The Irregulars filming locations include Wentworth Woodhouse in Rotherham, Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter and Sefton Park, Ruthin Gaol, Ellesmere Port and along Manchester’s canals. Look out for locations from Downton Abbey, Peaky Blinders and Victoria, with one setting transforming from Crystal Palace to supernatural nightmare.
Bea (Thaddea Graham), her younger sister Jessie (Darci Shaw), Billy (Jojo Macari), Leopold (Harrison Osterfield) and Spike (McKell David) are the real detectives in The Irregulars on Netflix.
Drama Republic’s spooky Netflix Original Series runs with the idea of the Baker Street Irregulars, a gang of kids who help Sherlock Holmes in the original novels. But they typically work off the page before reporting back to Holmes, who winds up the rest of the case.
Flipping the spotlight is an idea creator Tom Bidwell has had in mind for a while – back in 2018 he spoke to BBC Writersroom about the premise:
“Sherlock Holmes had a group of street kids he’d use to help him gather clues so our series is what if Sherlock was a drug addict and a delinquent and the kids solve the whole case whilst he takes credit.”
Tom Bidwell, Creator
With the street gang leading the way on supernatural cases, John Watson (Royce Pierreson) and particularly Sherlock Holmes (Henry Lloyd-Hughes) become side characters. Other classic characters like Inspector Lestrade (Aidan McArdle) make an appearance too.
The Irregulars isn't directly connected to Enola Holmes on Netflix, but like the 2020 movie it's a chance to explore Holmes' world from a new angle.
Where Was The Irregulars Filmed?
Netflix’s The Irregulars was filmed around Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter, St George’s Hall and Sefton Park, Millport Pottery, Dorfold Hall, Arley Hall, a historic square in Chester and at Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire.
True to the supernatural drama’s London setting, the location line-up is a mixture of stunning Georgian mansions, narrow alleyways, docks and Victorian industrial areas.
Located just outside Rotherham, Wentworth Woodhouse’s Grade I-listed mansion played a starring role in the Downton Abbey movie in 2019.
But this time the servants’ quarters and courtyards are in the spotlight. A courtyard behind the house’s Piazza Court was used, along with the Laundry House and Brew House.
Most of the show’s location filming was completed in late 2019 and early 2020. But a couple of scenes were left incomplete when the pandemic brought production to a halt. The cast and crew returned to Ellesmere Port later in the year to complete the final shots.
And yet again, Liverpool is a great substitute for London (though of course, it’s also frequently used as a spot-on New York).
The Irregulars on Netflix isn’t the first Sherlock Holmes series to be shot in Northwest England. Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies shot some scenes in Manchester and Liverpool. And the Granada Sherlock Holmes series starring Jeremy Brett featured a regular line-up of Northwest filming locations in every episode.
Enola Holmes Filming Locations: Adventures in Mystery Solving
Thanks to Sherlock Holmes’ base at Granada Studios in Manchester, local streets and stately homes were an essential part of the show. And Liverpool often pops up as Victorian London (though 221B was built at Granada Studios).
One of Liverpool’s Three Graces, the Grade II-listed Port of Liverpool Building, appeared in The Disappearance of Lady Frances Carfax in 1991. And so did The Irregulars filming locations Canning Street and St Bride Street.
The Glass Conservatory
Sefton Park Palm House. Ben James, CC BY-SA 2.0
The Irregulars conservatory filming location is the Palm House at Sefton Park, south of Liverpool city centre. It’s a beautiful location for gruesome scenes and some spooky night-time shots in Episode 1, 'An Unkindness in London'.
The Liverpool Echo went behind the scenes on The Irregulars and caught a glimpse of the cast filming at the local landmark in September 2019.
The Grade II-listed Victorian Palm House opened in 1896, and proved to be the perfect stand-in for the Great Exhibition’s famous Crystal Palace in ITV’s Victoria Season 3.
You would never guess that the conservatory sat in a state of disrepair for decades, only getting back to its former glory a century after opening.
Sherlock Holmes actually visited the park around the same time, pursuing a different mystery. Liverpool’s Sefton Park appeared in The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes episode The Cardboard Box in 1994.
It marked Jeremy Brett’s final appearance as the detective. With Netflix’s The Irregulars bringing a new Sherlock Holmes series to the North of England, the shared filming locations makes a nice link between the shows.
221B Baker Street
Canning Street. Rodhullandemu, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Irregulars filming location for Baker Street is Falkner Street in Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter. Filming for The Irregulars Falkner Street shoot took place in November 2019 at the corner of Hope Street, and the city’s Ormond Street also appears.
