Where was Rivals filmed? All the houses and locations in Penscombe, Rutshire
Posted by Ra Moon
Now returning for a second season, Rivals was filmed in several magnificent manor houses and great locations across the west of England.
Set in the fictional Penscombe village in the county of Rutshire in 1986, the story centres on two powerful men whose rivalry spills into every corner of their lives.
Rupert Campbell-Black (played by Alex Hassell) is a former Olympic eventer and notorious womaniser, while Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) is a nouveau-riche aristocrat who runs the regional Corinium Television.
Here is our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of Rivals. Starting with season two, you’ll find the locations listed in order of first appearance.
Set in the fictional Penscombe village in the county of Rutshire in 1986, the story centres on two powerful men whose rivalry spills into every corner of their lives.
Rupert Campbell-Black (played by Alex Hassell) is a former Olympic eventer and notorious womaniser, while Lord Tony Baddingham (David Tennant) is a nouveau-riche aristocrat who runs the regional Corinium Television.
Here is our spoiler-free guide to all the filming locations of Rivals. Starting with season two, you’ll find the locations listed in order of first appearance.
Rivals locations
The second season opens at Chavenage House, a historic Elizabethan manor located near Tetbury in the Cotswolds.
Originally built in 1383, the manor is well known for its appearances in period dramas such as Poldark, where it featured as Trenwith House, as well as Wolf Hall.
The Penscombe village
This shot of the 1970s yellow Mini Clubman driving through Penscombe village was filmed in Hawkesbury, a small hamlet and civil parish in South Gloucestershire.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The Rivals house
Freddie and Val’s new home, Bella Vista, is the Foxfield estate in Lisvane, a suburb north of Cardiff, Wales.
The mansion spans over 24,000 square feet and features seven bedrooms, eleven bathrooms, a 15-metre heated pool, and a wine cellar.
As of early 2025, the property was on the market for offers in excess of £8,000,000.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The love nest is the Blackpool Mill Cottage on Abbey River Beach, a remote rocky cove on the dramatic North Devon coast near Hartland Quay.
This 15th-century cottage can be rented as a scenic holiday retreat and sleeps up to eight guests.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
This establishing shot shows the Church of St Mary the Virgin in Hawkesbury, a Grade I listed building with a significant history dating back to the 11th century.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
Lord Tony Baddingham’s mansion is Neston Park, an English country house and estate in Neston, about 2 miles south of Corsham in Wiltshire.
The present Georgian-style house was largely developed in the 18th century by architect James Wyatt, and the estate has more recently become known for its successful vineyard producing English sparkling wines.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
Rupert Campbell-Black’s house, Penscombe Court, is Ammerdown House in Kilmersdon, Somerset.
This Grade I listed Georgian country house, built in 1788, now operates as the Ammerdown Centre, set within landscaped grounds with historic gardens.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The Corinium Television (CTV) headquarters is the former North Somerset Council Castlewood office building in Clevedon.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The Rutshire Cup was held on the grounds of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire.
With origins dating back to the 11th century, the castle has remained in the possession of the Berkeley family, with the exception of a brief period, for over 850 years.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The posh restaurant scene in the second episode was filmed at Orchardleigh House, a Victorian country house set within a private estate in Somerset, near the village of Lullington.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The polling station is Corsham Town Hall, also located on High Street.
Image courtesy of Disney and Google Maps
In the third episode, Cadenham Manor, a 17th-century manor house in Wiltshire, is also featured.
The gardens are regularly open to the public, but the house remains a private residence.
Image courtesy of Disney - Map
The Bristol Hippodrome doubles as the St James Playhouse.
Opened in 1912, the Hippodrome was designed by the prolific theatre architect Frank Matcham and is considered one of the finest surviving Edwardian-era theatres in the UK.
Image courtesy of Disney and Google Maps
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Ra Moon
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