Lacock
Abbey was featured in the first two Harry Potter films and also with
the village of Lacock for some of the subsequent films.
The Abbey's cloisters and side rooms were transformed into the classrooms
at Hogwarts School while the location was also used for Harry's discovery
of the Mirror of Erised.
Today
the property is owned by the National Trust and the public can visit. |
Laock
Abbey As A Harry Potter Film Location |
There
is much more to Lacock Abbey that is worthwhile than the Harry Potter
links. The Abbey was originally founded in 1232 and for over 300 hundred
years functioned as a nunnery with up to around 25 nuns. The fine
medieval cloisters, sacristy, chapter house and monastic rooms of
the Abbey have survived largely intact.
When Henry VIII transformed England in the 16th Century during the
reformation, Lacock like nearly all similar establishments were closed
down and Lacock Abbey reverted to being a Country House. The Sharington/Talbot
family subsequently lived in the Abbey right up until about 50 years
ago when the National Trust took over Lacock. |
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Side
Rooms and Cloisters Used For Harry Potter's Hogwarts School
Harry Potter And The Philospers Stone / Harry Potter And Chamber of
Secrets |
| William
Henry Fox Talbot (1800-77) was one of the Fox Talbot Family who lived
and owned Lacock Abbey. He is remembered for his pioneering work with
photography, there is a museum to Fox Talbot as part of the entrance
complex to Lacock Abbey, and is part of admission to Lacock Abbey |
William
Henry Fox Talbot carried experiments in the mid 1830s led him to discover
the negative/positive photographic process.
In 1834, Talbot experimented with a process which he called photogenic
drawing: coating drawing paper with salt solution and after it had
dried, adding a solution of silver nitrate. By placing a leaf, or
fern, or a piece of lace, on the paper's surface and exposing it to
the sun, he obtained an image.
In
1835, Talbot made the earliest known surviving photographic negative
using a camera, a small photogenic drawing of the latticed window
in the south gallery of Lacock Abbey.
Talbot's findings were announced on 31st January 1839, one of the
first official announcements of the birth of photography.
He discovered that paper treated with a coating of silver iodide,
exposed in camera, and developed in gallic acid mixed with silver
nitrate and acetic acid would bring out a latent image. With elation
and wonder on 23rd September 1840 he watched a picture gradually
appearing on a blank sheet of paper.
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The Abbey
itself is in large grounds immediately adjacent to Lacock Village.
Its sweeping lawns often with sheep on them go down to the River Avon. |
You
can tour the Abbey House itself, though opening hours are restricted
compared with the rest of the site.
The gardens are of interest and the groundsmen make an effort to label
and educate.
You can also see an early brewery, perhaps something you wouldn't
associate with nuns!
Its hard to gauge how much time the typical person spends at Lacock.
For those who just want to see the Harry Potter connection you can
easily be in and out in 30 minutes. |
Laock
Abbey House |
| Most
visitors touring the house and museum and a walk around the house
may take a couple of hours. A lot of people laze out and just watch
the world go by in the extensive grounds. |
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