Small English market town on the edge of the Cotswolds that tourists forget about – despite being in two huge TV shows

The Sun

21-06-2025

TUCKED away in Wiltshire is a historic market town used as a backdrop for famous TV series starring Aidan Turner and David Tennant.
Corsham in Wiltshire has once again been turned into a TV backdrop, but it still isn't the most popular spot in the Cotswolds.
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The Cotswolds town has cobbled stone cottages, grand country manors and a quaint high street full of independent shops.
Its old-fashioned look makes it the perfect backdrop for period dramas - which is why it's been used by two separate productions.
The cast of Rivals have most recently returned to Corsham according to the BBC with stars like David Tennant, Emily Atack and Danny Dyer returning to the town.
In the high street, the shop fronts have been tweaked to appear in the time period of the late 1980s.
The local Boots has been turned into an old-fashioned Waitrose and the town hall has been transformed into a polling station.
Classic cars have also been seen lining the streets to give the impression of the 1980s.
This isn't the first time that Corsham has seen A-list actors in its streets, it was where half of Poldark was filmed.
Corsham was transformed into 18th century Truro when Aidan Turner, dressed as Captain Ross Poldark, came to the town.
During this time, there were horses in the streets, cattle and even sheep.
The Flemish Weaves pub was the base for the leading actors, while the extras ended up staying at the Town Hall.
​Poldark: Series 4 trailer starring Aidan Turner
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While Corsham may appear to be a classic Wiltshire town, there is one big difference - the peacocks.
Around the town there are peacocks that roam the streets freely. Their actual home is in Corsham Court, but they do sometimes head into the town too.
There are plenty of extravagant places too including Corsham Court.
The privately owned stately home has a huge art collection, there are also huge gardens - which you can explore for a fee of £12.50.
Another is 23 Pickwick which is a Grade II listed country home in Corsham - and you can even book it out.
It has a sweeping staircase, an open fire and sash windows.
The cottage is a short drive away from the Georgian Spa town of Bath, which features in many of the outdoor scenes in Bridgerton.
The city of Bath is just a 30-minute drive, which is where parts of the Bridgerton series were filmed, and it's the only UNESCO site in the country.
In Corsham is also home to The Pound Arts theatre where locals regularly put on performances.
There are also comedy shows, busking and showings of films.
Here's a Bridgerton-like manor that you can stay in with all your mates in the UK - with its own lake and cinema room.
And Sun Travel visited the tiny English village you can only visit once a year.
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