For nearly a decade, Peaky Blinders taught us about the street gangs that inhabited the UK after World War I. Dictated by the fictional rise and fall of the Shelby family, the story journeys through the canals of Birmingham all the way to London and back again. While the series takes place in the Midlands city of Birmingham — where the real-life Peaky Blinders gang operated from the 1890s through the early 1900s — it might surprise viewers to learn that most of Peaky Blinders is not actually shot in Birmingham, but rather in the county of Yorkshire.
If you want to see where the fictional Shelby family got into trouble, re-creating the real-life battles in Birmingham, you’ll head north to Leeds, Liverpool and other nearby cities. Below, visit these stunning Peaky Blinders filming locations.
You can find several iconic Peaky locations in this 26-acre open-air living museum, including Charlie Strong’s yard (filmed at the canal arm), Ada and Freddie’s secret meeting place (Canal Street bridge) and even a murder scene (St. James Academy). The museum’s blacksmith’s, chainmaker's, rolling mill and Workers' Institute buildings are also locations featured on the show.
The very first shot of the series, where our hero (or anti-hero, depending on how you feel about Tommy Shelby’s business dealings), takes place on this Liverpool street, which is the Shelbys’ stomping ground on Watery Lane. You can also visit another piece of pop culture history nearby: the childhood home of the Beatles’ Ringo Starr (10 Admiral Grove).
If you’ve seen any British period drama with a climactic train scene, chances are it was filmed on this five-mile stretch of heritage railway that runs steam and diesel trains for film and television and fans alike. Peaky Blinders’ confrontation between Grace and Inspector Campbell was filmed here.
Aunt Polly’s house isn’t actually located in Birmingham but rather in Port Sunlight, originally built as a home for factory workers in the late 1800s but now home to a museum, art gallery, parkland and a thriving community.
Peaky Blinders isn’t the only period piece to film inside this old Victorian warehouse building in the city center of Bradford — Downton Abbey filmed there, too, ever heard of it? — but you can recognize Cater Street in Peaky’s boxing scenes and also as Tommy’s office and boardroom.
The first burial in this hillside cemetery took place in 1854. It’s home to many impressive Victorian monuments (and is still an active burial site today), which makes it a prime spot for the cemetery scenes in the post-World War I-set Peaky Blinders.
When you see the stunning stained glass windows in this Anglican church — the largest cathedral in Britain — you’ll understand why Tommy Shelby chose it as his regular place of worship. The cathedral took 74 years to build and also functions as a real-life wedding and event venue. There are expansive views of the countryside from the top of its tower.
As Tommy Shelby’s empire expanded, so did his business (both above-board and illicit). After he was elected as a Member of Parliament, his Westminster offices were filmed here.
Constructed on the site of a former infirmary, this impressive Neoclassical building has made it to the big screen in plenty of productions, most notably in The Batman and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In Peaky Blinders’ third season, it’s a fancy party venue, and in the sixth season, it’s the site of a fascist rally. In real life, it’s also a wedding and conference venue that can be rented for nearly any special occasion.
This multipurpose Victorian filming location has filled in for an art gallery and a background to Tommy’s political work.
This country house is home to Viscount Ashbrook, whose family has lived on the grounds for the past 550 years (though the current home was built in the 1830s). But on Peaky Blinders, Arley Hall stands in for Tommy Shelby’s grand home. The interior, garden, short trails and restaurant are all open to visitors.
