If you’re guilty of watching a show and pointing at the screen frantically saying, ‘I’ve been there!‘ then you’re not alone. This affliction affects three in five Londoners, and is particularly rampant when Slow Horses hits our screens. As most fans likely already know, aside from River’s adventures in rural France last season, the show is predominantly filmed in London, which means there’s probably been pointing aplenty around households all over the city.
To save any manic Googling, or face-offs over which mysterious Chinese restaurant Lamb is found slurping down noodles, here are a few of the top filming locations from Slow Horses…
What exactly is Slow Horses about?
Funnily enough, it’s not about sluggish stallions but rather a group of dysfunctional spies. Based on the Slough House books by Mick Herron, Slow Horses follows a team of British Intelligence Agents who have essentially been exiled to, as author Herron puts it, an ‘administrative oubliette’ due to a serious failure of some kind.
Instead of a future of futile paper-pushing overseen by the artfully miserable – yet sharper than a knife-edge – Jackson Lamb (Gary Oldman), recent addition River Cartwright (Jack Lowden), and his quest to return to the field sparks off a series of events that ultimately ends in the team being pulled into conspiracies, missions and general shady chaos. There have been four seasons so far, and season five airs very soon, with Ted Lasso star Nick Mohammed joining the cast as an ambitious politician.
Where was Slow Horses filmed?
Caution: potential spoilers for series 1-4 ahead
The Barbican
A distinctive concrete labyrinth of walkways, bridges and plant-spilling balconies, many will recognise The Barbican instantly when it pops up on their screens. The Brutalist estate is famous for its divisive architecture, but there’s no denying it makes for a striking setting – perfect for pavement-pounding foot chases and covert meetings. It also helps that it’s just across the street from their Slough House office.
Some notable moments you’ll likely recognise it from are River Cartwright and ‘Spider’ Webb’s typically barbed and tense meeting on the bridge in Season 3 episode 2, or when Shirley and Marcus pursue a suspect through a maze of alleyways in that same episode. Not one to be left out, despite his best attempts, the episode also sees Jackson Lamb skulking off to the Barbican Launderette to meet an old friend, intelligence contractor and private investigator Sam Chapman.
Aldersgate Street and St. John’s Street
This location is probably one of the most heavily featured in the series, with the unassuming and time-worn facade of 126 Aldersgate Street serving as the exterior of Slough House. It’s a fitting choice – likely because it was the exact location Herron had used as inspiration when writing the books.
The rubbish bin-adjacent fire escape we often see them trudging up, however, is found just around the corner on St. John’s Street. Again, the dreary locale, dialled up with an extra dash of grit and dirt from the set designer, no doubt, captures the soulless ‘bureaucratic dumping ground’ vibe that Mick Herron had intended for Slough House.
Oh, and the restaurant where we see Lamb sloppily slurping down some noodles? Doesn’t exist. It is, in fact, the cafe located next to the front entrance of Slough House, which was temporarily transformed into a moodily-lit eatery especially for the show.
Old Royal Naval College
On the other end of the spectrum from the dismal Slough Horse is the slightly grander MI5 headquarters, where Taverner and her other calculated cronies work. The exteriors are a combination of on-location shots and some CGI wizardry. In the fictional world of Slow Horses, ‘The Park’ is said to be found in Regent’s Park, but in reality, filming took place in the Mews area of Old Royal Naval College, with gates and buildings doubling as the stately intelligence headquarters in seasons 1 and 2.
Many other films and TV series have been shot at the historic site, so if you fancy exploring further, you can always book in a guided tour.
Bunhill Fields Burial Ground
Of course, Jackson Lamb’s chosen emergency meeting spot would be by a gravestone in a cemetery with a history of body-snatching. Or maybe, as a more endearing alternative, it’s a nod to the man who the gravestone it belongs to, William Blake, who wrote the poem ‘The Lamb‘. Either way, the shadowy spot where the Slow Horses often met in secret has its own fascinating past.
