IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section A

Abstract

Old Royal Naval College, according to the film magazine Empire, is one of the most popular filming locations in the world and regularly appears on the big and small screen. Since the 1950s it has appeared in over 125 different productions, including feature films, television series, documentaries and advertisements. Despite its myriad of appearances, there has not been a full study of how the site has been displayed to the masses. This paper will correct this error, drawing from interviews with those on-site as well as a detailed analysis of its use as a film location before, during and after the pandemic. This paper also considers how the site’s role as an architectural chameleon enables a wide variety of stories to be told, and how the robust infrastructure has ensured that it has a stable non-visitor-related income stream. Understanding the vital role that filming has had in the history of this working heritage site, particularly during the pandemic, as well as how film tourism is now a celebrated part of the visitor experience, all tie into understanding Old Royal Naval College’s unique place amongst heritage filming locations in England.