Where was The English filmed? Spain and US filming locations for BBC drama with Emily Blunt - can you visit

The English is a new BBC drama series which is also available through Amazon Prime in the US. The series follows an English aristocratic woman, Cornelia Locke and a Pawnee scout who join forces and travel across the rough terrain of the American West, as Locke searches for the man who killed her son. The series was shot on location in the American West and Spain, with locations chosen to replicate the setting of Kansas and Wyoming.

Where is The English set?

The six-part series is set in two states of the American Frontier in 1890 during the death throes of the Old West. Most of the action takes place in Wyoming and Kansas, where many iconic westerns such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Red River, Unforgiven, and Winchester ‘73 were set.

The West is a legendary part of the history of America and has become mythologised over the centuries - it is a land associated with lawlessness, freedom, and the pursuit of the American dream, as Americans and immigrants flocked westward during the 19th century in the hopes of making a name for themselves. It was also the setting of brutal conflicts between Native Americans and the US army, as westward expansion led the forced removal of Native Americans from their homeland.

Where is The English filmed?

Finding the right location was a vital part of the production process, as the setting of The English is integral to the story. Producer Colin Wratten told televisual.com: “We looked at Santa Fe, New Mexico, we also looked at Calgary and filming in Canada as an option.”

Writer Hugo Blick added: “Because I knew first-hand the locations we needed to replicate, I was already aware that Almeria, which has the famous Leone/Eastwood sets, would not work for this Kansas, Wyoming set story. Eventually, the production team landed on shooting locations in the US and Spain.

America

According to IMDB, parts of the series were shot on location in Pawnee, Oklahoma. The county is named after the Native American tribe who relocated there in the late 19th century. You can visit the county, though beyond a museum and bathhouse there isn’t much to do there. Other westerns filmed at Pawnee include Cowgirls ‘n Angels, and Black Marshal: The Hunt for Dozier.

Spain

The English was also filmed in Toledo, a world heritage site, 50 miles south of Madrid. Toledo is well worth a visit for its beautiful setting alone, and guided tours of the area are available. Films that have been shot there include the 1969 western Gunman of Ave Maria, and the adventure film The Four Musketeers starring Michael York and Raquel Welch.

Avila is a Spanish province an hour’s drive north west of Madrid. Blick said “Luckily our location scout took us to a huge beef farm in Avila outside of Madrid. With the grasses, rock formations and horizontal light, it provided a perfect mythic space for this Western.”

Avila is another gorgeous Spanish city and has several historic buildings to visit. Other productions which were shot there include the 2005 historical film Kingdom of Heaven, action flick Conan the Barbarian, and the epic historical drama El Cid.

When is The English on TV?

The first episode of The English will air on BBC Two at 9pm on Thursday 10 November. Episodes will be released at the same time weekly and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer shortly after they are first broadcast. The series will be available to watch on Amazon Prime Video for US viewers.