Amelia Jones
ITV’s new drama The Party made its debut on Sunday night, introducing viewers to a gripping story of friendship, wealth and secrets, with several familiar locations across south Wales featuring throughout the series.
Starring Welsh actor Luke Evans as Martin Gilmour and Tom Cullen as Ben Fitzmaurice, the series follows a decades-long friendship shaped by class, ambition and secrets, with much of the action unfolding around a lavish birthday party and the police investigation that follows.
Although the fictional story takes viewers to places including Oxford, several of the settings were actually filmed across Cardiff, Bridgend and the surrounding areas. Here are four locations behind the drama and a little more about the real places featured on screen.
Llanharan and Merthyr Mawr – Denby Hall
One of the most striking locations in the series is Denby Hall, the impressive country home belonging to Ben and his wife, Serena Fitzmaurice.
The fictional property was created using several locations in south Wales, with Llanharan House providing the exterior and some of the party rooms, while Merthyr Mawr House near Bridgend was used for other interiors, including bedrooms.
Llanharan House is a historic Georgian country house in Rhondda Cynon Taf. According to Cadw, the building dates back to before 1750 and was originally built for lawyer Rees Powell. Set within parkland near the village of Llanharan, the property has undergone numerous alterations over the centuries. Cadw records document its architectural history.
Merthyr Mawr House, meanwhile, is a Grade II-listed country house built between 1806 and 1809 for Sir John Nicholl. The privately owned property helped provide the grand interiors needed to portray the Fitzmaurice family’s wealth and status. Historic house information.
The production used further locations to complete Denby Hall, including Cardiff’s Temple of Peace for the chapel scenes. The large party tent was constructed at Dragon Studios in Bridgend, allowing filming to take place in a controlled environment.
Cardiff and Swansea – Denby Police Station
Another important setting is Denby Police Station, where Martin is questioned following an incident at his friend Ben’s birthday party.
Swansea’s Guildhall is one of the city’s most recognisable civic buildings. Located on Guildhall Road, close to the seafront and Victoria Park, it was designed by architect Percy Thomas and opened in 1934.
The building features Portland stone facing and a prominent clock tower. It houses council offices and the Brangwyn Hall, a large concert and events venue. Its imposing architecture and formal interiors make it a convincing setting for the drama’s institutional scenes
The Guildhall also appears elsewhere in the series, doubling as part of Oxford University in scenes showing Martin and Ben’s lives after school. Its use across different settings demonstrates how one building can be transformed on screen to represent entirely different places.
Meanwhile, Heath Park West in Cardiff was also used for scenes connected to the fictional police station. Cardiff features prominently throughout the production, with its buildings and streets standing in for locations beyond the Welsh capital.
The drama also incorporates details that reinforce Denby’s Welsh identity. In scenes at the police station’s front desk, officers can be heard speaking Welsh, adding another layer of local character to the fictional town.
Bridgend- Derby B&B
Bridgend is used again when Martin and his wife, Lucy, are also seen staying at Denby B&B, which was filmed at Heronston Hotel & Leisure Club in Bridgend.
The hotel provides a contrast to the luxurious surroundings of Denby Hall, reflecting the differences between the characters’ circumstances and social backgrounds.
Its location also made practical sense for the production, sitting around a 15-minute drive from Dragon Studios, where other scenes were filmed.
Bridgend and its surrounding areas offered the production a convenient base, with several of the key locations within a relatively short distance of one another.
Cardiff and Port Talbot – Burtonbury School and Oxford University
The series also travels back in time to explore how Martin and Ben first met at Burtonbury School before later attending Oxford University.
Once again, Welsh buildings were used to recreate settings elsewhere in Britain. Howells School in Llandaff, Cardiff, provided the exterior and classroom settings for Burtonbury, while Margam Discovery Centre in Port Talbot was used for the dormitories. Rugby scenes were filmed at Llandaff Rugby Club.
The Oxford scenes also feature several locations in Wales, including Cardiff University’s Glamorgan Building, Main Campus and University Hall, alongside Swansea’s Guildhall. Some filming took place at Exeter College in Oxford itself.
Talking about filming close to home, actor Evans said on BBC’s The One Show, he said:”They were only 25 minutes from me up the road.
“They were there all the time.”
His parents Yvonne and David Evans still live in the same terrace house he grew up in Aberbargoed in the Rhymney Valley.
He added: “We were having dinners on the weekend, walking the dog, enjoyed a rainy three, four months in Wales over the winter period.
“It was joyous. I loved it.”
Some family members even managed to get a short cameo in the final episode of the upcoming drama.
Evans said: “[My cousins] were like ‘can we be in the show?’
“They are, they’re in it. My cousin and his wife and their kids are in the final episode.”
You can watch The Party on ITVX here.
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