The name Bunhill Fields is said to be derived from the term ‘Bone Hill’. It came about after the charnel house (a place where skeletal remains are stored) at St. Paul’s Cathedral was destroyed after the Reformation, and cartloads of bones were dumped just outside the City of London walls and covered in a layer of soil, resulting in a literal hill of bones. The Marble Arch Mound doesn’t sound so bad now, eh?
After the Great Plague, Bunhill Fields opened as a burial ground and soon became a spot for non-conformists and dissenters to be buried, as it wasn’t attached to any place of worship. It is thought that there are over 120,000 bodies buried there, including many radicals and intellectuals. Among which is the poet William Blake – though his exact whereabouts in the graveyard is a mystery due to bomb damage from World War II.
Regent’s Canal and Regent’s Park
Every intelligence agent needs to have a secret bench for covert discussions, devious dealings, or simply to trade snide insults with their colleagues. For Diana Taverner and Jackson Lamb, this bench is located on the Regent’s Canal, just across the water from the Feng Shang Princess, a floating red Chinese restaurant. A perfect excuse to visit the filming spot, sit where Gary Oldman and Kristen Scott Thomas once sat, then treat yourself to a delicious dinner.
While you’re there, you might as well follow in the footsteps of River Cartwright by heading over to Regent’s Park and walking through the regal-looking gates, which are found at the exit near Regent’s University. You might recognise them from season 3, episode 2, when River is grabbed by Duffy, leaving the park after evading him for most of the episode.
Lighterman Pub
Caution, spoilers ahead. The Lighterman pub, located in Granary Square, is the climactic spot where River Cartwright faces off with Hugo Weaving’s ruthless Frank Harkness in the finale of season 4 – and learns the grim truth about the identity of his father.
You can always swing by the buzzing spot to sit down for a much more pleasant chat, stomach rumbling meal and a few golden hour drinks.
The Shaftesbury Tavern
In the chaotic world of Slow Horses, it comes as no surprise that the downtrodden misfits are partial to an after-work pint. In series 4 episode 1, River and Louisa do not so much drown as dampen their sorrows with a beer in the Shaftesbury Tavern in Finsbury Park. Although in reality it’s more than a quick wander from their Aldersgate office, the old school dark wood and chequered board floors interiors tick the boxes for a classic boozer that you can easily imagine is their local haunt.
St. Michael’s Church
A moment’s silence for Min, please – personally, I’m still not over it. If, though, you fancy paying your respects and checking out the striking stone carvings and unique blue door that you may have spied during Min’s funeral in the season 2 finale, you can head over to St. Michael’s in Cornhill. The medieval parish church is just a short stroll from Bank tube station.
What are some of the filming locations outside of London?
Stansted Airport
If you’re visiting London from overseas, you can always aim to fly into Stansted Airport, where you can start your Slow Horses-inspired exploration from the moment you touch down. The airport was the site of the opening scene of the first-ever episode, the one where River makes the crucial mistake (no thanks to Spider) during a live training exercise that ultimately results in his demotion to Slough House.
St Frideswide’s Farmhouse, Oxford
Another spot that makes a semi-regular appearance on the show is the home of River’s grandad, David Cartwright. St. Frideswide’s Farmhouse, a Grade II-listed building in Oxford, doubled as the countryside house. Its idyllic, nature-wrapped facade and picturesque gardens serve as a striking contrast to the violence that unfolds there at the beginning of the fourth season.
Is there a tour?
Yes, thankfully, for those of us who are a tad directionally challenged and would rather have a knowledgeable guide show us the way, there is a Slow Horses walking tour, where you can dive even deeper into the world of espionage.
When does season 5 of Slow Horses air?
The wait is over; the first two episodes of Slow Horses season 5 are now available to watch on AppleTV+. But alas, you’ll have to be patient, as each following episode will be released weekly on Wednesdays.
