Screen stars: House on Paddington 2 London film set among famous TV and cinema location homes for sale

The most breathtaking backdrops and filming locations stay with us long after the closing credits stop rolling, with many of Britain’s stately manors and historic gems instantly recognisable from their starring roles on hit TV shows and films.

These treasured homes are rarely put up for sale, but when they are they offer buyers, albeit with deep pockets, the chance to buy a slice of cinematic history.

Byfleet Manor in Surrey, quite possibly TV's most famous mansion thanks to ITV's runaway hit Downton Abbey, is said to have sold for £6 million in 2015.

The Dower House of Lady Violet Crawley - famously played by Dame Maggie Smith - was a familiar backdrop for the Downton action for years, selected for its grand proportions and fine period architecture.

The manor's starring role followed on from initial appearances in other well-known period dramas, Poirot and Cranford.

There are a handful of other famous homes currently for sale.

TAKE FIVE: SCREEN STARS FOR SALE

AS SEEN IN... PADDINGTON 2
Chalcot Crescent, Primrose Hill, London

Paddington 2 opened at cinemas last week, starring starring Ben Whishaw as Paddington bear and Peter Capaldi as nasty neighbour Mr Curry.

One of the filming locations featured in the film's teaser is Chalcot Crescent in London's Primrose Hill.

The pastel-coloured houses of the Crescent stand in for Windsor Gardens in the movie, where the Browns - the family who adopt Paddington Bear - live at number 32.

Now, one of the charming pastel-yellow houses is for sale. Set behind a double-fronted Grade II-listed facade, this three-bedroom home is spread across four floors, with a separate one-bedroom flat on the lower-ground level.

Sadly, you cannot have Paddington as your housemate.

For sale for £3.25 million through Savills.

AS SEEN IN... HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS
De Vere House, Lavenham, Suffolk

Harry Potter fans can hop on the Hogwarts Express to Suffolk to come face to face with the birthplace of their favourite boy wizard.

De Vere House, in Lavenham, features in Deathly Hallows as the home of Harry’s parents, Lily and James Potter.

Forming part of the fictional village of Godric’s Hollow, it is depicted opposite a graveyard in the film, a Christmas tree in the window, lights on and music playing.

Dating back to the 16th century, this is one of Suffolk’s most historically significant houses, taking its name from the De Vere family who were second only to the royals in wealth in medieval times. Its Grade I-listed façade, with carved huntsmen either side, features in guide books of the area.

They also built Hedingham Castle in Essex, and there is a theory that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was the true author of certain Shakespeare plays.

For sale for £995,000 through Carter Jonas.

AS SEEN IN... WOMAN IN BLACK, MIDSOMER MURDERS, JUDE AND PARADE'S END
Harpsden Court, Henley-on-Thames

Harpsden Court in Henley-on-Thames has a showreel so long it deserves its own IMDb profile. It has been used as a location for films including Jude featuring Kate Winslet and Christopher Eccleston and Parade’s End with Benedict Cumberbatch. It was also a location set for Quantum of Solace with Daniel Craig, although the scenes shot here didn't make it into the final film.

Daniel Radcliffe was filmed at the house for the chilling movie adaptation of the horror story “The Woman in Black” in 2012, while the manor played a starring role in the very first Midsomer Murders Christmas special.

The stately 13-bedroom home is a Strawberry Hill Gothic Revival beauty and is believed to date back to 1204. Queen Mary I is said to have once stayed in the main bedroom, which has been named in her honour.

Well-preserved interiors represent the long history of the house, notable for the oak panelling and exquisite plasterwork. There's also a hint of mystery, with a secret Tudor passageway hidden behind an oak panelled door in the medieval dining room.

The Grade II property is now for sale with Hamptons International at £4.95 million.

AS SEEN IN... THE 1973 HOVIS ADVERT
Updown Cottage, Gold Hill, Shaftesbury

A row of quintessential cottages in Shaftesbury, Dorset, is the famous backdrop of the 1973 Hovis advert which was voted Britain's all-time favourite in 2006.

The ad features a bakery boy pushing his bike to the top of Gold Hill, a steep, cobbled road overlooking Dorset's Blackmore Vale, to make his deliveries.

Now, one of the charming four-bedroom terrace houses at the top of the hill is for sale.

Updown Cottage is currently run as a popular holiday home and has received a five-star Gold award from Visit Britain every year for a decade.

For sale for £600,000 through Hamptons International.

AS SEEN IN... THE IRON LADY
Mongewell Park in Wallingford, Oxfordshire
 

Carmel College was originally home to a Jewish boarding school in Oxfordshire, yet in recent years, it has become a filming location.

In The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher, played by Meryl Streep, is seen perfecting her prime-ministerial voice in the synagogue.

It’s a popular pop video set too with Kylie Minigue and the Kaiser Chiefs among those who have used the gym for their music.

Planning consent for its next guise includes a complete overhaul with 166 homes. The 31.8 hectare site of Mongewell Park has three listed buildings to be kept as part of the scheme – the synagogue, a Julius Gottlieb gallery and boathouse and an amphitheatre.

The entire development portfolio in Wallingford is now for sale for £30 million through Savills.