The Buccaneers filming locations: where was Apple TV+ series filmed, which stately homes and castles feature?

The Buccaneers, an Apple TV+ period drama based on Edith Wharton's posthumously published 1938 novel of the same name, was filmed at some of Scotland’s most picturesque places.

The drama series, which is streaming now, follows a group of American debutantes who find themselves shut out of New York’s social elite because they come from new money. They decide to travel to London where they meet posh, landed aristocrats who have plenty of titles and property, but very little in the way of actual cash.

Set at the various stately homes of these foppish Londoners, the series focuses on a different fictional property in each episode - Brightlingsea Townhouse, Honourslove, Runnymede, and Tintagel Castle among them. But whilst set predominantly in New York, London, and Cornwall, the series was actually filmed in Scotland and Madrid. 

Where is The Buccaneers filmed?

Some scenes for The Buccaneers were shot in Madrid, Spain, but the vast majority of the series was filmed in Scotland. Glasgow stands in for both New York and London, and the Scottish coast was used for scenes set in Cornwall.

For the fictional home of Honourslove, interior shots were filmed at Touch House, an 18th-century townhouse in Stirling, whilst the walled garden at Preston Hall, Midlothian, and the hedge maze at Scone Palace, Perthshire were used for exterior scenes.

Titangel Castle, another of the fictitious residences, is a composite of many different beautiful properties across Scotland. They include the late 18th century Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, mid 18th century Hopetoun House near South Queensferry (which has also featured in Outlander, and Belgravia), the 120-room, 17-turret late 17th century Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfriesshire, and the Cloisters at Glasgow University.

Production designer, Amy Maguire, said: “I felt so lucky to be able to draw inspiration from the many beautiful country houses and castles in Scotland. The settings of some of these houses were breathtaking - cliff top castles, natural coves, lochs stretching out of sight - not to mention the stunning grandeur of the buildings in both Glasgow and Edinburgh.”

Additionally, for scenes set at a Scottish lodge, many more picturesque locations and gorgeous buildings were picked for filming. Chief among them was Ardverikie Castle, Inverness-shire, a grand baronial property that eagle-eyed viewers will recognise for being the main setting of Glenbogle in the 2000s comedy drama Monarch of the Glen. Barnbougle Castle in South Queensferry and Murthly Castle in Perthshire also feature as the lodge in The Buccaneers.

Plenty of other Scottish stately homes recognisable for earlier TV appearances, feature throughout The Buccaneers - among them are Gosford House, East Lothian, which was also an Outlander set, and was used for the 2000 family fantasy film The Little Vampire, and Manderston House in Berwickshire which previously appeared on screen in Belgravia.