Ancient colleges, Gothic halls, medieval libraries and quiet courtyards: Oxford University looks as though it was designed specifically for the cinema. Filmmakers seem to agree: for decades, the university and its individual colleges have been used as filming locations for famous films and TV series.
Ancient colleges, Gothic halls, medieval libraries and quiet courtyards: Oxford University looks as though it was designed specifically for the cinema. Filmmakers seem to agree: for decades, the university and its individual colleges have been used as filming locations for famous films and TV series.
The most famous example is, of course, Harry Potter. The first filming in Oxford took place as early as October 2000. One of the main locations was Christ Church: its famous staircase appears in the films, while the college itself became an important part of Hogwarts’ visual identity. But the real magic begins at the Bodleian Libraries. Duke Humfrey’s Library served as the Hogwarts library, while the Divinity School was transformed into the school’s hospital wing. These locations were used during the filming of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Oxford also has another instantly recognisable Harry Potter location – New College. Its medieval cloisters were used in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire for the scene in which Draco Malfoy is turned into a white ferret.
Filming at the Divinity School was no easy task. The scene was filmed continuously for 24 hours over a single weekend so that production could be completed by Monday without disrupting the university’s activities. More than 70 vehicles associated with the production gathered around Broad Street and Radcliffe Square during the shoot.
The Bodleian Libraries have an impressive list of film and television credits. Productions filmed here include The Favourite, starring Olivia Colman, Mary Queen of Scots, The Aeronauts, Transformers: The Last Knight, X-Men: First Class and Testament of Youth. For example, The Favourite used the Divinity School and Convocation House, while in The Aeronauts, Convocation House portrayed a meeting room of the Royal Society. In X-Men: First Class, one of Oxford’s locations also became part of the storyline, while Transformers: The Last Knight was filmed directly inside the Divinity School. More recent productions include Wonka (2023), His Dark Materials and My Oxford Year (2025). The Bodleian Libraries confirm that scenes for Wonka were filmed in the Old Schools Quad and Clarendon Quad, while My Oxford Year used Duke Humfrey’s Library and the Old Schools Quad.
Oxford is particularly well suited to detective stories. This is why university locations have become an integral part of Inspector Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. New College, for example, appeared in several episodes of Inspector Morse. The college’s archives even contain documents relating to discussions about granting permission to film there. Some members of the teaching staff were against the idea at first, but a vote eventually allowed the series to be filmed at the college.Why is Oxford such a popular filming location?Because Oxford hardly needs any sets. Medieval cloisters can become Hogwarts, an ancient library can transport viewers into a fantasy world, and a university courtyard can serve as the backdrop for a period drama. And this is no coincidence: the Bodleian Libraries officially welcome film crews and offer historic interiors and quadrangles as filming locations. The University of Oxford also works directly with film companies, and its locations have appeared in everything from major Hollywood productions to popular British television series.
So, the next time you see an ancient courtyard, a library or a Gothic corridor in a film, take a closer look. It may not be a set at all, it could be the real Oxford, a university that has had a film career of its own for decades.
