An influx of visitors flock to the mansion where the film Saltburn and an infamous bathroom scene were filmed, but leave disappointed to find many of the rooms off-limits
Hundreds of people have traveled to the British countryside to admire the real ‘Saltburn Mansion’ which features in the film starring Barry Keoghan, alongside Jacob Elordi, Rosamund Pike, Richard E Grant and Carey Mulligan.
Much of writer and director Emerald Ferrell’s Golden Globes-nominated hit was set at Drayton House in Northamptonshire, with the cast often spending time at a nearby pub, the Snooty Fox.
Yet film fans now visiting the mansion have been let down to discover that some of the most eye-catching rooms are not open to the public.
Out of bounds is the bathroom which features in an important and controversial scene, when Keoghan Elordi’s character Oliver spies Felix Catton while he is in the bath, before enjoying himself in the empty bath as the water drains away.
Visitors flocked to the site of the real ‘Saltburn manor’ in Northamptonshire
Drayton House, near Lowick, was used as the setting for Emerald Fennell’s controversial film
Out of reach of visitors is the bathroom where one of the most infamous scenes was filmed
The film stars Oscar-nominated actor Barry Keoghan
Other settings include rooms from the frontal final scene in which Keoghan’s character Oliver Quick spins naked around the mansion to the sound of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s hit single Murder On The Dancefloor.
Saltburn was released in UK cinemas in November before becoming available on Amazon Prime just before Christmas, where it has become one of the site’s most streamed films.
Its success also helped return Murder On The Dancefloor, first released in 2001, to number two in the singles charts.
Now enthusiasts have descended on Drayton House and the nearby town of Lowick.
The stately home is owned by the Sackville family and is generally not open to the public.
But select groups of locals have been offered tours, while many more fans have flocked to the area to enter the grounds and admire the views.
Among those who managed to get in was Maddie Bowness, 21, who worked at the Snooty Fox and met Fennell when cast and crew stopped by.
She visited the mansion with her friends Jasmine Murray, 24, and 26-year-old Sally-Anne Harrison.
Visitors who flocked to the real ‘Saltburn Mansion’ included 24-year-old Jasmine Murray, who said she ‘loved’ the film she has seen twice and would ‘definitely go back’.
Many more people have flocked to the site near Lowick in Northamptonshire to enjoy the views of the stately home and surrounding grounds
Drayton House is owned by the Sackville family and is generally not open to the public, although some locals were offered a tour after filming ended
Maddie, an art student from Lowick, said: “I grew up in the village and it’s amazing how much traffic the film has brought to the area.
“At the time of filming, a few of my friends were cast as extras and they were having such a good time.
‘I was working in the village pub at the time and met a lot of the crew and some of the cast.
“Everyone in the village had positive things to say about it.”
She was part of a group of 30 locals who were allowed to visit after filming ended, although not every setting inside was open for them to inspect.
She said: ‘It was so cool to see – we didn’t see the bedrooms or the bathroom where that scene took place.
‘But we got to see the big stately rooms with all the paintings – it was very grand and historically it’s a beautiful building.’
Jasmine, a senior dispenser at Specsavers and from Raunds in Northamptonshire, has watched the film twice. She said she thought he was “amazing” and didn’t feel “traumatized” as others suggested.
Keoghan plays Oliver Quick, a college student working his way into the life of a posh family
Australian actor Jacob Elordi plays Felix Catton, whose family lives in the mansion
The film features scenes of decadent parties, filmed in the real Drayton House
Fans visit the site where outdoor scenes starring Keoghan were also filmed
In the film’s final scene, Keoghan’s character is seen gyrating naked through the rooms of the mansion to the soundtrack of Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s hit Murder On The Dancefloor.
She said: “We looked at the filming locations that were near us.
‘We only live a 15 to 20 minute drive from the estate. We didn’t know it was there.
‘It was a beautiful walk, very beautiful. It’s a really nice escape from the built-up area, I would definitely go back.’
In contrast, Sally-Anne, a project manager from Oundle in Northamptonshire, was unimpressed by the film after her daughters urged her to watch it.
She said: ‘I wasn’t a fan at all, if I’m honest.
‘My kids made me watch it, it’s a well-made film, but not for me.
‘The scenes didn’t bother me at all, but I found the storyline very predictable.’
Still, she enjoyed visiting the area with her family.
Among those grateful for the new visitors is Steven Hyare, landlord of the nearby Snooty Fox pub where the cast and crew also stopped by while working on the film.
The town of Lowick in Northamptonshire has had many more visitors
She said: “We only live about five miles from the estate and the girls were really excited to visit.
‘It was a lot busier than we thought, but the weather was nice and you can see the mansion as you walk through the grounds.’
Steven Hyare, Snooty Fox’s assistant landlord, has welcomed the area’s new popularity, despite some locals complaining about the influx.
He said: ‘We’ve been bombarded with people – it’s been great for business but we’re always a busy pub and now we’re crazy busy.’