The release of the film Hamnet, tipped for Oscars glory after six Golden Globe nominations, is driving a surge in tourism to Herefordshire's historic Tudor villages. The movie, based on Maggie O'Farrell's bestselling novel about Shakespeare's son, was filmed largely in the county, with the 17th-century Cwmmau Farmhouse serving as a key location.
Cwmmau Farmhouse, a Grade II-listed Jacobean property managed by the National Trust in Whitney-on-Wye, stands in as the childhood home of Agnes Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife. The farmhouse, which sleeps 10, is available for holiday lets from March 2026, starting at £1,547 for a minimum three-night stay. Location fees from the film helped fund conservation work on the building.
The Herefordshire countryside offers attractions such as Iron Age hillforts, ancient woodland, and views of the Brecon Beacons. Nearby Hay-on-Wye is famed for its bookshops and literary festival. The National Trust notes that the film's production has boosted interest in the area, with guests receiving free entry to local Trust properties like The Weir Garden.
Expedia has also predicted a rise in travel to Yorkshire in 2026, following the upcoming film Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, filmed on the moors of the Yorkshire Dales. The trend highlights how film locations increasingly drive tourism to rural British destinations.
