set in and around Tintagel Castle in Cornwall were also filmed in Scotland, with both Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire and Hopetoun House, near Edinburgh, used as replacements for the Cornish fortress.
Both locations have previously appeared in Outlander, and Hopetoun House was used extensively during filming for The Buccaneers, doubling up as a filming location for some scenes set at Brightlingsea Townhouse and Honourslove too.
Other Scottish landscapes that stood in for the Cornish coast include Seacliff Beach, Portencross Castle, St Abb’s Head and Pettico Wick Bay.
Meanwhile, two filming locations that previously appeared in another Edith Wharton adaptation, The House of Mirth, were also used in The Buccaneers: Gosford House in East Lothian and Manderston House in Berwickshire. These stately homes served as the Closson family home and the St George family home respectively.
Amy Maguire, production designer on The Buccaneers, previously told The Herald, "I felt so lucky to be able to draw inspiration from the many beautiful country houses and castles in Scotland.
"The settings of some of these houses were breathtaking - cliff-top castles, natural coves, lochs stretching out of sight - not to mention the stunning grandeur of the buildings in both Glasgow and Edinburgh. We were truly spoilt for choice when piecing together our American and British worlds."
In addition, there have been several reports that some scenes from The Buccaneers were shot in Madrid, Spain.
Other filming locations from The Buccaneers
- Carolside House and Gardens, Berwickshire
- Tigh Na Blair Farm at Comrie, Perthshire
- Cove Harbour Cottage in Berwickshire
- The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) building on Moray Place in Edinburgh
- Arniston House in Midlothian
- Newhailes House in East Lothian
- Barnbougle Castle in South Queensferry
- Ardverikie Castle in Inverness-shire
- Murthly Castle in Perthshire
Where is The Buccaneers set?
The Buccaneers is set primarily in London, but scenes throughout the eight-part show are also set in New York and Cornwall.
The series follows five daughters of self-made Americans, who travel from New York to London - armed with large dowries - to secure a husband and social status for their families.
Each episode sees the show's young American heroines visit stately homes around the UK, as they work towards snaring a British aristocrat to marry.
Brightlingsea Townhouse, Honourslove, Runnymede and Tintagel Castle are all homes belonging to the British upper class in the series, but the fun-loving Americans soon find themselves at odds with the conventions of old-money England.
Thanks to Glasgow's varied architecture, grid street system, and historical buildings, the city is able to double up as both New York and London, while the Scottish coast is a perfect replacement for scenes set in Cornwall.
What is The Buccaneers about?
The Buccaneers is a period drama that follows a group of five American girls as they enter British society. The result is an Anglo-American culture clash - with the loud, fun-loving Americans upsetting the sensibilities of the British upper-classes.
Expected to be genteel and polite, the five heroines overcome the suppression of late-Victorian cultural norms in Britain by behaving badly - including swimming in their underwear, jumping out of windows and downing glasses of champagne.
The show has been hailed as Bridgerton with girl-power, thanks to its balls, costumes and steamy romances. Namely Nan St. George, who initially protests conventions such as the debutantes' ball because of the way women are treated "like cattle", but soon finds herself in a love triangle with Guy Thwarte and the Duke of Tintagel.
But The Buccaneers tackles important issues including social class, race and gender too, as well as the way women in history have dealt with shame and forged long-lasting friendships despite the restraints of traditional society.
The Buccaneers cast
- Kristine Froseth as Nan St. George
- Alisha Boe as Conchita Closson
- Guy Remmers as Theo, Duke of Tintagel
- Matthew Broome as Guy Thwarte
- Simone Kirby as Laura Testvalley
- Adam James as Colonel St. George
- Francesca Corney as Jean Hopeleigh
- Seylan Baxter as Mrs. Gilmour
- Josie Totah as Mabel Elmsworth
- Aubri Ibrag as Lizzy Elmsworth
- Imogen Waterhouse as Jinny St. George
- Mia Threapleton as Honoria Marable
- Christina Hendricks as Mrs. St. George
- Josh Dylan as Lord Richard Marable
- Barney Fishwick as Lord James Seadown
- Fenella Woolgar as Lady Brightlingsea
Elsewhere, we've looked at where Netflix hit Bodies was filmed and where All the Light We Cannot See was filmed too. Fans of romantic dramas might also want to know where Love is in the Air was filmed.
