Cathedral scenes filmed during 2025 closure draw national attention
Salisbury Cathedral has been given a moment in the spotlight after appearing in the second series of Guy Ritchie’s crime comedy on Netflix. The second season of The Gentlemen landed on the streaming service on 3 September, and episode two, entitled There's a Rat in the Kitchen, includes a scene set in the cathedral and Chapter House in Salisbury.
The sequence brings two characters — Eddie Horniman (played by Theo James) and Stanley Johnston (Giancarlo Esposito) — together inside the historic building. The on-screen conversation touches on architecture and symbolism and features one of the cathedral’s most famous exhibits: a copy of the Magna Carta that is on permanent display in the Chapter House.
"This cathedral has stood here for nearly a thousand years, almost as long as your family has possessed its title. It's generally accepted that man has not evolved architecturally since the construction of these medieval cathedrals."
The line, delivered by the character Stanley Johnston, foregrounds the cathedral’s long history and underlines why filmmakers have repeatedly chosen historic sites in and around Salisbury for screen work.
Local filming and the wider production
Filming at the cathedral was not new: crews were observed on site on 6 June 2025, during which the cathedral was closed to the public and a number of vehicles — including vans, trailers and a catering unit — were visible on the precinct. That closure allowed the production to film uninterrupted in and around the nave and Chapter House.
The Gentlemen’s second series was shot across several historic and country-house locations. In addition to Salisbury Cathedral, the drama was largely filmed at Badminton House in Gloucestershire, Loseley Park near Guildford and the Ashcombe Estate in Wiltshire. Other locations include the Greenwich Peninsula, Bullock's Farmhouse and Swakeleys House in Ickenham. The ensemble cast for the new series includes Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Daniel Ings, Joely Richardson, Hugh Bonneville, Vinnie Jones and Maya Jama.
| Filming location | County/area |
|---|---|
| Salisbury Cathedral (Chapter House) | Wiltshire |
| Badminton House | Gloucestershire |
| Loseley Park | Near Guildford |
| Ashcombe Estate | Wiltshire |
| Greenwich Peninsula, Bullock's Farmhouse, Swakeleys House | London area |
What the appearance means locally
For Salisbury, the cathedral’s role in a global streaming release reiterates the city’s cultural value and its appeal as a filming location. The Cathedral and Chapter House are already central to the city’s identity and attract visitors keen to see medieval architecture and one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. The new exposure on Netflix may increase interest among viewers who seek out filming sites of their favourite shows.
- Tourism: renewed attention could prompt a fresh wave of visitors hoping to see the Chapter House and Magna Carta display.
- Local economy: film and TV productions bring short-term business to local services when they shoot on location.
- Conservation: any increase in footfall highlights the need to balance access with preservation of fragile historic fabric.
While the cathedral has hosted filming before and has processes in place to protect its fabric during shoots, residents and visitors often watch closely when major productions descend on town, mindful of both the excitement and the practicalities — such as temporary closures.
For many in Salisbury, the sight of familiar places on screen is a reminder of the city’s layered history — from medieval builders to contemporary storytellers — and of the Chapter House’s continued resonance as a symbol of law and heritage. Whether the Netflix appearance translates into a long-term boost in visitor numbers remains to be seen, but for now the cathedral’s cameo offers a striking moment of recognition on an international platform.
Viewers can find the cathedral scene in episode two of The Gentlemen series two, now streaming on Netflix.
