The Best Heritage Ballrooms to Live Out Your Bridgerton Dreams
With the second instalment of Bridgerton Season Three arriving on Netflix this week, many of us have found ourselves wishing we could attend one of the fabulous balls we’ve seen on screen. Whilst time travelling back to the Regency era might sadly not be an option, our HeritageX houses are home to several of the country’s most beautiful ballrooms, some of which have been filming locations for the series and are available to book for you to host your very own Bridgerton-style ball!
So, without further ado, here are our picks for the best heritage ballrooms to live out your Bridgerton dreams.
1. Vanbrugh Hall, Grimsthorpe Castle
Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire is coming top of our list thanks to its starring role in Bridgerton Season Three. Grimsthorpe will appear in the upcoming instalment as the home of the inventor Lord Hawkins, who hosts his “innovations ball” there which features as a prominent part of the story.
The ball itself was filmed inside the spectacular Vanbrugh Hall, the creation of celebrated architect Sir John Vanbrugh, who famously designed Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard and the Baroque façade of Grimsthorpe was his last great masterpiece. Visitors to the hall can quite literally step straight into the set of Bridgerton and imagine themselves waltzing the night away until dawn in typical Regency fashion.
2. The Great Hall, Blenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire is famous for being the only non-royal country house in the UK to hold the title of palace, as well as its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is perhaps unsurprising therefore that this stunningly beautiful home has served as the filming location for many hit period dramas, including Bridgerton’s spin-off Queen Charlotte, where it appeared as Buckingham House.
Whilst many spectacular rooms are to be found inside Blenheim’s walls, The Great Hall stands out above the rest as the perfect location for a ball. With its soaring high ceilings, marbled floors and frescos painted by baroque artist James Thornhill, visitors can easily imagine themselves stepping into the ballrooms of bygone days, and should they wish to, can recreate the experience for themselves by hiring out the hall for a private event.
3. The Stucco Ballroom, Knowsley Hall
Knowsley Hall in Merseyside is truly one of the North West’s gems, famous for its fabulous architecture, glorious Capability Brown parkland and of course, its stunning interiors.
Whilst still owned by the Stanley family, Knowsley is no longer used as a family home and can be rented out for weddings, corporate events, and, if you should choose it, a ball!
With its ornate fireplaces, large dancefloor and exquisite gold-leaf stucco ceiling, the Stucco Ballroom at Knowsley is the perfect place to host a Regency-inspired soirée, or any kind of special event that will be elevated by such beautiful surroundings.
4. The Great Hall, Harlaxton Manor
Harlaxton Manor in Lincolnshire is unique in many aspects not least because it was the largest house to be built by a “commoner” in Victorian England, and because it fuses together Elizabethan and Jacobean architecture with Baroque, creating an incredibly striking gothic design.
The interiors of the manor are just as splendid as the exterior, and many of the state rooms are available to hire for a wedding or private event. With a capacity of 350 people, The Great Hall is the ideal location for a ball, and the ornate oak panels, crystal chandeliers and Italian marbled flooring make for an awe-inspiring setting that no guest could ever forget!
5. The Ballroom, Belvoir Castle
Last on the list but by no means least is the magnificent Belvoir Castle Leicestershire, which, in keeping with the Bridgerton theme, is one of the UK’s finest examples of Regency architecture.
Belvoir has many magnificent state rooms that you can visit or hire for a private event, and the aptly named Ballroom stands out as one of the most breathtaking. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows, ornate chandeliers and gothic archways are modelled on Lincoln Cathedral and create a stunning location for a special event, or even just to visit and let your imagination run free!
