Saltburn makes Northamptonshire the latest bucket-list holiday spot

Saltburn might be hailed for its shocking moments — including that shocking bathwater sex scene — but the thriller/comedy has also put Northamptonshire on the map. 

The majority of filming for the queer movie takes place at an estate in the English countryside, with the mansion hosting debauched parties, clandestine escapades and a hearty serving of awkward dinners. 

Drayton House in Northamptonshire is just one of the filming locations for the November 2023 flick. The family estate of heartthrob Felix Catton (played by Jacob Elordi) in the movie is setting the internet ablaze, and the region in which it’s filmed has since become a hit for tourists. 

The stately home near Lowick Village is a private home owned by the Sackville family and is not usually open to the public. But this hasn’t stopped viewers from heading to the area to catch a glimpse of the mansion where it all happens.

Google searches for “Holidays in Northamptonshire” have experienced an 11,000% increase over the past month, according to data from booking software Bókun, with fans desperate to visit the filming location. 

One local social media user, Rhian Williams, posted a series of TikTok videos sharing “how to get to Saltburn” and visit the stately home. “I knew there’d be interest,” Rhian said to the BBC. “But I didn’t think it would be like this.”

She continued: “I was the first one to do a kind of ‘how to get there’ video and I knew it would work well on TikTok. Views are really great, but what’s really important with TikTok is how much engagement you get from what you create, and I’ve had such brilliant engagement.

“I’m sort of playing tourist information service at the moment,” she added of the comments she has received beneath her videos. “I’m being asked everything from ‘is there flooding in the area?’ to where people can stay to go and look at it.”

Samuel Jeffries, the senior growth marketing manager of Bókun, said: “The influence of cult media on tourism is a fascinating phenomenon that continues to shape travel trends globally. We’ve witnessed this with iconic franchises such as Harry Potter, Downton Abbey and Friends, where on-screen magic translates into real-world tourism, breathing new life into destinations.

“It’s remarkable how a film can not only captivate its audience but inspire them to want to explore the locations where their favourite scenes were filmed. What is particularly interesting about Saltburn is it currently shows no signs of slowing down,” he continued.

“That sustained interest reflects the appeal of the movie overall. We are excited to see how this trend unfolds and how it contributes to the broader evolution of the tourism industry.”