Back in August 2022, during the quiet days of summer, Squerryes Court was shaken from its warm slumber when the Bridgerton production team rolled through the front gates and set up home for two weeks. Under a shroud of secrecy, the home of the Warde family at the centre of the Squerryes Estate had been booked as a location for filming season three of the Netflix hit series.
As anyone who’s watched Bridgerton can appreciate, the sumptuous houses and decadent interiors are part of what gives the show its visual appeal. Stepping inside these grand estates with the lavish lifestyles of the characters is as much of interest to the viewer as discovering the identity of the salacious Lady Whistledown at the end of the last series, let alone whether Penelope will finally declare her love for Colin Bridgerton.
Squerryes Court is the family home of estate owner, Henry Warde, his wife Claire, their four children and dog, Inca. At the height of the summer holidays, the family were surrounded by the production crew who spent a week transforming the garden into a suitably ostentatious Bridgerton garden party. Parts of the house were used as green rooms for the actors too, so family life was very much under lockdown to keep out of the way of the production team.
By the time the actual filming took place, there were 350 crew members, actors and staff on site. A large security operation was in place to keep prying eyes out and anyone driving past the site would have been aware of the screens and signage around the entrance to Squerryes Court. The only intruder was the family’s inquisitive cocker spaniel, Inca, who escaped during an important filming moment and ran across the set. We're waiting to see whether she has a fleeting appearance or not!
As a private residence, Squerryes Court is not open to the general public although it is available for private hire, weddings and corporate events. This month however, the family are opening the garden as part of the National Garden Scheme and visitors are welcome to explore the gardens at Squerryes Court on Friday 17th May from 11am-5pm.
"It was a fascinating experience to watch the Bridgerton team transform the garden into the set and we're looking forward to seeing those scenes once part one of the new series is released on May 16th. We'll be looking closely to see if our dog Inca appears in the final edit!"
We’re also pleased to be opening the garden to the public the day after episodes one to four are released. We'll be raising money for Cancer Research through refreshments sales, including glasses of Squerryes award-winning sparkling wine. Anyone who’d like to come see where the filming took place and have their own Bridgerton moment is welcome.’
Tickets to the National Garden Scheme open day can be booked in advance or paid for on the day. Take a look at this link to find out more.