Is The Other Bennet Sister The First Austen Drama Filmed In Wales?

If you are missing Bridgerton and hunting for a new Regency drama to binge, the BBC has us covered – especially if you are more drawn to the wallflowers than the diamonds. Directed by Jennifer Sheridan, The Other Bennet Sister traces the tale of the oft-forgotten middle sister in Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice, Mary Bennet.

Based on Janice Hadlow’s 2020 novel and premiering on the BBC this Sunday, Ella Bruccoleri takes the lead role, joined by everyone from Richard E Grant and Ruth Jones to Indira Varma and Richard Coyle.

The scene-stealer? It has to be the scenery itself. ‘The brief was to create a fresh interpretation of the Austen world – one that reflected Mary’s emotional journey through a new and visually engaging style,’ The Other Bennet Sister‘s production designer Tim Dickel tells C&TH. ‘It was essential that we carried out thorough research to ensure historical accuracy within the Regency period. With that knowledge in place, we were then able to make considered creative decisions, occasionally breaking from convention, but always with a clear and informed understanding of the period.’

So where did filming take place? Here’s what you need to know.

Mr Gardiner (RICHARD COYLE) & Mrs Gardiner (INDIRA VARMA) in The Other Bennet Sister. (BBC/Bad Wolf)

Where Was The Other Bennet Sister Filmed?

The Other Bennet Sister was filmed in Wales, with the Celtic nation standing in for English regions like the Lake District and Hampshire. Additional filming took place just across the border in Bristol.

Key countryside spots to know include the Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons, which stands in for the Lake District) and the more specifically the Black Mountains (which stand in for Scafell Pyke) and sit on the England-Wales border near Abergavenny and Hay-on-Wye in Bannau Brycheiniog.

It’s not often we hear about Wales in relation to Jane Austen; adaptations of her work are typically filmed in grand English country estates like Chatsworth House and Lyme Park. As location manager Paul Davies tells us: ‘Period drama is always a challenge for any location dept and a Jane Austen series to be filmed in Wales was something I have never heard of before. Was this even possible?’

Nevertheless, Davies rose to the challenge he’d been set by producer Kate Crowther: to ‘make this series look amazing, houses that will turn heads and landscape that makes you want to eat it,’ Davies recalls.

‘I love a challenge, and apart from two locations, all scenes filmed in the series are filmed in Wales – even the Lake District locations,’ Davies says, adding: ‘the locations were scattered all over South Wales. The hire car company informed me that I had travelled nearly 20,000 miles in eight months, which shows we looked under every stone in Wales to find the perfect locations for the series.’

The first mission? ‘To find Longbourn and Meryton village,’ Davies says.

Jane Bennet (MADDIE CLOSE), Lydia Bennet (GRACE HOGG-ROBINSON), Lizzie Bennet (POPPY GILBERT), Mary Bennet (ELLA BRUCCOLERI) & Kitty Bennet (MOLLY WRIGHT) in The Other Bennet Sister. (BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)

Longbourn is the Bennet family home, previously played by Groombridge Place in Kent in the 2005 film and Luckington Court in Wiltshire in the 1995 miniseries. In The Other Bennet Sister, Penpont House in Brecon plays the role of Longbourn – a family run estate set on the banks of the River Usk, in the heart of Bannau Brycheiniog.

‘It was important that the principal houses within the story provided insight into Mary’s different worlds and reflected the progression of her journey,’ production designer Dickel says. ‘Longbourn needed to feel like a beautiful, traditional country house, but with subtle signs of wear and age. It was important that it remained firmly rooted in the countryside.

‘Through the interiors, I wanted Longbourn to convey a sense of the past – static, traditional, and somewhat restrained, much like Mary at the beginning of her journey,’ Dickel adds. ‘The colour palette there is deliberately conservative and muted. The furniture and props were carefully selected to suggest a slightly threadbare quality and a modest level of wealth. The colour palette was inspired by the surrounding landscape, drawing on tones found in wildflowers and meadow grasses.’

Mary Bennet (ELLA BRUCCOLERI). Lizzie Bennet (POPPY GILBERT) & Jane Bennet (MADDIE CLOSE) in The Other Bennet Sister. (BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)

The house itself is a small part of the Penpont Estate, which plays the role of Meryton in its entirety. ‘I have looked at this location for another project 25 years ago and I hadn’t been to the location since then,’ Davies tells us. ‘When I re-visited and saw the courtyard, the bridge, the river, I just had the warm feeling inside me that told me this was going to be our Meryton village. I took loads of photos rushed back to the office and hoped everyone else liked what I’d found.’