You might recognise the area from Peaky Blinders. But the Georgian Quarter makes a very convincing Victorian London, making frequent appearances as the smarter areas of town. Filming also took in Canning Street and St Bride Street in the same area.
The Irregulars’ Slums
The filming location for Bea, Jessie, Spike and Billy’s home in the back streets is actually found in the servants’ quarters and outbuildings of Wentworth Woodhouse. Preparations for the shoot actually reinstated an original feature:
“The ground in front of the Slaughter House was covered with a very un-Victorian layer of Tarmac, so the location team did us a great favour and removed it, revealing the original cobbles.”
Sarah McLeod, Chief Executive of the Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust
Since the Rotherham stately home is currently undergoing renovation led by a team of volunteers, the historically-themed changes were welcome. And The Irregulars team were able to use buildings, courtyards and even rooftops to create the Baker Street slums.
Of course, a bit of CGI was called for to bring the South Yorkshire location together with Baker Street - which is actually a couple of hours away.
The Duck and Quiver Pub
The Irregulars Duck and Quiver filming location is one of Wentworth Woodhouse’s courtyards, which was converted into a Victorian London alley. It’s part of the same complex seen in other shots of the slums.
The Industrial Alleyways
Other back street scenes were filmed at a former pottery, though it blends seamlessly with the courtyards of Wentworth Woodhouse.
The scene where the Irregulars and locals run away from the diving ravens was filmed at Middleport Pottery’s derelict calcination mill. Look out for its chimney and distinctive wooden connecting bridge between buildings as the characters run away through industrial-looking back streets.
Filming took place back in October 2019, with the Stoke Sentinel catching the shoot at Middleport Pottery and another day’s filming on Stoke-on-Trent’s Milvale Street.
In normal times, visitors can walk around Middleport Pottery and see its kilns, pottery and more. So this is another Netflix’s The Irregulars filming locations that you may be able to visit again in future.
Buckingham Palace
The Irregulars palace scenes were filmed across several filming locations including Wentworth Woodhouse, Liverpool City Hall and St George’s Hall.
In fact, Wentworth Woodhouse’s facade is twice the length of Buckingham Palace’s - though the main building is primarily used for palace interiors.
Leopold’s Bedroom
Wentworth Woodhouse. Garry Bonsall / Wentworth Woodhouse
Prince Leopold’s bedroom location is Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire. The Wentworth Woodhouse Preservation Trust revealed to the Yorkshire Post that Prince Leopold’s bedroom is actually the mansion’s Green Dining Room.
The stately home belonged to the Fitzwilliam family for centuries until death duties struck. So the house was leased out and eventually sold on, before falling into disrepair.
A group of volunteers are now bringing its old grandeur back by room - and the Green Dining Room was one of the first spaces to be restored.
You can visit The Irregulars filming location Wentworth Woodhouse (as always, check before you travel), with the grounds opening for local exercise throughout early 2021. And in normal times, visitors have been able to book a house tour.
Palace Staircase
The Irregulars palace entrance hall and staircase location belong to Liverpool City Hall. The Grade I-listed Town Hall’s dome and stairs are seen when Leo leaves the palace to find Bea after their first meeting.
Both are part of the Staircase Hall, and showcase some of Liverpool’s finest Georgian architectural details.
Of course, Prince Leopold doesn’t have time to think about that. He’s off to Baker Street by way of the Duck and Quiver.
Palace Exterior
St. George's Hall. Andrew Farquhar, CC BY-SA 3.0
The palace exterior steps belong to St George’s Hall in Liverpool.
It’s a versatile filming location that’s appeared as everything from a London courtroom in the BBC’s Witness for the Prosecution to 1980s New York in It’s a Sin. And an unusual view appeared in Tin Star: Liverpool in early 2021 – the basement appears in Season 3 of the Canadian drama.
In certain shots of The Irregulars’ Buckingham Palace exterior, you can see another palatial building in the distance. It’s at just about the right angle to pass for Lancaster House as seen from the entrance of Buckingham Palace.
But we’re actually looking at Liverpool City Library, another of the city’s stunning buildings. The library was built in 1860, and could easily replicate any of London’s imposing Victorian buildings. The Irregulars team also shot scenes around the City Library itself.
The Palace Ballroom
The grand hall where Leo's sister helps him leave the palace is the Marble Saloon at Wentworth Woodhouse. You can see a glimpse of its circular marble flooring in The Irregulars.
