The Bard and the beautiful on the set of Hamnet

ELIZABETH MACKLEY follows in the footsteps of the cast and crew of the Oscar-winning movie in the historic Herefordshire village of Weobley

- ELIZABETH MACKLEY

Village life in Weobley Paul Mescal as William Shakespeare in Hamnet

STEPPING on to the streets of Weobley, it’s impossible not to be transported through time.

Almost everywhere you look in the Herefordshire village is a black-and-white timber-framed building, casting you back 400 years to Elizabethan England.

That is exactly why filmmakers chose the village as the main filming location for Hamnet.

The 2025 biographical period movie directed by Chloé Zhao and based on the novel of the same name by Maggie O'Farrell tells the story of the devastating events that inspired William Shakespeare’s masterpiece, Hamlet.

Focusing on Shakespeare's domestic life with wife Agnes Hathaway, heartbreaking scenes depict the family’s battle with grief following the death of their beloved 11-year-old son, Hamnet.

The movie, stars Jessie Buckley as Agnes and Paul Mescal as Shakespeare and Jessie picked up an Oscar on Sunday for best actress for her performance.

But perhaps what makes this film all the more magical is that the stunning scenes and landscapes featured actually exist - and you can visit them.

I adore all things historical and Shakespearean, but most of all I love Britain’s remote and rural spaces. So I jumped at the chance to take on Visit Herefordshire’s new Hamnet-inspired Through Tudor Landscapes guide.

What makes this guide special is that it leads you to all the secret places behind the scenes of the film that’s been garnering such international acclaim.