Reflecting on filming, lead star Ella Bruccoleri tells C&TH: ‘I loved filming in Wales. I can’t speak highly enough about it; it was like a revelation for me. I’d only been there once, and I was like, “Oh my God, this is the most beautiful country in the world!” I was blown away by it.

‘Some of our locations had to stand in for the Lake District so we did a lot of filming in the Brecon Beacons and on all these beautiful lakes,’ the star adds. ‘It was quite breathtaking. There were days when Dónal [Finn] and I just had to row on a lake all day while they captured shots of us in the sun; it was incredible.’

Dickel was also in charge of dressing Mr Hayward’s house, which ‘offered an opportunity for a more expressive approach,’ the designer tells C&TH. ‘It needed to feel bold, flamboyant, and entirely unfamiliar to Mary – immersing her in a world she had never encountered before. The design aimed to convey opulence and extravagance, a concept that extended to every detail, including the presentation of food, which drew inspiration from Dalí’s cookbook.’

Dónal Finn as Mr Hayward and Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet. (BBC/Bad Wolf)

Filming locations in town include Bristol and Newport, where an arcade was transformed into a London shopping mall. The team also made use of St Fagans Folk Museum in Cardiff for period-accurate gardens and interiors, while Dyffryn House and Gardens near Cardiff also features in various roles: Meryton Town Hall, Netherfield dining room and Westminster Bridge to name a few.

‘When Mary arrives in London, the visual language shifts significantly,’ Dickel points out. ‘The palette becomes richer and more vibrant, and the interiors evoke a sense of energy, sensuality, and the exotic. I drew on emerging trends of the time, incorporating intricate wallpapers, decorative furnishings, and objects influenced by trade routes such as the Silk Road. This “shock of the new” was intended to evoke both excitement and unease in Mary, reflecting her emotional experience.

‘This journey is then interrupted by her time at Pemberley,’ Dickel adds. ‘While undeniably beautiful, it represents a return to classical ideals – order, tradition, and restraint – reintroducing a sense of structure and formality.’

‘My favourite location was Badminton House,’ Dickel continues. ‘I was already familiar with this stately home and strongly advocated for its inclusion due to its impressive scale, architectural grandeur, and traditional character. Approaching the house is a striking experience – it has an immediate and commanding presence. I was also conscious that it has been used in several other productions [including Bridgerton and The Gentlemen], so it was important to bring a distinct identity to it for our project.

‘One of the key challenges was ensuring continuity between the real location and the sets constructed in the studio,’ Dickel adds. ‘Several interiors were built from scratch, and it was essential that the transition between location and studio felt seamless. Although this was a complex undertaking, it was one I greatly enjoyed, and I believe we achieved a cohesive and immersive result.’

Mrs Bennet (RUTH JONES) in The Other Bennet Sister. (BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon)

Of course, Bruccoleri’s on-screen mother, Ruth Jones, is Welsh, having penned and starred in the nation’s most famous and beloved comedy Gavin & Stacey. Bruccoleri describes Jones as ‘brilliant, hilarious, irreverent and wonderful’, and recalls a playful memory from their time on set: ‘We were based in Cardiff, quite near Barry Island where [Jones] did all the Gavin & Stacey stuff. So she arranged for this Dave’s Coaches tour to come and pick us up one night after work and take us to Barry Island. She got the cafe to stay open late for us, and people swam in the sea. And then she arranged for unlimited ice cream for everyone all night.’

Speaking to the BBC, Jones herself says: ‘I love coming back to Wales. I recognise so many crew members I’ve worked with before, and it makes me proud that we’re creating a production like this here. Locations like St Fagans Folk Museum are places I’ve known since childhood.’

WATCH

The Other Bennet Sister kicks off with a double bill at 8pm, Sunday 15 March on BBC One. Two episodes will then air weekly on Sunday evenings.

The first five episodes of The Other Bennet Sister will launch on BBC iPlayer at 6am, Sunday 15 March, followed by the second half of the series from 6am, Sunday 29 March 2026.