It's also known as the ballroom from the Downton Abbey movie's royal ball scene.
The Buckingham Palace Grounds
We think the doors leading to the palace grounds belong to Wentworth Woodhouse, adjoining the Marble Saloon. They lead out to the mansion's own grounds.
Leo makes a bid for freedom under the guise of walking the grounds though, so we don’t get to see what lies beyond the treeline.
Industrial Back Streets
Castlefield. Clem Rutter, Rochester, Kent., CC BY-SA 3.0
Netflix’s Irregulars filmed in Manchester’s Castlefield for street scenes - we think this filming location is Duke Street. It’s an industrial-looking area under the railway bridges at the Castle Street end, near the Bridgewater Canal.
The Manchester Evening News reported on the filming just before location shoots were halted in March 2020.
Look out for Duke Street’s cobbled streets and distinctive cylindrical bridge supports in night scenes in particular.
Regent’s Canal
The Irregulars filmed on the towpaths and bridges of the Bridgewater Canal and Castlefield Basin. With Paddington Basin and the Regent’s Canal running close to the real Baker Street, Manchester’s canals are a good match for the setting.
And you’ll see Castlefield onscreen again soon. Locals spotted the Peaky Blinders Season 6 shoot happening along the same paths, and the Garrison Tavern signage up went up for the final season.
Netflix’s supernatural Sherlock Holmes series also shot scenes at another canal and Peaky Blinders location, Ellesmere Port’s National Waterways Museum in Cheshire. It’s used as Camden Lock in the Cillian Murphy drama.
Ellesmere Port sits at the point where three waterways meet – the Shropshire Union Canal, Manchester Ship Canal and the River Mersey flow past the docks. And in normal times it’s open to visitors (check for updates on current restrictions).
The National Waterways Museum is home to pieces of canal history beyond the Ellesmere Port basin itself. You’ll find historic boats and the Porters Row cottages, Victorian workers’ houses that have been restored to represent different eras.
As another well-preserved piece of Victorian industrial history, it fits right into the world of Holmes and Watson’s Irregulars.
The Bath House
The bath house filming location in The Irregulars is the Turkish Baths area of Manchester's Victoria Baths.
You can see the bath house's architecture and tiles through the steam during Spike's investigations in Episode 1. It's part of the flashback montage as he tells the story to the rest of the gang.
And in fact, this is another perfectly Victorian setting that was rescued from decay.
The Victoria Baths were closed in the mid-90s. The Turkish Baths used in this scene were refurbished just a few years ago, after the Grade II-listed building was rescued and a renovation project launched.
The Docks
Stanley Dock. By Phil Nash from Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0, CC BY-SA 4.0
Another of The Irregulars filming locations in Liverpool is the Stanley Dock Conservation Area. Look out for the historic shipping area in the Netflix series as London’s docks.
Whether you’re local or not, you might just recognise this popular filming location - it’s hosted Baker Street’s finest detectives before. Liverpool’s Stanley Dock is a Sherlock Holmes movie filming location from the first movie starring Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr.
You might spot the distinctive Victoria Tower and its clock in Episode 1's dock scenes when the Irregulars start their first mission for Doctor Watson.
3 Archibold Grove
John Cooper's House at 3 Archibold Grove is really 3 Abbey Square in Chester. In the scene, Billy visits John Cooper, father of a Tooth Fairy victim, in street scenes filmed in late 2019.
Tucked behind Chester Cathedral and Northgate Street, this little square is found beyond the medieval arch of Abbey Gateway. It’s within the old Roman city walls – and today it’s just metres away from the city’s shops and cafes.
But in The Irregulars, this filming location is a convincing London square. Chester’s 17th and 18th Century brick buildings stand for the city’s Georgian squares as you’d expect to see in any good Sherlock Holmes series.
Pentonville Prison
Ruthin Gaol. Llywelyn2000, CC BY-SA 3.0
The prison scenes were filmed at Ruthin Gaol in North Wales, a purpose-built Pentonville style prison. So it’s an ideal match for London’s Victorian prisons including the original Pentonville. The first Guy Ritchie movie sees villain Blackwood incarcerated at Pentonville, though a different set of filming locations are used.
Ruthin Gaol held inmates in the 19th Century but closed as a jail a hundred years ago. It’s now a heritage attraction, with the original features in place for visitors (and film crews) to explore.
In normal times, the Ruthin Gaol museum is open for a reasonable entrance fee, so look out for details if you’re in Denbighshire.
