Want to know where Saltburn was filmed? Get the low down on Saltburn filming locations in Oxford, London and Northamptonshire from an Oxford University grad.
Saltburn was one of the most talked about films at the end of 2023 and I don’t think anyone who’s seen it will look at a bathtub in quite the same way again.
Saltburn Summary
It’s a black comedy and psychological thriller with a few twisted scenes that nobody could have seen coming.
The story begins at Oxford University in 2006 where we meet scholarship student Oliver Quick (Barry Keogan) and blue-blooded Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi). Oliver struggles to fit in and is mocked for having actually read the reading list before term starts and borrowing a black tie suit.
Felix and Oliver are an unlikely pairing, but when Felix learns of Oliver’s difficult home situation – he shares that his parents struggle with their mental health and addiction – he sympathises with him and takes him under his wing.
Towards the end of the school year, Oliver’s father suddenly passes away, and Felix invites Oliver to spend the summer at his family home, Saltburn. Oliver meets Felix’s affluent family and whilst awkward at first, he slowly assimilates to their privileged way of life over the course of the summer.
I won’t share any more, as the latter half of the film doles out plot twist after plot twist, but it’s definitely worth a watch as there’s lots to say about this film.
Saltburn Filming Locations
Saltburn has been described as a modern Brideshead Revisited, and whilst I wouldn’t necessarily agree with that description, the stories both focus on class and privilege at Oxford University.
Many a fanciful story about what life at Oxford University is like has been written, and many films have chosen this beautiful town and university as their backdrop, but few manage to capture the true essence of what being a student at Oxford University is like with any sort of accuracy.
But Saltburn comes closest.
This film was written, directed and co-produced by Emerald Fennell, who was herself an English student at Oxford University in the early 2000s, when this film is set. It makes sense then that this film would be a relatively accurate depiction of student life at Oxford University.
But was Saltburn filmed at Oxford University in real life? Yes, it was! Whilst “Webbe” College is fictional, the locations used are real.
I lived and studied in Oxford for four years and so I am very familiar with the city, its colleges and libraries. And I was delighted to see that lots of my favourite places in Oxford feature in Saltburn. Here are all the Salburn locations in Oxford I spotted.
Saltburn in Oxford
Radcliffe Square
The film opens with a shot of Oliver walking through Radcliffe Square, with the beautiful Radcliffe Camera library sitting squarely in the middle. He walks around the back of Rad Cam towards Brasenose College on his right, which is given the name Webbe in this fictional tale.
READ MORE: Where to Get the Best Views of the Radcliffe Camera
Brasenose College
The first college takes place in Brasenose College hall which is where Oliver meets the very nerdy Michael. This is where real-life Brasenose students eat every evening.
In the film, you see the students dining in their “commoner’s gowns”, which is the name for the undergraduate gown at Oxford, in a hall lined with wooden panels and old portraits. Students usually need to wear these gowns to more formal dinners at Oxford University.
Later, the inside of Brasenose College is used before the college ball. You see Farleigh telling Oliver that his sleeves are too long in one of the quads in Brasenose College, with the Radcliffe Camera looming in the background.
READ MORE: 10 Most Beautiful Oxford Colleges
Magdalen College Library
The library scene is filmed in Magdalen College’s old library. A beautiful 15th-century library with wooden shelves flanking both sides and a beautiful stained glass window at the end.
This is where Michael tells Ollie that there’s a college party that evening and they’re “NFI” – Not F***ing Invited.
READ MORE: Inside 9 of Oxford University’s Most Beautiful Libraries
Magdalen College Grounds
Madgaden College is one of the most beautiful in Oxford so it’s no surprise they used it as the backdrop for the college ball. Felix says he’s been thinking about Ollie and how he’s had a s*** time lately, and you can see the New Building at Magdalen College in the background.
The pair then stand on a bridge with the stunning Garden Gates behind them and the River Cherwell running underneath. Here, Felix suggests that Oliver write the name of his dad on a stone and they throw it into the river.
Ollie throws the stone, but he misses the water and it lands on the side and remains out of the water. Which is interesting given later events in the film…
It is also sitting on the bridge here that Felix suggests that Ollie come to Saltburn for the summer.
READ MORE: What to Do on a Day Trip to Oxford
Addison’s Walk
When Felix punctures his bike and is late to class, Oliver offers to lend him his bike. Bearing in mind Felix doesn’t even know Oliver’s name at this point, it’s a suspiciously generous offer! Felix then tells Ollie he loves him and kisses his helmet.
This scene takes place on Addison Walk, a lovely pathway following the river in Magdalen College grounds.
Divinity School
The outside of the Bodleian Library and the Divinity School is seen very briefly as Oliver and Felix finish their exams and are met with confetti and drinks.
There is an age-old Oxford tradition that students get “trashed” when they exit the exam hall after their final exam, though the university has cracked down on this practice in recent years.
Trashing used to involve students being showered with bubbles (usually lambrini or cheap cava), silly string, confetti and glitter or flour, eggs and old milk if you were unlucky.
Or if you were really unlucky like one of my friends then you might even be met with curry sauce and a dead fish. Yes, really.
Students usually exit Exam Schools via an exit on Merton Street, which is a little more tucked away than the front of the Divinity Schools used in the film.
READ MORE: Guide to Harry Potter in Oxford
St Hugh’s College Grounds
St Hugh’s is a college quite far out of the centre of Oxford which puts lots of students off applying there, but it does mean that the college enjoys large green gardens that some of the more central colleges don’t have.
I understand that St Hugh’s college gardens also feature as the backdrop in the early Saltburn scenes.
Other Oxford locations
Other Oxford locations that are mentioned but don’t actually feature in the film include Iffley Road, where Felix’s tutorial supposedly is, and the King’s Arms pub, where Oliver struggles to find the change to pay for his round of beers. There is a King’s Arms pub in Oxford, but the pub used in this scene is not it.
Saltburn in London
Towards the end of the film, Oliver meets Elspeth again at a cafe in London. Oliver sits typing away at his laptop when Elspeth walks in. This is the elegant Launceston Place in Kensington. It’s very pricey but allegedly a hidden gem. I’d love to visit!
Saltburn in Northamptonshire
Last, but certainly not least, I’m sure you’re wondering whether Saltburn is real and where it is.
Drayton House
Felix Catton’s family manor is Drayton House in Northamptonshire. Fennell was keen to use a property that had never been seen before on film so that it would seem real to audiences, and they managed to persuade the owners of Drayton House to offer up their home for this film.
Drayton House is private property, that has never been photographed or used in films before. It is therefore not open to visitors.
Check out this article on Architectural Digest for all the details.
Deene Park
However, another Northamptonshire location used in the film is Deene Park. Here the 18th-century upcycled stone bridge is used for the scene where the family members throw a stone in the river after Felix’s death.
The house and gardens are available to visit on a few days each month and you can see the schedule and book tickets here.
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Laura
Editor of What’s Hot?