Oxford's colleges and libraries doubled as Hogwarts, Jordan College, and Endeavour's beat. Here is where to find each site and which screen tour suits.
Oxford hosts filming sites for Harry Potter, Endeavour, Saltburn, His Dark Materials, and many more. Headliners include Christ Church College, the Bodleian Library, and Radcliffe Square, most reachable on foot. Fans of Inspector Morse can join a dedicated walking tour, while Harry Potter locations sit inside ticketed colleges best visited on timed entry or guided tours.
Oxford may be the most filmed small city in Britain. Its quads, staircases, and libraries have stood in for Hogwarts, Jordan College, and half a dozen fictional universities, while detectives Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour have patrolled its streets across 102 episodes of the Morse franchise alone. Oxfordshire as a whole has hosted more than 40 movies.
Most sites cluster in the compact city center. A visitor can walk from the Divinity School to Radcliffe Square to the Bridge of Sighs in under ten minutes, filling a full day without transport. Blenheim Palace, used for Bridgerton and Spectre, sits in nearby Woodstock and makes a good second day.
The productions below explain why Oxford keeps appearing on screen. The university's medieval architecture needs almost no set dressing, which is why the same buildings recur across fantasy epics, period dramas, and detective series spanning nearly four decades.
| Title | Year | Type | What was filmed here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | 2001 | Film | Christ Church College staircase and cloisters as Hogwarts interiors; Bodleian Divinity School as infirmary |
| Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | 2002 | Film | Christ Church College locations and Bodleian Library |
| Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 2005 | Film | New College cloisters; Bodleian Divinity School |
| Endeavour | 2012-2023 | TV | Radcliffe Square, Bodleian Library, Bridge of Sighs, Christ Church Meadow across multiple episodes |
| Saltburn | 2023 | Film | Radcliffe Square, Magdalen College, St Hugh’s College, Brasenose College |
| My Oxford Year | 2025 | Film | Magdalen College, St Hugh’s College, Hertford College, Bodleian Library, Radcliffe Camera |
| Wonka | 2023 | Film | Bodleian Old Schools Quad and Clarendon Quad |
| Inspector Morse | 1987-2000 | TV | Multiple Oxford colleges, pubs, and streets |
| His Dark Materials | 2019-2022 | TV | Exeter College as Jordan College; Bodleian Library |
| Bridgerton | 2020- | TV | Blenheim Palace exteriors and grounds |
| A Discovery of Witches | 2018-2022 | TV | Duke Humfrey’s Library, Bodleian, Exeter College, Covered Market |
| The Favourite | 2018 | Film | Bodleian Divinity School and Convocation House |
| Mary Queen of Scots | 2018 | Film | Bodleian Divinity School and Old Schools Quad |
| Shadowlands | 1993 | Film | Sheldonian Theatre, Magdalen College, Duke Humfrey’s Library |
| Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again | 2018 | Film | New College |
| Spectre | 2015 | Film | Blenheim Palace |
| The Golden Compass | 2007 | Film | Bodleian Library |
12 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Oxfordshire, Oxford Ticketed
Filmed here: Staircase (Hogwarts arrival), cloisters
The grandest of the Oxford colleges supplied the Hogwarts staircase, where first years arrive, and the cloisters seen in the early Harry Potter films. Access is by paid ticket and the college runs public tours; hours and fees vary, so check the college website before visiting. It is the single most popular screen tourism stop in Oxford.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Ticketed
Filmed here: Hogwarts library and infirmary; various library scenes
The Divinity School became the Hogwarts infirmary, while Duke Humfrey's Library served as the Hogwarts library. The same rooms appear in Wonka, A Discovery of Witches, and The Favourite. Entry is ticketed; the Divinity School is often accessible while Duke Humfrey's requires a guided tour, and filming restrictions apply during productions.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Free to see
Filmed here: Exterior square and camera building scenes
The circular library and its surrounding square feature in Saltburn, Endeavour, and My Oxford Year. It is one of the easiest stops: exterior views are free and the square is pedestrian friendly, though it gets busy with tourists. Pair it with the Bodleian just steps away.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Ticketed
Filmed here: Cloisters and courtyard (ferret scene)
New College cloisters appear in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, including the scene with the ferret, and the college also turned up in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Access is ticketed, with visitor entry by guided or self-guided tours. The cloister lawn and medieval walls are the draw.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Ticketed
Filmed here: College grounds and buildings
Magdalen's grounds and buildings appear in Saltburn, My Oxford Year, and the 1993 film Shadowlands. The college is ticketed and popular with tour groups, so check opening times before arriving. Its riverside walks and deer park make it one of the more scenic filming stops.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Free to see
Filmed here: Bridge exteriors
Oxford's Bridge of Sighs, properly Hertford Bridge, appears in Endeavour. It is free to view from street level and forms part of Hertford College, which also features in My Oxford Year. A quick photo stop on any walking route through the center.