Farringdon Hippodrome
The Duke's Variety gala scenes were filmed at St George's Hall in Liverpool, with the Concert Hall as Farringdon Hippodrome.
St George's Hall's Concert Hall is the round building seen in exterior shots as the boys walk past the Duke's Variety Gala poster. And the Concert Hall itself is used later in the episode for the variety performance scenes.
The Holmes Mansion
Arley Hall. Pixie2000 at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
The Golden Dawn cult house party at Mycroft’s mansion takes place at The Irregulars mansion locations at Dorfold Hall and Arley Hall. Dorfold Hall is a red brick Jacobean mansions located in Cheshire close to The Irregulars filming locations and studio base.
The mansion dates back to the reign of James I and VI, and we mostly see it in exterior shots. The Nantwich News caught up with the night shoots back in December 2019 and early publicity shots showcased the mansion’s gates in daylight house.
We do see this location in daylight hours in the episode - we first see it when the Irregulars arrive, and meet Mycroft Holmes in front of the mansion.
The library where Leo and Bea try to decipher the code belongs to Arley Hall, a medieval mansion that was remodeled to Jacobean ideals.
The house holds over 5000 books, mostly collected during the Victorian era - so it’s the perfect place to look for secrets.
Look out for some of the Arley Hall’s own intricate details in the scene. The statues carved above the mantelpiece belong to the house in real life but in the shadows, they also suit the tarot deck’s figures. When we see them in the light they don’t look so eerie though!
Mycroft’s flashback shows a barn with white walls, a curved roof and wooden beams. This Irregulars location is the barn at Arley Hall
You might recognise this Irregulars filming location from Peaky Blinders - it’s another backdrop the shows have shared.
The Pottery
The Pottery in Episode 4 is Gladstone Pottery Museum in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, which hosted a chilly December shoot in 2019.
A particularly gory murder takes placec in the courtyard below Gladstone Pottery’s atmospheric red brick bottle oven at the start of the episode.
Though as usual, this spooky spot is really a delightful museum by day with cobbled courtyards and a fascinating history to explore. Gladstone Pottery Museum even produce their own pottery to this day.
M Dixon Taxidermy Shop
The Irregulars taxidermist location is Gladstone Pottery museum in Stoke-on-Trent again - seen later in Episode 4, ‘Both the Needle and the Knife’.
Playing part of the same complex as the pottery itself, one of the brick buildings at the museum was transformed into the sinister taxidermist’s shop for the shoot. This supernatural serial killer likes to keep it local, it seems.
The Hospital
Victoria Baths, Manchester. Matt Verrill, CC BY-SA 2.0
Manchester's Victoria Baths is The Irregulars hospital filming location, where Holmes and Watson hear about The Case of the Collector. In the flashback sequence, they meet victims of the gory attacks at the same location.
Look out for the baths' green tiled staircase in Episode 5, and the similarly tiled room on the first floor. The baths' beautiful stained glass entrance doors and foyer are shown in the sequence too.
We get a closer look at the Victoria Baths' stained glass doors in Episode 6 when Bea and Leo investigate.
Edith's House
Edith's house in The Irregulars is really a Victorian mock-Tudor house in historic Flookersbrooke in Chester. It's part of the Hoole neighbourhood's conservation area, where Cheshire Live caught the shoot in progress at Spring Lodge on Halkyn Road.
Bea, Spike, Billy and Leo follow Watson's trail to the house in Episode 6, 'Hiericium Snowdoniense'.
The Botanical Gardens
Arley Hall Walled Garden. Jeff Buck / Entrance to the Walled Garden at Arley Hall
The Botanical Gardens in The Irregulars Episode 6 are really the private grounds of Arley Hall in Cheshire.
After leaving Edith's house, the gang are seen walking through the gates - this filming location is the entrance to the Walled Garden at Arley Hall, just one of the estate's gardens.
There are 8 acres of formal gardens in total, so we're only seeing a fragment on screen. https://www.arleyhallandgardens.com/the-gardens But you do get a glimpse of the scale in a few shots, making this a convincing Botanical Gardens location.
The Library
Manchester Central Library is The Irregulars filming location seen in Sherlock and Jessie's Episode 6 scenes. The pair talk about Sherlock's history with Jessie and Bea's mother in the library's Great Hall.
The Victorian library was refurbished in the last decade so it's totally up to modern standards.
But the dome, inscriptions and pillars of the former reading room are all still there. Of course, the Victorian-style newspapers are part of the set dressing.