Oxford is the actual setting for the original story, either in our world or in Lyra's. This is thus no surprise that many locations of the city appear in the TV-show. A city tour will provide many highlights for sraffies (see our
Oxford page), but those who notably enjoyed the show may quite easily find many places appearing in the Bad Wolf production:
- Radcliffe Square: central and iconic place of Oxford, due to its surrounding building and its central library rotonda, Lyra and Will go through this crowded square during their first visit together in our world. (S2E2)
- New College Lane: just a few yards north of Radcliffe square, this is a typical Oxford street with its famous bridge of sighs linling two of the nearby buildings. Lyra walks into this street before running in direction of where she expect (in vain) to find
Jordan College in our world. If you walk along this street surrounded by high grey stone walls, you will reach in the end the entrance of New College (see below). You may remind that Will texted his mummy right from this street. (S2E2)
- New College: this is the main location to depict Jordan College on screen, while the books rather chose Exeter College (Philip Pullman's former college). Depending on the time of year, you can visit the college, and could find familiar environment if you do, as the main
quadrangle with its central green (do not walk!) and outdoors appear in the show, just as the gardens (landing area for Asriel's gyropter and take-off area for his zeppelin) and its chapel (indoor set for the Boreal-Master face-to-face, and roof outdoors for Lyra and Roger,
though you won't be able to go up there!). The dæmons-statues on the roof do not exist however: they were numerically added, just as some other buildings on the landscape Lyra sees in her world (S1E1, S1E2, S1E3,...)
- Pitt-Rivers Museum: this ethnology museum is twined with its neighbor, the museum of natural sciences. Lyra visits the place while looking for Dr. Malone: she will discover there trepaned skulls and first meet Charles Latrom... (S2E2)
- Bodleian Library gardens: Will takes care of Lyra's wounds on a bench of these garden, just a few yards away from Radcliffe Square. These gardens, hidden behind the high walls of Brasenose Lane, right behind Exeter College, are not opened to tourists, though... (S2E2)
- Radcliffe Observatory: this facility of Green Templeton College, north of downtown, appear in the TV-show just as they are, next to the empty area where Lyra expects to find Jordan in our world - we can note that real and "our Oxford" do not really fit as Lyra uses
some weird directions to reach this point but let's call that the creative licence of the production! (S2E2)
- Botanic Garden: the most iconic place of the books appears in the TV-show but not as they do in the real world: if the entrance arch of the garden in the show is indeed in Oxford, next to the actual entrance of the garden (a very common door, while the arch is
commonly closed), it is fun to realize that the bench scenes from the show were shot in Wales, a few hundreds kilometers away from Oxford. However, you should still take time to enter, despite the high entry fee, and visit the garden and actual bench, carved with many hearts
and W and L letters over the years, and sided by a 3-dæmons sculpture... A must-see. (S2E2, S3E8)
- Magdalen College: this college on High Street, facing the Botanic Garden, is one of the most important in the city. Its most recent buildings and their gardens (no running!) were used to depict a fictive college from our world, St-Peter College, where Lyra finds
Dr. Mary Malone. (S2E2, S2E3)
- Merton Field: south of downtown, this sportfield is used as take-off ground for the zeppelin Lyra and Mrs Coulter use to travel to London. (S1E1)
- St. Aldate Street and High Street: parts of the main north-south and east-west roads in Oxford, respectively. They both appear to mark transition from one world to our world, usually busy with people and double-deck buses.
- ...
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S1E1
- Oxford by night: roofs of New College Chapel, Oxford
- Outdoor stairs, Jordan College: New College gardens, Oxford
- Jordan College (other than Oxford and studios):
- Attic, laundry and kitchen: Woodchester Mansion Trust, Nympsfield (Wales)
- Remparts: St Donat's Castle, (Atlantic College), St Donats, Wales *
- Gyptians settling ceremony: Blaenavon Ironworks, Blaenavon, Wales
- Meadow and fence, Jordan College: inner yard, New College, Oxford
- Oxford waterways: Gloucester and Sharpness canals, Gloucestershire
- Roofs of Jordan College: roofs of New College Chapel, Oxford
- Zeppelin landing mail: Merton Field, Oxford
S1E2
- Mrs Coulter's building (outdoors): Temple of Peace, Cardiff (with CGI additions) and Savoy Pl, London (background)
- Royal Arctic Institut (indoors): Temple of Peace, Cardiff
- Jordan Chapel: New College, Oxford
- Oxford (our world, first insights): High Street, Oxford
- Window, greenhouse: Blaise Orangery, Bristol
- Window, our Oxford: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
- Oxford (our world): St-John and Beaumont Streets (aerial view), than High Street, Sheldonian Theater and Ship Street (street views)
- Oxford (cafe): ...
- Gobblers hideout: Cory's Building, Cardiff
- London escape:
- Backside of Cardiff's city hall
- Glamorgan Building, Cardiff
S1E3
- Fight with Gobblers: Colston Hall's yard, Bristol
- London (aerial view): London (with CGI additions)
- Inner yard, Jordan College: inner quad, New College, Oxford
- Gyptian boatyard: Sharpness Docks, Gloucestershire
- Greenhouse portal: Blaise Orangery, Bristol
- Our Oxford, portal: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
- Oxford: High Street, Oxford.
- Waterways to the Fens: Gloucester and Sharpness Canals, Gloucestershire
- Thomas and Boreal's hideout: ...
