Doctor Who was filmed in South Wales
during 2005 and 2006. The ninth and the tenth incarnation of the
famed time traveller visited many far flung lands - but they were
actually all in Wales. Tardis spotters can merrily spot the many
film set locations dotted around South Wales, within easy reach
of our holiday cottages in the Swansea Valley.
Cardiff is particularly well-Doctored, with
scenes shot in the Millennium Stadium, the British Gas building
and in the shopping precincts. Shop dummies came to life in the
Queen’s Arcade and the Hayes. Rose Tyler worked in Henrik’s
department store, in reality, Howells. The Elton’s old family
home is Pentwyn Road in Whitchurch, and 18th Century France, in
The Girl In The Fireplace, is in fact Dyffryn Gardens, an Edwardian
style garden outside Cardiff. Rose’s parents were married
in St Paul’s Church in Grangetown in Father’s Day
and Daleks attack in the Millennium Stadium stairwells.
In Cardiff Bay Baltic House, Mount Stuart Square,
was used for its fire escapes, as was the British Gas building
in town, for the Christmas Invasion episode. The Time Lord dined
with an old enemy in Cardiff Bay’s Mermaid Quay. Roald Dahl
Plass was used for one scene, as was Ba Orient, Terra Nova, Bistro
10 with the reception hall of the Wales Millennium Centre transformed
into an Alien hospital.
In Newport, Tredegar House doubled as 10 Downing
Street, in The Invasion of Earth, with Hensol Castle being used
in the Aliens of London episode. The wings of Sycorax spaceship
filmed in Barry Docks. Craig-y-Nos Castle was used for Sir Roberts’
house, as was Penllyn Castle in Cowbridge for the courtyard. Barry
Island train station was featured in The Empty Child and Albion
Hospital is the Cardiff Royal Infirmary.
The Tardis was spotted on Gelligaer common near Fochriiw, Merthyr
and in Loudoun Square in Butetown became the Tyler’s estate
in Army of Ghosts. The Tardis also appeared on Cargo Road in Cardiff
Docks, in Roald Dahl Plass, and on the cliff at Worms Head overlooking
the beach on the Gower Penisula and St David’s Market behind
St David’s Hall.
In The Unquiet Dead, Swansea was transformed
into 1869 Cardiff. Talesin Lodge, where Charles Dickens performed,
is the Exchange building in Cambrian Place.
It seems that Wales as a film set was just
what the Doctor ordered.
