Some of the main “characters” on Miss Scarlet & The Duke, next to the two leads Kate Phillips (Eliza Scarlet) and Stuart Martin (‘The Duke’), are certainly the gorgeous original sets that were used during filming. Filming at original sets (in contrast to built sets in a studio) always provides certain challenges for cast & crew but adds a definite layer of authenticity to the scenes.
Miss Scarlet and The Duke was filmed entirely in and around Dublin (Ireland) which doubles for Victorian London as unfortunately the British capital has changed quite a bit since the 19th century while Dublin has preserved large parts of its original Georgian houses. Other large productions, such as the BBC’s Ripper Street, have profited from filming in the Irish capital for its authentic look as well as financial reasons.
Cabinteely is a suburb of Dublin’s southside which is home to the 18th century Cabinteely House & Park. The grand country manor house was built by Robert Nugent, Lord Clare, and has an 18th century staircase, decorative plasterwork and a vaulted gallery still preserved while the park is a beautiful example of an 18th century English landscape park.
You can visit Cabinteely House for free guided tours and walk in the footsteps of Hollywood stars like Eva Green (Penny Dreadful), Glenn Close (Albert Nobbs) and Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) who all filmed there. It also served as one of the main sets of Miss Sarlet & The Duke.
Greystones is a coastal town and seaside resort in County Wicklow south of Dublin. Part of St. Brigid’s National School is the historic building of Holy Faith Convent. Built in 1845, and sitting on over half-an-acre land, the 11,000-square-feet building was purchased by the adjacent school in 2018, ensuring a continuation of the long common tradition between the school and the former Catholic convent.
Only a short drive alog the coast away from Greystones is Wicklow Gaol, a former prison located in the town of Wicklow, Ireland. It served as a prison from the late 18th to the early 20th century. In 1822 and 1842/43 it was extended and housed prisoners until 1924 when the last prisoners left. It was renovated and re-opened as a museum in 1998 and claims to be one of the world’s most haunted buildings.
On Miss Scarlet & The Duke is serves as the eerily beautiful Woolwich Prison.
Miss Scarlet & The Duke also used Ardmore Studios in Wicklow, Ireland’s leading studio facility and production centre, for filming. Previously, it had also served as a set for large international productions such as The Tudors (starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Henry Cavill and Natalie Dormer), Braveheart (with Mel Gibson), as well as the afore mentioned Ripper Street and Penny Dreadful.
Finally, watch this video by Dublin Tour Guide showing a scene for Miss Scarlet & The Duke being filmed in the streets of Dublin. Find out where and when you can see Miss Scarlet & The Duke in your country!
Andrew Gower Online 