Even though I’d never heard of Knebworth House before visiting, I soon realised that I must’ve seen it on the big screen.
Knebworth is surely one of the most filmed-in houses of England, and its interiors have featured in everything from The Crown to Foyle’s War, Victoria and Abdul to Paddington 2, The King’s Speech to Jane Eyre. And it’s not only the interiors: the ultra-Gothic façade of Knebworth House, with its turrets, domes and crenellations, its gargoyles and wyverns, made it the perfect backdrop to depict ‘Wayne Manor’ in Tim Burton’s Batman (1989) with Michael Keaton. Knebworth House has featured in nearly 100 films, and still counting.
It was also screen-tested for Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut but unfortunately didn’t make the cut. Alas.
You can visit a little gallery underneath the Watch Tower that showcases the houses’ appearance in famous films, as well as the famous rock concerts that have been held within its grounds. In 1976 a huge concert was held for the Rolling Stones, at which Jagger later left his underpants in the Queen Elizabeth bedroom (the main guest room) which is now framed and part of Knebworth House’s memorabilia, hah!
Other headliners throughout the years have included Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen and Oasis. As I walked around, looking at all the big names, I scratched my head wondering again how I’d never heard of this place.