Oxfordshire, Woodstock Ticketed
Filmed here: Palace and grounds as period settings
The palace and grounds at Woodstock, a UNESCO site, served as period settings for Bridgerton and appeared in the Bond film Spectre. Entry is ticketed and the estate is a major attraction in its own right, with palace tours and extensive grounds. Allow half a day; it sits outside the city but is reachable by bus or car.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Ticketed
Filmed here: Theatre exteriors and interiors
Christopher Wren's Sheldonian appears in Shadowlands and Endeavour, both exteriors and interiors. Entry is ticketed, and the venue hosts concerts and tours. Its cupola offers one of the best rooftop views over the spires seen in so many of these productions.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Ticketed
Filmed here: Jordan College and other scenes
Exeter College stood in for Jordan College in His Dark Materials and also appears in A Discovery of Witches. Visitor access is limited, so check the college site before planning a stop. The college sits near the Bodleian, so it is easy to combine with a library tour.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Free to see
Filmed here: Market scenes
The historic Covered Market features in A Discovery of Witches. It is open to the public, free to enter, and full of food stalls and independent shops, which makes it a practical lunch stop in the middle of a filming locations walk.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Outside only
Filmed here: College buildings
St Hugh's College appears in both Saltburn and My Oxford Year. Access is mainly exterior only, though the gardens sometimes open to visitors. It sits north of the city center, a longer walk from the main cluster of filming sites.
Oxfordshire, Oxford Outside only
Filmed here: College scenes
Hertford College features in My Oxford Year and is best known for its connection to the Bridge of Sighs next door. Viewing is exterior only, and it takes minutes to combine with a photo of the bridge itself.
Oxford has no working film studio open to visitors, but the city supports a healthy screen tourism trade. The Oxford On Screen Walking Tour runs 2-hour public or private walks from the Cool Britannia gift shop at 23-25 Broad Street, covering Harry Potter, Saltburn, Morse, and more, bookable through Experience Oxfordshire. Behind the scenes, the Bodleian Libraries actively welcome commercial filming crews, and university locations are coordinated via the Oxford University Media Production Unit, so expect occasional closures when a production is in town.
Bookable tours focus on the Morse universe, which makes sense given 102 franchise episodes shot here. All options below are guided walking tours of Oxford's detective filming locations, covering Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour sites. They differ mainly in group size, price, and review volume.
Morse, Lewis and Endeavour Walking Tour of Oxford
At $34.42 with 768 reviews and a 4.7 rating, this is the most battle-tested option and a safe default pick.
Inspector Morse, Lewis and Endeavour Oxford Walking Tour
A 4.8 rating across 627 reviews makes this one of the strongest-reviewed Morse tours available.
Oxford: Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour Small Group Tour
A capped group size with a 4.8 rating from 226 reviews, suited to travelers who prefer a less crowded walk at $53.62.
Oxford: Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour Walking Tour
The lowest priced option at $39.71, though only 7 reviews so far, for travelers happy to take a chance on a newer listing.
Oxford: Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour Walking Tour
A 5.0 rating from 3 reviews, priced at $33.66 for travelers who like a smaller operator.
Christ Church College provided the Hogwarts arrival staircase and cloisters, the Bodleian Divinity School became the infirmary, and New College cloisters appear in Goblet of Fire. All three are ticketed sites; the Divinity School is often the easiest to see on a short visit.
Yes. Radcliffe Square is free to view, while Magdalen College is ticketed and St Hugh's College is mainly exterior only. All three appear in the 2023 film alongside other Oxford settings.
The Morse, Lewis, and Endeavour walking tours are the strongest fit. The $34.42 option carries 768 reviews at 4.7, while a small-group version at $53.62 holds 4.8 from 226 reviews. Both cover sites from across the franchise.
Some are. Radcliffe Square, the Bridge of Sighs, and the Covered Market are public and free. The main Harry Potter sites, including Christ Church, the Bodleian, and New College, require tickets, as do Blenheim Palace and Magdalen College.
A focused half day covers the central cluster on foot: Christ Church, the Bodleian, Radcliffe Square, New College, and the Bridge of Sighs. Add a second day for Magdalen, Exeter College, and Blenheim Palace in Woodstock. A 2-hour guided screen tour covers the highlights.
Yes, particularly Radcliffe Square and the areas around the Bodleian. Visiting colleges early in the day helps, and booking Bodleian tours or Christ Church entry in advance avoids disappointment. Filming productions occasionally close rooms, so check ahead.
Oxford rewards two kinds of screen tourist: the planner who books college tickets and a Bodleian tour in advance, and the wanderer content with free exteriors around Radcliffe Square. Either way, one full day in the center covers most of the Harry Potter, Saltburn, and Endeavour sites, with Blenheim Palace as an easy extension. Morse fans should pick a walking tour early, since slots on the best reviewed walks fill fastest.
Before You Go
The tours travellers book most for Oxford.
