Where was A Woman of Substance filmed? The house and all the locations
Posted by Ra Moon
Adapting Barbara Taylor Bradford's bestselling novel, A Woman of Substance was filmed in Yorkshire and Liverpool.
The dual-timeline story follows young Emma Harte's forbidden romance (Jessica Reynolds) and her early shop-building in Armley, leading to Harte's department stores.
The narrative is intercut with her facing family threats in 1970s New York, with Brenda Blethyn as the older Emma.
Here is our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of A Woman of Substance. You'll find the locations in order of first appearance.
The dual-timeline story follows young Emma Harte's forbidden romance (Jessica Reynolds) and her early shop-building in Armley, leading to Harte's department stores.
The narrative is intercut with her facing family threats in 1970s New York, with Brenda Blethyn as the older Emma.
Here is our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of A Woman of Substance. You'll find the locations in order of first appearance.
A Woman of Substance locations
The first episode opens with an establishing shot in the streets of 1975 New York.
However, it was filmed near Liverpool's famous waterfront, with St Nicholas' Church next to the Tower Building replaced with a CGI skyscraper.
(You can open all the locations on Google Maps by clicking on the links below in the captions ↴)
Image courtesy of Channel 4 and Google Maps
Image courtesy of Channel 4 and Google Maps
Harte's department store is the iconic Royal Liver Building on Liverpool's Pier Head waterfront, although the images of the full, tall building are also a digital creation.
Completed in 1911, it was Europe's tallest building at the time and a symbol of Liverpool's global port prosperity.
Today, it is a tourist attraction offering 360-degree views from its observation deck, and houses modern offices and apartments.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 and Google Maps
The interior is the grand octagonal hall inside the Port of Liverpool Building, another of the Three Graces alongside the Liver Building, the early 20th-century structures on the Pier Head waterfront.
Opened in 1907, this Grade II-listed former Mersey Docks office boasts a prominent dome and a lavish design, making it a great filming location for productions such as Sherlock Holmes.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
The A Woman of Substance house
Fairley Hall was filmed at Broughton Hall, now known as Broughton Sanctuary, a historic estate near Skipton, North Yorkshire, owned by the Tempest family since 1097.
Originating from a 14th-century acquisition, the current manor dates to 1597, with major 19th-century remodelling, including the dome-crowned conservatory featured in the series.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
The interiors were also filmed at Broughton Hall, which is open for corporate retreats, yoga weekends, weddings, and filming.
With 17 individually styled bedrooms, exclusive-use retreats start from £25,000 for three nights, sleeping up to 32 guests.
Emma's home in the early 1900s is a shooting lodge on the edge of Keighley Moor in West Yorkshire, located about 12 miles south of Broughton Hall.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
The rock formations are the Cow and Calf Rocks on Ilkley Moor, also located in the same area.
This is a popular place for climbing in Yorkshire, with scenic views of the region from the top.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
The cave is the Fairy Cave (also known as Calf Hole or Heights Cave), a large limestone chamber on the western slopes above the hamlet of Skirethorns, near Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales.
Excavated in the 1890s, it revealed prehistoric flints, an iron spearhead, antler tools, and ancient animal bones.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
The landscapes around the estate, including the thorn tree, were also filmed in this area near Malham Moor.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
Some scenes in Armley were filmed at the Black Country Living Museum, an open-air living history museum in Dudley, West Midlands.
Opened in 1978, the museum consists of over 80 relocated historic buildings (shops, homes, and factories) across 26 acres of reclaimed industrial land, with costumed actors.
Image courtesy of Channel 4 - Map
Can you help to improve this article about the filming locations of A Woman of Substance? To complete and correct this report, any feedback, info, or images that you may have are more than welcome, thank you!
NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
*****
NOTICE: If you’re using this information on your website, please credit and link to this page as a source.
*****
Ra Moon
Atlas of Wonders is looking for wonderful Filming Locations all around the world. We are constantly updating and improving our posts with new details and images. Follow us here:
All comments are reviewed prior to publication