As a devoted Harry Potter fan, you may have made your pilgrimage from platform 9 3/4 of King's Cross Station to Edinburgh, where JK Rowling invented the famous wizard. But in order for your journey to be complete, you need to make a visit to these following churches… all of which appeared in the Harry Potter movies.
Durham Cathedral is of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Europe. Renowned for its spectacular location, it lies at the heart of the Durham UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thus, it is not surprising that the production designers of the Harry Potter films chose Durham Cathedral to portray Hogwarts in the first two Harry Potter films. The cloister of the cathedral appears as the Hogwarts “quad” and courtyard, while the chapter house is used as the transfiguration classroom where Professor McGonagall teaches.
The 11th century Gloucester Cathedral is present in many scenes from Harry Potter's first two films. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the troll can be seen walking along the north side of the cathedral's cloisters. While in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the east wall at the end of the north walk is where the fateful words ‘The chamber of secrets has been opened’ appeared, written in blood. Just a few paces from here in the east walk is where Moaning Myrtle floods the toilets.
Lacock Abbey is packed with history and stories from the Harry Potter movies. The warming room of the abbey is used as the defence against the dark arts classroom in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The abbey’s sacristy appears as Snape’s potions classroom and the chapter house as the room containing the Mirror of Erised. Finally, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the cloister of Lacock Abbey makes an appearance as a Hogwarts corridor, especially in night scenes.
St Cyriac’s Church was built in the 14th and 15th centuries on the site of an old Saxon church. This Norman-style church is worth a visit for its gargoyles and decorative vaults. It also deserves a visit to relive a beautiful scene of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. In this very dark last chapter of the franchise, this scene shows Harry Potter and Hermione enter the cemetery of the fictional town of Godric's Hollow (near St Cyriac's Church) to visit the graves of Lily and James Potter.
