Where was “The Great British Bake Off” filmed? 10 scenic locations where they pitched the white tent — that you can visit IRL

What began as a simple culinary competition in 2010 has since become a comfort-watching phenomenon, with The Great British Bake Off (better known as Great British Baking Show in the U.S.) buttering audiences up for a potential 16th season.

GBBO’s recipe for success starts with its charismatic judges, Paul Hollywood and Prue Leith (and previously Mary Berry), whose commentary on food is delightful even when critical. Then there are the intrepid guest bakers from all over the U.K., competing for money, glory, and getting to drop the next cheeky double entendre. And holding it all together are the amiable presenters, Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding.

But let’s not forget the quaint filming locations that set a charming backdrop for the show’s signature white tents. While season 1 was filmed in six locations corresponding to each week’s theme, the rest of the series has been more geographically consistent, featuring grand estates and lavish gardens.

Since it’s all about the timing, let’s not waste another second before exploring where The Great British Bake Off was filmed — and which spots you can visit.

Welford Park (Welford, West Berkshire, England)

Welford Park is practically a Bake Off institution, serving as a filming location for nine of the show’s 15 seasons. The luxurious estate was built in 1652 on what’s known as a monastic grange — a.k.a. acreage that once belonged to a monastery. In fact, Welford Park has its own church on the property in Welford St. Gregory, one of the only round tower churches in the Berkshire region.

While the estate is occupied year-round with tenants, it’s open to the public for a few weeks during snowdrop season between January and March. This window allows visitors to Welford Park’s delicate winter blooms — and get a peek at where the Bake Off magic takes place.

Down Hall (Hatfield Heath, Essex, England)

During the COVID-19 pandemic’s early months, Bake Off filmed two shorter seasons — its 11th and 12th — at the Italianate mansion Down Hall in Essex, as it allowed contestants to live in a quarantine bubble on estate grounds for the duration of filming.

Down Hall has a long history dating back to at least the 11th century. The manor has since changed many hands — being sold, transferred, and passed down — while undergoing various redesigns, replacements, and reconstructions.

In 1873, the version we know today was completed. The sprawling property is currently a four-star hotel, including protected woodlands, a conference site, and a wedding venue open for visitors year-round.

Related: Big Brother star and actress Alison Hammond replaces Matt Lucas as Great British Baking Show host

Valentines Mansion (Ilford, East London, England)

The Great British Bake Off’s sophomore season was filmed at Valentines Mansion, a 1696 home in London’s Redbridge borough within Valentines Park, a 128-acre property featuring gardens, a lake, picnic areas, and renowned cricket grounds.

Valentines Mansion is fully renovated in Victorian style and open to the public on Sundays and Mondays. Even better? The tours are free. It’s also a popular spot for conferences and weddings — and cooking shows! — bringing some old-world charm to present-day events.

Harptree Court (East Harptree, Somerset, England)

To experience the backdrop of Bake Off’s third and fourth seasons, you must travel to Harptree Court in Somerset. It was built in 1797 — making it one of the newer locations featured in the show — by affluent businessman Joshua Scrope. Architect Charles Harcourt Masters designed the stunning home in a neoclassical style.

A stream flanks the property, as well as manicured forests and greenery. Unfortunately for GBBO fans, Harptree Court is a private residence and not open to the public, except for what you can see from a distance.

Kingham (The Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England)

GBBO’s first season switched locations each episode. The pilot, which had a “cakes” theme, was filmed in the picturesque Cotswolds — specifically Kingham, a quintessentially British village with stone cottages and winding paths like something out of a fairy tale.

The Cotswolds’ photogenic towns and villages have served as the backdrop for many movies and TV shows, including Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), Downton Abbey (2010–2015), and Nancy Meyers’ Christmas rom-com The Holiday (2006). It’s also where GBBO judge Prue Leith calls home. When not evaluating the consistency of cake batter, she lives in one of the so-called “chocolate box” houses in the village of Moreton-in-Marsh.

But in Kingham, a small town with fewer than 1,000 people, Bake Off found a hidden gem that has retained its seclusion and anonymity. Fans who do make the trek will be able to stay in one of the same stone cottages. There’s also a variety of hotels and bed and breakfasts throughout the region where visitors can soak up the countryside charm — including local bakeries.

Scone Palace (Perth, Scotland)

For GBBO’s episode 2 biscuits challenge, the contestants worked out of the fabulous white tent at the appropriately named Scone Palace in Perthshire, Scotland.

Scone Palace isn’t actually known for bread treats; instead, it’s where Scottish kings were once crowned among its majestic halls and storied grounds. The building looks like a picturebook castle from a medieval story, with its turrets, towers, and imposing front gate.

While the Earl of Mansfield currently lives there with his family, Scone Palace is open daily for tours for about seven months out of the year. It also has special visitation hours for wings of the estate that aren’t generally open to the public.

Related: The Great British Baking Show has nixed country-themed episodes for its new season: 'The world has changed'

Sandwich (Kent, England)

The Great British Bake Off’s bread challenge in season 1 was filmed in Sandwich, Kent, with the backdrop of Sarre Windmill in the distance. Sandwiches are commonly known as a meal served between two slices of bread, but the original meaning is a market town on sandy soil — and that’s exactly what the village of Sandwich is.

Like the Cotswolds, it’s speckled with cozy cottage houses, quaint bridges over streams, and the aforementioned Sarre Windmill, an iconic local spot open to visitors year-round — though the windmill has not been functional in many years.

Bakewell (Derbyshire, England)

Continuing the first season’s punny town jumping, week 4’s pudding challenge was filmed in Bakewell, a small Derbyshire town in the East Midlands. This area is home to fewer than 4,000 residents, sitting on the River Wye and offering beautiful countryside views.

Bakewell has several signature dishes, including the jam pastry Bakewell Pudding and the Bakewell Tart, a shortcrust pastry made with jam and almonds. There are three specialty bakeries in town where you can try these local treats — the Bakewell Tart Shop and Coffee House, Bloomers of Bakewell, and the Old Original Bakewell Pudding Shop — as well as bed and breakfasts for visitors to soak in the enchanting atmosphere.

Mousehole (Cornwall, England)

For lovers of England and its culture, GBBO filming season 1’s Pastry Week at Mousehole is a clever bit of wordplay: “mousehole” is old English slang for pastries. It’s one of many very British jokes embedded throughout the program.

Mousehole is not predominantly known for pastries, but rather as a fishing port on Mount’s Bay. The village, which has a unique enclosed harbor, is a designation of the Cornwall Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, giving it protections equivalent to a National Park. There are several bed and breakfasts and hotels for Bake Off fans who want to visit every location.

Fulham Palace (Fulham, London, England)

What could be a more perfect locale for a tea party than a palace? (Other than the Mad Hatter’s table, that is.) For its season 1 finale, The Great British Bake Off elected to go with London’s Fulham Palace as the backdrop for the soon-to-be iconic white tents.

The palace is open to visitors daily for free walkarounds and tours. There’s also a museum on the grounds that explores the site’s history, which dates all the way back to prehistoric times.

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