- Under-the-bridge meeting: Dock Feeder Canal and Celerity Road bridge Cardiff
- Argument Ma Costa/Lyra: Purton Ship's Graveyard, Gloucestershire
S1E4
- Trollesund: Llangynidr Quarry, Crickhowell, Wales
- Magisterium HQ (outdoors and main staircase): Building of the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff
- Magisterium Alethiometer's reading room: Temple of Peace, Cardiff
- Meeting Coulter/Iofur: Clearwell Cave, Wales
S1E5
- Waterlily canal: Dock Feeder Canal, Cardiff
- Seaside with cliffs: Nash Point, Wales
- Will Parry's school: John Parcival Building (inner yard, TBC), Colum Drive, Cardiff
- Cave (Iorek's meal): Three Bears Cave, Forrest Fawr, Wales
S1E7
- Will Parry's school: John Parcival Building (main entrance), Colum Drive, Cardiff
- Waterlilies canal: Docl Feeder Canal, Cardiff
- Serafina/Lee's snowy encounter: ...
- Mr. Hanway's home: ...
S1E8
- Oxford, aerial bus view: Llandaff Bridge, Cardiff
- Fast-food: ...
- Will's escape: Clive Pl. and Church Avenue, Penarth, Wales
- Our Oxford, portal: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
S2E1
- Our Oxford, portal: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
- Lands of the Witches (aerial shore shot): fjord of Sørvágur and Tindhólmur, Faroe Islands
- Cittàgazzian shore (aerial views): Na Pali, Kauai, Hawaii
S2E2
- Our Oxford, portal: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
- Oxford:
- Radcliffe Square
- Sheldonian Theater, Bridge of Sights (New College Lane)
- Radcliffe Observatory (Green Templeton College)
- (first aid): Bodleian Library Gardens, Brasenose Lane
- Texting Mum: New College Lane
- Museum: Pitt-Rivers Museum
- M. Hanway's home: ...
- St-Peter College: Magdalen College (outdoors)
- At Perkins & Mathers: ...
- Botanic Garden (entrance arch): Botanic Garden, Oxford
- Botanic Garden (bench and inner views): Dewstow Gardens, Caldicot, Wales
- Lands of the Witches (aerial shore shot): fjord of Sørvágur and Tindhólmur, Faroe Islands
S2E3
- Oxford, St-Peter College (lawn and modern buildings): Magdalen College and Library, Oxford
- Oxford, St-Peter College (outdoors): Elmdale Road, Bristol
- Oxford, on the run: Church Avenue, Jubilee Lane and Clive Pl., Penarth, Wales
- Oxford, drop zone: Elmdale Road, Bristol
- Our Oxford, portal: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
- Movie Theater: ...
S2E4
- Yenissei River: Usk Reservoir, Brecon Beacons, Wales
- Witches' island (aerial views): Elliðaey island, Iceland
- Greenhouse portal: Blaise Orangery, Bristol
S2E5
- Our Oxford, portal: Plasturton Avenue/Gardens, Pontcanna area, Cardiff
- At Jopary's: Margam Country Park, Wales
S2E7
- Alamo woods: Forest of Dean, Wales
S3E1
- Woods: Wentwood Forest, Wales *
- Den of Mrs. Coulter: St Govan's Chapel, Wales (Pembrokeshire)
- Beach next to Mrs. Coulter's den: Dunraven Bay, Vale of Glamorgan
- Surroundings of Asriel's camp: Black Mountain range and Llyn y Fan Fach, Brecon Beacons National Park (Carmarthenshire), Wales
- Aerial views of Geneva; Salzburg, Austria (and CGI)
S3E2
- Den of Mrs. Coulter: St Govan's Chapel, Pays de Galles (Pembrokeshire)
- Ruins next to the den: Dunraven Castle, Wales
- Aerial views of Ogunwe's deserted camp: Houtouwan, China
S3E3
- The entrance to the land of the dead: Former BP plant, Baglan, Wales
S3E4
- The entrance to the land of the dead: Former BP plant, Baglan, Wales
- Aerial views of Geneva: Salzburg, Austria (and CGI)
- Magisterium HQ (outdoors): Building of the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff
S3E5
- Magisterium HQ (outdoors): Building of the Welsh Government, Cathays Park, Cardiff
- Mary's quest for amber bits: Benaoján, Cueva del Gato, Spain
S3E8
- Exit to the Land of the dead: Ardales - El Chorro, Spain
S3E8
- Mulefa's world:
- Wake-up next to the lake: Ardales - El Chorro, Spain
- Dry grass valley surrounded by grey mountains: Sierra de Grazalema, Villaluenga muicipality, Spain
- Bath, Will's akward moment and red fruits: Barranco Blanco, Spain
- sunrise and sunset above the mountain: Llano de Matagallar, Coín municipalty, Spain
- Exit to the Land of the dead: Ardales - El Chorro, Spain
- Talk with the dæmons: Spain
- Revelation of Xaphaniae to Will and Lyra: Benaoján - Cueva del Gato
- Final cut from the mulefa's world into Lyra's Oxford: Guadalhorce Valley, Álora municipality, Spain
- Flash-back of Mary's dinner in Lisbon: Ronda, Spain
- Oxford:
- Botanic Garden (entrance arch): Botanic Garden, Oxford
- Botanic Garden (bench and inner views): Dewstow Gardens, Caldicot, Wales
- College: New College, Oxford
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