The filming locations for Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the 2001 film about an orphan who learns he is a wizard, are spread across England, from central London to Northumberland. This guide covers all 15 stops: the London stations, markets and offices, the Oxford university buildings, the cathedrals and abbeys that doubled as Hogwarts corridors, and the private homes you can only see from outside. Each entry names the scene shot there and what visiting is realistically like. Exact map pins are in the Go On Set app. The stops below start in London and move outward.
In this guide
- Where was Platform 9¾ filmed?
- Where was Diagon Alley filmed?
- Where was Gringotts Bank filmed?
- Where was the London Zoo snake scene filmed?
- Where was Hogwarts castle filmed?
- Where were Snape's Potions class and the Mirror of Erised filmed?
- Where was the Great Hall entrance filmed?
- Where was the Hogwarts library filmed?
- Where was the Hogwarts infirmary filmed?
- Where were the Hogwarts cloisters filmed in Durham?
- Where were the Hogwarts corridors filmed in Gloucester?
- Where was the Charms classroom filmed?
- Where was Hogsmeade Station filmed?
- Where was the Dursleys' house filmed?
- Where was Harry's parents' house filmed?
- How should you plan a Harry Potter locations visit?
Platform 9¾
King's Cross Station is a busy railway hub in central London. Hagrid brings Harry here, and Harry gets his ticket on the bridge inside the station. That bridge has changed over time. The barrier scene uses the platforms between 9 and 10, which are really platforms 4 and 5. The crew temporarily thickened the walls so the actors could run at them.
Platform 9¾ does not exist, but a sign and a half-buried luggage cart are set up for photos near the entrance, beside a shop selling film merchandise. The station is public, so expect a queue and keep photos quick.
Diagon Alley
The entrance to the Leaky Cauldron and the shopping trip into Diagon Alley were shot at Leadenhall Market, a Victorian covered market in the City of London. Its ornate roof, cobbled floors and shop fronts suit the scene where Hagrid introduces Harry to the wizarding world and takes him shopping for school supplies.
It is a public market and a tourist attraction. Weekday lunchtimes are busy with office workers, so give people space when you photograph.
Gringotts Bank
The interior of the wizards' bank was filmed inside Australia House, home of the Australian High Commission in London. It was built between 1913 and 1918 and has marble floors, towering pillars and large chandeliers. Harry, Hagrid and Warwick Davis's goblin share the scene.
This is a working diplomatic building marked as a restricted area, so treat it as an exterior-only stop.
London Zoo Reptile House
At London Zoo in Regent's Park, Harry talks to a boa constrictor during Dudley's birthday outing, the glass vanishes and the snake escapes. That is the moment he first discovers he can speak Parseltongue. The zoo, established in 1828, is billed as the world's oldest scientific zoo.
The enclosure has since been renovated and the boa exhibit moved. The Reptile House still exists, but the film's setup is gone, so this is a fan stop rather than a set match. Entry is paid.
Alnwick Castle
Alnwick Castle in Northumberland is the strongest match for Hogwarts from outside. Built in the late 11th century after the Norman Conquest, it has been the seat of the Percy family, the Dukes of Northumberland, for over 700 years. It supplied many Hogwarts exteriors in the first two films.
Its courtyard hosts the students' first flying lesson with Madam Hooch. It is also where McGonagall spots Harry's flying and comes to collect him. The scene then cuts to Lacock Abbey for the meeting with Professor Quirrell, a location about 500 kilometres away. The castle is a paid-entry attraction with public access, and tickets are booked through its site.
Lacock Abbey
Lacock Abbey is a 13th-century former nunnery in the Wiltshire village of Lacock, about two hours west of London. Its cloisters, rooms and courtyards appear throughout the Hogwarts scenes.
Snape's Potions class and Quirrell's classroom were filmed here, and it is where Harry finds the Mirror of Erised. The cast list runs long: Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Ian Hart and Richard Harris are among those on scene. It is a paid-entry site run for visitors, so the cloisters are easy to walk.
