Must visit locations: Rivals

The first three episodes of the latest season of Rivals have landed on Disney+, transporting viewers back to the 1980s, to a period of heated battles and treacherous betrayals. The battle for an ITV franchise has led to the unraveling of a complicated, overlapping network of love, lust and more.

The show is set in the fictional area of Rutshire, better known to us as the Cotswolds. Dame Jilly Cooper, the author whose books inspired the series, called the area home.

The village of Tetbury in Gloucestershire doubles up as the village of Cotchester, represented in Parliament by Rupert Campbell-Black, played by Alex Haddon. The town is small but there are numerous shops to explore across the four principal areas: Market Place, Chipping Street, Church Street and Long Street. There are also several cafes and restaurants, independent businesses and antique shops.

However, beyond the village there are many other locations you can visit if you fancy stepping into the real life set of the drama. Here’s just a few:

The Priory

The Priory, better known as Chavenage House plays host to the home of Declan O’Hara and his family who move to the location in the first episode of the show, replacing the streets of London for the paths of Rutshire.

The location will be awfully familiar to Aidan Turner, who plays the journalist. The Elizabethan building near Tetbury was also seen in smash-hit drama Poldark, with the titular character being played by Turner as well. The property offers tours to the public via booking on their website.

The Falconry

The villain of the series, Tony Baddingham, lives in a grade-II listed home which dates back to around 1790. The property has featured on several occasions already in this series and is known for hosting legendary garden parties. The estate can be found in Neston Park, Wiltshire. At the moment it is not open for public access.

Beaufort Polo Club

One of the first battles between Corinium and its fledgling new revival Venturer Television takes place at Beaufort Polo Club. It is one of the UK’s most prestigious polo clubs, established in 1872. Summer weekday matches are often free to watch if you fancy seeing a game for yourself. The crew also created a pitch in the grounds of Berkley Castle, Gloucestershire.

Penscombe Court

Ruper Campbell-Black’s home, Penscombe Court, has recently welcomed Cameron Cook in the first three episodes of the new series. In reality, this grand home is known as Ammerdown House and can be found in Somerset. It dates back to 1788 and is currently occupied by Lord Hylton and his family.

Corinium Headquarters

The headquarters and studios of Corinium Television, the holder of the ITV franchise under threat from Rupert, Declan and others, is at the beating heart of Rivals, representing the crown jewel the main characters fight over. However, the location for such dramatic scenes is not quite as glamorous as a TV studio. Instead, it is a council office in Clevedon.