There’s a new Jane Austen adaptation landing on Netflix this week – and much of it was filmed here in Bath, where the author once lived and wrote.

The witty, modern update on Austen’s sixth novel, Persuasion, is available to stream from 15^th July and stars Dakota Johnson as heroine Anne Elliot. The story follows Anne’s reconnection and second chance at love with former fiancé Captain Frederick Wentworth (Cosmo Jarvis), who she was persuaded not to marry eight years earlier because of his humble background.

Image - Dakota Johnson as Anne Elliot in Persuasion, credit Netflix

The book is actually set in Bath, making the city’s Georgian architecture and scenic surroundings the perfect backdrop for the film. Discover key filming locations based in the city, so you can keep an eye out for them on screen and visit in real life.

Where was Persuasion filmed in Bath?

Bath Street 

Bath Street features cobbled paving and striking lines of colonnades running down each side. At the bottom of Bath Street lies the Cross Baths and Thermae Bath Spa. This area is known as the Spa Quarter of Bath, where the water bubbles up from the springs at a temperature of 46 degrees. Unadorned by shop signs and capturing eighteenth century Bath perfectly, Bath Street lends itself well to filming.  

Image - Filming on Bath Street, credit Netflix

Hot Bath Street 

Tucked behind the Cross Baths, Hot Bath Street is a paved lane that weaves through to Lower Borough Walls. Underneath the street is one of the Sacred Springs which feeds the Cross Baths.  

The Royal Crescent  

One of Bath’s most iconic landmarks makes an impressive backdrop for filming, so you won't miss it when it appears in Persuasion. The crescent – built between 1767 and 1775 – is arranged around a perfect lawn overlooking Royal Victoria Park and forms a sweeping crescent of 30 Grade I-listed terraced houses.   

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Image - Nikki Amuka-Bird and Dakota Johnson on the Royal Crescent, credit Netflix

Brock Street 

Brock street connects two of Bath’s most prominent pieces of architecture – the Royal Crescent and the Circus – and is lined with elegant Georgian townhouses.  

Gravel Walk 

Gravel Walk is one of the city’s most famous walks. Built in 1771, the wide gravel-covered walkway links the Royal Crescent and the Circus with Queen Square, which sits further down the hill. Known as a lover’s lane in Jane Austen’s era, the path was a route for sedan chairs heading to and from the town centre. Gravel Walk is the setting for a love scene between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth in the novel Persuasion.   

Explore More of Jane Austen’s Bath

If Persuasion leaves you eager to further explore the world of Austen and her Regency romances, Bath is a must visit and The Jane Austen Centre is the perfect starting point. The museum gives a snapshot of what life was like during the writer’s life, as well as exploring how the city impacted her work.

Image - The Jane Austen Centre

Lovers of the 1996 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility will enjoy poring over a signed copy of Emma Thompson’s film script, as well as behind-the-scenes photos, her diaries from filming, and letters to the centre. Finish up with a traditional afternoon tea in the Regency Tea Room.

Mingle with other Janeites at The Jane Austen Festival between the 9^th and 17^th September. A 10-day programme kicks off with a Regency Costumed Promenade, filling Bath’s Georgian streets with bonnets, soldiers, and drummers.

Image - The Jane Austen Festival

You can also experience Austen Fridays at Georgian house museum No.1 Royal Crescent. During these tours, passages and conversations from her novels bring to life the activities that took place in such domestic spaces.

Keep reading about ways to have a Jane Austen-themed trip to Bath.

What else is filmed in Bath?

Persuasion is far from the first film or TV series to use Bath as a filming location. The name Bridgerton might ring a bell – the city’s Georgian scenery was a swoon-worthy fit for Netflix’s record-breaking romance series. Both the 1995 and 2007 versions of Persuasion also star Bath, as do fellow Georgian period dramas The Duchess and Vanity Fair.

Image - Bridgerton filming at the Holburne Museum

Check out our guide to Bath on screen to find out where else you may have seen the city on film and TV without realising. 

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• Five Ways  to Enjoy a Bridgerton Break in Bath