Where is the real Kingdom of Florin from “The Princess Bride”?
The movie kicks off with Westley and Buttercup living in Prince Humperdinck’s fictional kingdom, Florin. There are a couple of locations we see early on in Florin that will definitely make you ask: where was “The Princess Bride” filmed?
The first is Buttercup’s farm, where Westley works as a farmhand, and the two form their love. According to ScreenRant, they filmed the scenes at the farm at the real-life farm of Bradley Rocks. It’s near Birchover, England, the area is home to plenty of footpaths for people to explore the bucolic area.
The establishing shots of Buttercup’s farm are said to have been taken on a footpath near Robin Hood’s Stride. This was also the location of Westley’s duel with Andre the Giant’s loveable character, Fezzik.
The other prominent location in Florin is, of course, Humperdinck’s castle. IMDB reports that they shot these scenes at Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. It was also a filming location for 2005’s “Pride and Prejudice” along with the 1986, 1996, and 2005 adaptations of “Jane Eyre.”
The historic Medieval manor house has been immaculately maintained, which led to Carey Elwes having this to say about his time shooting there: “With its grand Tudor architecture and an abundance of medieval accouterments, the place was almost like a movie set in itself. It provoked the right combination of epic scale and intimacy.”
Where did they film the Cliffs of Insanity in “The Princess Bride”?
Memorable not only for their evocative name, the Cliffs of Insanity is another real-life movie location. In fact, it is sure to make you ask the question: where was “The Princess Bride” filmed?
According to The Cinemaholic, this is the Cliffs of Moher, a popular tourist destination in County Clare, Ireland. You may have also seen the cliffs in “Snow White and the Huntsman”. Plus, fans of Harry Potter might remember the scene where Dumbledore takes Harry to find a Horcrux along a rocky beach in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.”
Once the characters brave the cliffs and reach the top, they encounter old ruins. Movie-Locations.com reports that these ruins were built in a set. However, when they return to their travels, they find themselves in Derbyshire’s Peak District.
Westley, disguised as the Dread Pirate Roberts, fails to disclose his identity to Buttercup, and it leads to him being sent tumbling down a hill from her shove. Only when she hears him shout, “As you wish!” does she realize his true identity and tumbles down after. They shot this iconic scene in Cave Dale, south of Castleton.
Other notable “The Princess Bride” filming locations
As a classic movie from the 80s, the movie didn’t rely on CGI to get its beautiful locations. There are so many opportunities to ask the question: where was “The Princess Bride” filmed?
The final sequence of the movie takes us back to Humperdinck’s castle. However, Movie-Locations.com reports that the final fight between Inigo Montoya and Count Rugen wasn’t shot at Haddon Hall. Apparently, all of the interiors were shot at Penshurst Place, the family home of the Viscount de L’Isle, in Kent. This isn’t the first sword fight put to film at Penshurst Place. A fencing match took place in the same room in 1985’s “Young Sherlock Holmes.”
While we have covered so many gorgeous exterior shooting locations today, there are still a few shots from the movie that had to be completed on constructed sets.
According to Screen Rant, all of the sets were constructed at Shepperton Studios in Surrey. This includes the scene with the shrieking eels, Miracle Max’s hut, and all of the scenes between the grandfather and grandson.
IMDB lists some of the other films that have been produced here, which include “Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith” and “Mary, Queen of Scots.”
Speaking of “Star Wars,” check out all of our amazing May the Fourth dinner ideas here!
