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Keira Knightley who stars in the fascinating new film, The Duchess, shows Bath off to the world as some of the locations used to film the blockbuster include the Assembly Rooms and the Royal Crescent in the heart of the World Heritage City. The Duchess, due to be released on the 5th September, is a story about the life of 18th Century aristocrat Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, who was reviled for her extravagant political and personal life. With its world-renowned grand Georgian architecture, Bath provides the perfect backdrop for some of the film’s scenes.
A major ball scene was filmed at the Assembly Rooms where more than 200 extras played guests over two days of filming at the venue’s Tea Room and Octagon Room. The Assembly Rooms first opened its doors in 1771 and was used as a venue for dancing, music, card playing and tea drinking. Today, it is still used for entertainment and social events and also houses the Fashion Museum which displays a collection of contemporary and historical dress from the late 16th century to the present day; a fitting location for the movie as Georgiana was a leading fashionista of her day.
Filming also took place at the stunning Royal Crescent which is one of the city’s main architectural masterpieces built between 1767 and 1775. The unique semi-circular row of townhouses can be spotted when The Duchess travels along the Crescent in her carriage marking her arrival in Bath at the Holburne Museum of Art, where the exterior of the building was used as Georgiana’s resdence during her stay in the city. One of the reasons for Georgiana’s visit to Bath was to drink the hot spa water which was popular for medicinal purposes at the time. It was believed that the water, which contains 43 minerals, had healing properties and could help with a number of illnesses. It is still possible to taste the water today which is drawn in the Pump Room for drinking.
Inspired by The Duchess and other productions filmed in and around Bath, Bath Tourism Plus and the Bath Film Office have developed a Movie Map for visitors who want to discover more about filming in the area. The map features almost 40 TV and film productions since 1931 and includes locations such as Great Pulteney Street, which was used in the 2003 film Vanity Fair featuring Reese Witherspoon, and the nearby village of Lacock, which can be seen in two of the Harry Potter movies. The map is free and available from the Tourist Information Centre just off York Street. It will also soon be downloadable from the www.visitbath.co.uk/film website. Another option to learn more about TV and film in Bath is to join Clapperboard Tours and take a walking tour with an entertaining and informative guide who will talk about the people, the places and all the weird and wonderful things that have happened in film in Bath over the last seventy years. Tours start from the Pump Room and last for approximately 1.5 hours.
With five theatres, two cinemas and an annual Bath Film Festival, Bath is a city rich in film and theatre culture. This year’s Film Festival will run from the 30th October to the 9th November and will celebrate great cinema, with screenings and events taking place at a range of venues across Bath. What’s more, on the 13th November 2008 the city will see the opening of Komedia, an exciting new venue which will present an eclectic programme of shows from the very best comedians on the circuit to touring musical acts and cabaret shows all year round.
The official tourism website www.visitbath.co.uk provides visitors with all the information needed to plan a break to Bath including attractions to explore, places to eat out and shops not to be missed. And with a range of accommodation options to choose from the ‘where to stay’ section allows visitors to book online. With top hotels like the 5 star Macdonald Bath Spa and Royal Crescent – which have both welcomed many TV and film stars over the years – why not stay where the stars have and enjoy a bit of luxury?
Once you’ve seen the beautiful city of Bath on screen, you are sure to want to come and see it for yourself so why not follow in the footsteps of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and book a break to this wonderful city!
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
