the second season

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

As we all know, filming is well underway for the second season. Hurrah!

The locations we know about so far are:

• studio sets in Cardiff, Wales
• Chateau de Pierrefonds, France
• Puzzlewood, Forest of Dean, England
• Speech House Lake, Forest of Dean, England
• Caerphilly Castle, Wales - a new location
• Clearwell Caves, Forest of Dean, England - a new location

Can anyone add any more...?

Penshurst Place

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Penshurst Place is a manor house with a heart dating back to medieval times. It is perhaps best known as being the home of Sir Philip Sidney, the Elizabethan poet, courtier and solider. His indirect descendant, also named Philip Sidney, still lives there today with his family.

how it's used in Merlin

The Baron's Hall at Penshurst Place was used as the banqueting hall in the early episodes The Dragon's Call (the feast during which Lady Helen sings) and Valiant (the celebration after the tournament). The chandeliers with which Merlin kills Mary Collins were created with CGI (when we first pan down past them) and rubber (when one falls on the evil sorceress).

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Chislehurst Caves

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

The Chislehurst Caves are actually man-made chalk and flint mines (not caves!) dating back over 800 years, with separate sections supposedly dug by the Saxons, Druids and Romans.

how it's used in Merlin

In the episode The Mark of Nimueh, the Caves stand in for the area under the castle of Camelot where the water supply is managed. The Caves might have also been used for the caves in the Forest of Balor that Arthur and Nimueh walk through in The Poisoned Chalice. However, I suspect that the scenes of Nimueh plotting at her font or well are filmed against a green screen in the studio, and the chasm where Arthur finds the Mortaeus flower likewise (perhaps using the set providing a ledge in the cave of the Great Dragon).

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Speech House Lake

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Speech House Lake is a small narrow lake in the Forest of Dean, not overly attractive in itself, but transformed by the magic of filming into a mystical place…

how it's used in Merlin

In the episode The Gates of Avalon, Speech House Lake stands in for the other-worldly Avalon, home of the Sidhe. In reality the Lake itself is a fairly drab place, but it is truly transformed in the night-time scene where an enthralled Merlin witnesses Aulfric bargaining with the exotic tiny blue winged Sidhe. (Oops, exceeded my adjective quota there!) The shots of Arthur actually sinking through the water were filmed in a tank in Battersea, London. A much more hygenic way to treat a star!

In the episode Excalibur, the location was also used as a more prosaic unnamed lake - though enhanced by dramatic CGI mountains in the background - where Merlin ends up hiding the magical sword that he, Tom and the Great Dragon have created between them.

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Cosmeston Medieval Village

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Cosmeston Medieval Village is a reconstructed village of the 14th century.

how it's used in Merlin

The Village doubled for Merlin's home village of Ealdor in the episode The Moment of Truth. Apparently Hunith lives in the Swineherd Cottage!

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Raglan Castle

[mrs-leary.livejournal.com]

Raglan Castle is a magnificent and imposing ruin. One of its interesting features is a moat around its hexagonal Great Tower (not around the whole castle).

how it's used in Merlin

The episode Le Morte d'Arthur used the Castle to help create the Isle of the Blessed, where Merlin goes to seek a way of saving Arthur using the Old Magic. The episode showed the ruined castle rising from mists on an island in a large lake - I am not sure what lake was used for the image, but the Castle itself is on dry land. The Castle's Great Tower has a moat, which was also used in the episode, as first Merlin and then Gaius are borne to the castle by a magical boat. The confrontations with Nimueh were filmed in the Fountain Court, which was dressed with a circle of standing stones and an altar.

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