Stars of the screen
Find out which historic houses and dramatic landscapes you can see on-screen, from popular TV dramas to brand new films.
Springhill, a 17th-century plantation home in Northern Ireland cared for by the National Trust, welcomed some major stars including Jamie Dornan for the filming of the BBC drama Death and Nightingales.
Death and Nightingales is a 2018 BBC adaptation of Eugene McCabe's modern Irish classic novel, starring Jamie Dornan, Matthew Rhys and Anne Skelly. Directed by Allan Cubitt, who previously directed Jamie Dornan in The Fall, the three-part series is set in the beautiful haunting countryside of Fermanagh in 1885 and tells the story of a tense 24-hour period.
Through the events of a single day in the life of Beth Winters, played by Anne Skelly, we see decades of pain, betrayal, and resentment build to a devastating climax. The drama follows Beth, who is celebrating her 23rd birthday and decides to join the charming Liam Ward, played by Dornan, to escape from her unhappy life and difficult relationship with her landowner stepfather Billy, played by Matthew Rhys.
Although set in Fermanagh, Death and Nightingales was filmed at various locations across Northern Ireland, including Springhill near Cookstown, Tollymore and Strangford.
Providing an authentic setting for the period drama, Springhill plays a central role in the series as the Winters’ family home where much of the story unfolds. In order to accommodate the filming schedule, Springhill was closed to the public for much of May and June, with staff and volunteers assisting the production team on site.
Production company The Imaginarium chose to film at Springhill because the well-preserved house was the ideal location for a late 19th-century gentleman’s residence to be recreated.
The plantation house dates from the late 17th century, which correlates with the story in Death and Nightingales. Billy Winters' grandfather would have bought the house and surrounding land around 1800 and built extensions to the existing house at that time. So, Springhill perfectly reflects the story of the Protestant Winters family in its history and architecture.
Screen tourism is a major growth industry in Northern Ireland and many of the places we look after have benefited from being used as film locations. The global success of HBO’s Game of Thrones brings thousands of people to Castle Ward in County Down each year, all eager to explore the authentic film location of Winterfell. Kearney, Mount Stewart, Crom, Divis and the Black Mountain and Portstewart Strand have all provided settings for films and TV dramas, with Springhill now claiming its place alongside them.
As well as showing off beautiful locations, filming directly benefits the places in our care that star in the production. The income from location fees goes straight back into conservation work to care for historic houses and landscapes, so that we’ll all be able to see them both on screen and in real life for years to come.
Find out which historic houses and dramatic landscapes you can see on-screen, from popular TV dramas to brand new films.
Part of the collection of historic textiles at Springhill House, the Court Mantua dress was made for attendance at court in the 1740s and made a special appearance at a royal ball.
From the glistening birch bark in winter to meadows full of buttercups in summer, the garden and grounds at Springhill have something to see in every season.
Discover historical stories at Springhill. Learn about the colourful history of the walled garden and the story of Mina Lowry Lenox Conyngham, a previous resident of the house.
Step back in history on a visit to Springhill, often referred to as 'one of the prettiest houses in Ulster'.
Discover all you need to know about bringing a group visit to Springhill including guided tours and education group visits.
Discover volunteering opportunities at Springhill and learn about what volunteering involves.
Take a look at some of the important conservation work that takes place every day at Springhill to look after this special place.
Fancy taking a break somewhere you've seen on screen? From The Secret Garden to Game of Thrones and Harry Potter, many of the places we care for have been filming locations for much-loved movies and TV shows.