A lavish drama about Henry VIII’s England that never set foot in an English palace. The Tudors was made entirely in Ireland – Dublin’s cathedrals and gaols, the great estates of County Wicklow, and the soundstages of Ardmore – dressing Georgian Dublin and Wicklow gardens as the court of a Tudor king.
Where was The Tudors filmed?
The Tudors was shot in Ireland, based at Ardmore Studios in Bray, County Wicklow, with locations across Dublin and the Wicklow estates. Despite depicting the English court of Henry VIII, the production never filmed in England at all.
Ireland’s surviving Georgian architecture, medieval cathedrals and grand demesnes gave the series everything it needed to conjure Tudor grandeur – and Ardmore supplied the interiors.
Every The Tudors location, explained
Ardmore Studios, County Wicklow – the court interiors
The series was anchored at Ardmore Studios in Bray, where Henry’s palace interiors and much of the drama’s indoor world were built – Ireland’s oldest film studio, long used for period productions.
Dublin’s cathedrals and gaol
Dublin provided the historic set-pieces: Christ Church Cathedral for religious scenes and the grim Kilmainham Gaol for the court’s darker moments, with the city’s Georgian streets standing in for period London.
Powerscourt and Kilruddery – the great estates
The Wicklow demesnes did the aristocratic heavy lifting: the Powerscourt Estate near Enniskerry and, in the later seasons, Kilruddery House and Gardens supplied palace exteriors and formal gardens.
Phoenix Park and around Dublin
Dublin’s vast Phoenix Park, including the People’s Garden, appears among the outdoor scenes, along with other city and County Offaly locations.
Planning a visit
Dublin makes an easy base: Christ Church Cathedral and Kilmainham Gaol are both open to visitors, and Phoenix Park is free to wander. Out in County Wicklow, the Powerscourt Estate and Kilruddery House are among Ireland’s finest gardens and welcome visitors – a scenic day trip from the city.
