Did you know that the neo-Norman castle on the outskirts of Bangor has taken on a starring role in House of Guinness, the new historical drama from Steven Knight streaming on Netflix. Penrhyn Castle, steeped in local history as the seat of the Penrhyn estate, appears on screen as Ashford Castle, the opulent Irish home of the Guinness family.
Making of a Stand-In
Though the story is set in 1860s Dublin and occasionally New York, cast and crew found that modern Dublin and other Irish locations no longer match the world the script demands. They turned instead to stately homes and castles in England and Wales. Penrhyn Castle, with its grand architecture, sweeping views, and lavish interiors, was chosen because of “many parallels” with Ashford Castle.
Karen Wilson, an executive producer, explained that the production team “travelled the length and breadth of Ireland and the UK… places like Manchester, Liverpool, north Wales, and Yorkshire gave us what we needed.”
Penrhyn Castle’s exterior, interiors, and its setting help evoke the wealth, ambition, and class dynamics that are central to the Guinness family’s story.
The Rich and Complex History of Penrhyn
Penrhyn Castle was built in the early 19th century for George Hay Dawkins-Pennant, inheriting the Penrhyn estate.
The castle belongs to a large parkland and estate; much of the grounds retain 19th-century layout, walled gardens, lodges, grand entrances, and ornamental planting. The Penrhyn family’s wealth derived in large part from slate quarrying (notably the huge Penrhyn Quartz Slate Quarry near Bethesda ), as well as other estate revenues.
The estate later passed into the hands of the National Trust (1951), and the castle is now open to the public, partly preserved as it was in the 19th century.
Ogwen Bank Lodge Park / Penrhyn Hunting Grounds
Ogwen Bank Caravan & Lodge Park is located in the Ogwen Valley, Snowdonia, and includes what was formerly a hunting lodge belonging to Penrhyn Castle.
The estate’s park boundary extends along the Afon Ogwen (the Ogwen River) and includes features such as park walling, lodges, etc. The Penrhyn Park boundary wall, built in the early 19th century, stretches along this area.
The historic landscape surveys identify Ogwen Bank Lodge Park as part of the Penrhyn estate’s picturesque retreats; the reception and sales office at the park currently would have served as a seasonal or leisure retreat for Lord Penrhyn.
Penrhyn Castle stands as a dramatic and historically rich stand-in for Ashford Castle in House of Guinness. The use of its architecture, its estate grounds, and its history helps imbue the Netflix series with visual depth and authenticity. Meanwhile, sites like Ogwen Bank Lodge Park remain reminders of the broader landscape and social world in which such estates operated.
If you would like to come and visit Penrhyn Castle where parts of House of Guinness were filmed why not book a short break at Ogwen Bank.