Where Was A Castle For Christmas Filmed

So, you’ve stumbled down the Netflix rabbit hole and landed on A Castle for Christmas, the 2021 holiday rom-com where a bestselling author (Brooke Shields) buys a Scottish castle and tries to evict a grumpy duke (Cary Elwes). But let’s be real—you’re not here for the plot. You’re here because you saw that gorgeous, snow-dusted fortress and thought, “I need to know where that is, because my living room looks like a sad pile of laundry in comparison.” Well, grab a cuppa (or a wee dram of Scotch), because I’m about to spill the tea—and the tartan.

First, the shocking truth: the “castle” in the movie is actually two different castles filmed in two different countries. Yes, Hollywood tricked you into falling in love with a Franken-castle. The exterior shots, the ones that make you dream of owning a personal drawbridge? That’s Carlowrie Castle, a stunning 19th-century Scottish baronial mansion just outside Edinburgh. But here’s the kicker—Carlowrie isn’t a medieval fortress. It was built in 1852 for a wealthy wine merchant. So while the hero dude pouts about his “ancient family legacy,” the real castle was practically a startup compared to actual Scottish ruins. Plot twist!

The Interiors Are a Whole Different Story

Now, those cozy fireplaces, the grand staircase where Brooke Shields dramatically glares at a Christmas tree? They weren’t at Carlowrie. Those were filmed at Dumfries House, a sprawling 18th-century estate in Ayshire, Scotland. The irony is thick enough to spread on a scone: Dumfries House is so posh it’s actually owned by the Prince’s Foundation, a charity started by King Charles himself. So basically, the “fictional duke’s castle” is maintained by the future king of England. Royal-approved dust on the antlers!

But wait—there’s more location whiplash. Some of the “castle village” scenes, including the adorable bookshop where Brooke Shields’ character flees from her problems, were shot in a real Scottish town called Laurieston. Laurieston is so small and charming that it makes your hometown look like a parking lot. And the climactic sledding hill? That’s Glentress Forest, a mountain biking paradise near Peebles. So if you’re planning a pilgrimage, pack hiking boots, not a crown.

What About the Snow? (Spoiler: It’s Fake)

Let’s address the frosty elephant in the room. A Castle for Christmas was filmed in July and August of 2021. That’s right—the “perfect Christmas snow” is actually flocked plastic and foam, because Scotland in summer is green and full of midges (tiny biting insects that are basically nature’s passive-aggressive stepchildren). The cast and crew wore parkas over tank tops, and that one scene where the duke breathes mist? That’s a breath-fog machine, not Jack Frost. Honestly, it’s a miracle nobody accidentally sledded into a sunscreen stand.

And speaking of actors: Brooke Shields later admitted she spent most of the shoot literally freezing to death in a fake snowstorm. Between takes, she wrapped herself in a heated blanket and cursed the gods of Christmas movie logic. So next time you see her character looking dreamy, remember she was probably mentally calculating the distance to a coffee shop.

Why Two Castles? (Because Scotland Is Extra)

Here’s the real reason behind the location salad: Carlowrie Castle is a private event venue (yes, you can get married there), and its owners didn’t want film crews rearranging their antique teacups. Meanwhile, Dumfries House is a museum property, so they could control lighting and chaos. So the movie’s production team did what any sensible person would do—they turned Scotland into a jigsaw puzzle. The result? A castle that looks like it’s been teleported from a fairy tale.

The fun doesn’t stop there. One of the background pubs in the film is actually The Sheep Heid Inn in Edinburgh, which is over 600 years old and claims to be Scotland’s oldest pub. They serve whisky and haggis, and if you sit in the booth where Cary Elwes supposedly sulked, they might charge you double out of pure Scottish cheek. And the stunning library where Brooke Shields discovers a secret passage? That was a set built in a warehouse in Glasgow. Yes, the most magical room in the movie never existed. Still, it’s cheaper than therapy.

The Surprising Fact That Will Blow Your Knitted Mittens Off

Ready for the weirdest part? The movie was originally written to be set in Ireland. But the producers realized that Scotland offers tax breaks for film shoots, so they swapped all the “Irish stew” for “haggis” and moved the plot 200 miles north. This is why the movie feels like a travel brochure for Scotland that was drawn by someone who’d never actually been there. Props to the location scouts, though—they clearly Googled “most photogenic castles” and just threw darts at a map.

So, what’s the takeaway? If you want to visit the real Castle for Christmas, you can’t. It doesn’t exist. But you can visit Carlowrie Castle for a wedding (and hope nobody asks about the Duke), tour Dumfries House for its chintz collection, and get lost in Laurieston for the sheer joy of being misled. Just don’t expect snow. Or a hunky Duke. Unless you bring your own.

And if all else fails, throw on your fluffiest pajamas, rewatch the movie, and pretend your IKEA furniture is a 16th-century throne. That’s the real Christmas magic. Cheeseburger, anyone?