Entrance to the Great Hall
Christ Church sits in the centre of Oxford. Cardinal Wolsey founded it in the 16th century, and Sir Christopher Wren designed its Tom Tower. It gives the film its first interior view of Hogwarts: students climb the grand staircase and Professor McGonagall greets them.
The Great Hall itself was not shot here. It was built as a set at Leavesden Studios, though its design mirrored Christ Church's dining hall. Visits are paid and by guided tour or timed entry, so check the college's visiting page first.
Hogwarts Library
Fans searching for the school library will find Duke Humfrey's Library, part of Oxford's Bodleian Library. It is one of the oldest reading rooms in the world, built in the late 15th century, with Gothic architecture and wooden bookshelves. Harry, Hermione and Ron use it as the Hogwarts library.
Entry is paid and through Bodleian tours. It is a working scholarly space, so keep your voice down and check photography rules before you shoot.
Hogwarts Infirmary
The hospital wing was filmed in the Divinity School, another Oxford university building and one of its oldest surviving teaching rooms. Its vaulted Gothic ceiling stands in for the room where Harry wakes after his first encounter with Voldemort and Dumbledore visits, played by Richard Harris.
It no longer works as a teaching space and is open to the public. Entry is paid, and the Bodleian tour page is the place to look.
Hogwarts cloisters at Durham Cathedral
The cloisters of Durham Cathedral became Hogwarts corridors and courtyards. Harry, Ron and Hermione walk between classes here, and in one scene Harry sends Hedwig away. Built between 1093 and 1133, the cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and known for its rib-vaulted ceilings.
The location notes mention a £5 donation on entry, so confirm current arrangements on the cathedral's website. It is a working church, so keep quiet.
Hogwarts corridors at Gloucester Cathedral
Gloucester Cathedral dates to 1089 and was used for several key scenes set in the Hogwarts corridors, with Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson on screen. Entry is paid and it is a tourist attraction, though it is also an active place of worship.
Hogwarts Charms Classroom
Professor Flitwick's Charms lesson, where students make a feather fly with Wingardium Leviosa, was shot at Harrow School in the London Borough of Harrow. Warwick Davis appears alongside the three young leads.
Founded in 1572, Harrow is a private boarding school and is not open for casual visits. It occasionally offers open days or guided tours, so check with the school first.
Hogsmeade Station
Goathland Station in North Yorkshire was built in 1865 and is part of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway. It plays Hogsmeade, where the Hogwarts Express arrives and Hagrid greets the first-years. It is about 400 kilometres from London.
The film's closing scenes were also shot here. As Hagrid waves goodbye, the mountains and castle behind him were added digitally and do not exist. The station is public and a tourist attraction.
Dursley's House
The Dursleys' home was filmed on a residential road in Bracknell, Berkshire. Dursley's house is where Dumbledore, McGonagall and Hagrid leave baby Harry on the doorstep, and where the Hogwarts letters arrive in droves.
Only the exterior was shot on location, and only for this first film. Later films rebuilt the street at Leavesden Studios. It is a private residence, so look from the public road and do not linger.
Harry's Parents' House
In Lacock village, Harry's parents' house appears briefly as Hagrid tells Harry how his parents died. We hear Voldemort's name for the first time, with a flashback to the night he killed them. Geraldine Somerville is the listed actor on scene.
It is a private home used for exterior shots only. You can see it from outside, but entering the grounds is not permitted.
How to plan the visit
- London: King's Cross, Leadenhall Market, Australia House and London Zoo are all in the capital. Only the station and market are freely accessible; Australia House is restricted and the zoo charges entry.
- Oxford: Christ Church, Duke Humfrey's Library and the Divinity School are close together. Book tours in advance, as entry is paid.
- Lacock: the abbey and the village house sit together in Wiltshire. See the house from outside only.
- Northern England: Alnwick, Durham and Goathland are separate trips. Allow time for each.
- Private stops: Harrow School and the Bracknell house are private. Do not enter grounds or disturb residents.
- Exact map pins for all 15 stops are in the Go On Set app.