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About Time is one of my favourite romcoms (though there’s not much ‘com’!) of all time. Definitely one of the best of the last 15 years. And the film features cosmopolitan locales in London and idyllic beach scenes in Cornwall, so no wonder you want to know where the About Time filming locations are!
Love Actually‘s Richard Curtis is the writer and director behind About Time (2013) which stars the gorgeous ginge, Domhnall Gleeson, as Tim. At age 21, Tim learns from his father James (played by Bill Nighy) that all the men in their family are time-travellers. Cue Tim using that superpower simply to win over the woman of his dreams.
It’s a beautiful, aching love story with, yes, sci-fi elements if you want to call it that. I brawl my little eyes out every time I watch this film. About Time features characters you’d love to chat with over a brew. Especially at their family home in Cornwall. So, where exactly are the About Time filming locations? Let’s find out!
About Time: Where Was It Filmed?
About Time Filming Locations in London
1. Paddington Station
Tim leaves his Cornish, country life behind “in search of a future and a girlfriend” in London. He travels from west to east via train and arrives at Paddington Station, which is very brief filming location.
2. Abbey Road Studios, St John’s Wood
Then, dragging a huge suitcase, a giant backpack and a plastic grocery bag, Tim walks past Abbey Road Studios in St John’s Wood. It’s kind of on the way to his final destination but it’s also just a lot of needless walking. Why didn’t you just get on the London Underground, Tim pal?
3. 59 Brondesbury Road, Queen’s Park
Finally, Tim arrives at the first proper About Time location in London! His dad hooked him up with a houseshare in Queen’s Park (so, technically not in St John’s Wood as the narration would suggest). Tim’s new housemate is middle-aged playwright Harry (played by Tom Hollander). Harry’s address is 59 Brondesbury Road.
4. 2 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Tim joins a law firm in London’s legal heartland, Lincoln’s Inn Fields. The proper address is 2 New Square and the entrance of his specific solicitor’s office is a white, elaborate archway with T. N. G. C. and 1818 written across it.
5. 1 Newburgh Street, Soho
Jay convinces Tim to join him on a (literal) blind date. They head to a dinner at Dans Le Noir? which is a real-life restaurant chain where the patrons eat in the dark. About Time shot this scene at 1 Newburgh Street in Soho. And even though Dans Le Noir? is a real restaurant, it’s not located on this charming cobbled street. Nope, it was just set-dressed.
I guess the interiors of the restaurant could be authentic, I’m not sure (because it’s pitch black inside, lol). But the exterior definitely isn’t. Today, there is an Asian fusion restaurant at 1 Newburgh Street called Ugly Dumpling.
6. The Old Vic Theatre, South Bank
Tim attempts to save the opening night of Harry’s new play with disastrous consequences for his first date with Mary (played by Rachel McAdams). It’s debuting at The Old Vic Theatre in The Cut on London’s South Bank. Which isn’t a half-bad place to debut a new play!
Plus, the great Richard E Grant and Richard Griffiths in the lead roles?! No idea why Harry feels down in the dumps about his career with credentials like those.
7. 26-28 Courtfield Gardens, Kensington
Joanna (played by The Crown‘s Vanessa Kirby) reluctantly tells Tim where she lives so he can scheme to meet Mary at a house party before she gets hung up on a new fella. At the Kate Moss exhibition (I don’t know the gallery location, sorry!), Joanna says her apartment is at 26 Courtfield Gardens. And I’m pleased to say she’s correct, Joanna does know where she lives. Well, technically it’s 26-28.
And what a rather nice flat it is. Either Joanna has an excellent job or she comes from wealth. Her accent screams the latter.
8. Zorba’s Greek Taverna, 36 Leinster Terrace
Thank you so much to Alicia in the comments for enlightening me about this About Time filming location. IMDB listed it as being on “Leinster Gardens” which was wrong.
Tim saves Mary from her friend Joanna’s party and takes her out for a meal. Supposedly, this meal is at Zorba’s Greek Taverna on 36 Leinster Terrace. At the time of writing, the restaurant looks exactly as it did in the film but unfortunately, it is permanently closed down.
9. 102 Golborne Road, Notting Hill
Tim walks Mary back to her car (and her house) in Notting Hill. To be fair, it’s only around 30 minutes of walking so it’s not that unrealistic.
Mary lives at 102 Golborne Road in Notting Hill (with a pink door). And Tony’s failed restaurant in Notting Hill (1999) was located at 105 Golborne Road, just opposite! Luckily, the two fall in love and Tim moves in with Mary at this address. Don’t think the mardy playwright Harry would be a great housemate for the pair of them, would he?
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10. Maida Vale Station
Tim and Mary’s local London Underground station is Maida Vale Station where their relationship develops via a delightfully soppy montage. In reality, it’s definitely not their local underground in Notting Hill because this station is about a mile away. But maybe they just really like the Bakerloo line?
11. National Theatre, South Bank
Another theatre to add to the list of About Time filming locations. This time, we’re heading to the National Theatre also on London’s South Bank. This is where Tim runs into his first love, Charlotte (played by Margot Robbie).
12. Whitehouse Apartments, South Bank
After Tim has dinner with Charlotte (without mentioning his wonderful girlfriend Mary, the swine), he walks her back to her apartment. We don’t see the exterior, but I believe she lives “just around the corner”, as she says, at the Whitehouse Apartments on the South Bank.
And so continues the trope of Londoners in films living in houses they could never afford without trust funds.
13. Royal Courts of Justice, Strand
Are you crying enough to water a garden at this point in the film yet? I know I am! After James tells his son the secret to happiness, Tim attempts to live his life as normally as possible. In one scene of his “day in the life of Tim” montage, he appears in court to hear the verdict of a case. The interior of that courtroom is the Royal Courts of Justice in the Strand.
About Time Filming Locations in Cornwall
14. Porthpean House, St Austell
The very first About Time location is in Cornwall! Yep, the About Time house in Cornwall is known as Porthpean House in St Austell, Cornwall. It’s the house that everyone wishes they had as a “family home.” Porthpean House is a stunning, classically decorated, Grade II listed mansion overlooking the coast with its own private staircase to the sea. It’s remained in the Petherick family since the early 19th century and is quite simply the most charming English house and estate I’ve ever seen.
This house pops up a lot throughout About Time so we poor people can dream about what it would be like to live in a huge seaside home with dark, hardwood floors and tiffany blue walls. Though if you do have a few thousand pounds saved for a rainy day or have an important house party to host, Porthpean House is available to rent.
15. Vault Beach, St Goran
This location is the Lake family’s local beach. Like I said in the previous location, they have their own little walkway down to the beach where they can drag their own deckchairs and picnic blankets. So idyllic, co civilised, so upper middle class.
In reality, the About Time Cornwall location is Vault Beach in St Goran, just down the coast from Porthpean House. I guess it must be prettier than the local Porthpean Beach.
16. St Michael Penkivel Church, Truro
One of my favourite moments in the film and About Time filming locations, the church where Mary and Tim get married! It’s St Michael Penkivel Church in Truro, Cornwall. Some of the quick, stormy exterior shots are of Portloe in Truro.
I love that Mary wears a red dress and I love that they have a simple reception in Tim’s childhood home (after the marquee collapses, of course). I’m kind of obsessed with really personalised, laidback weddings because they seem to ONLY happen in the movies. Sigh.
And those are all the top About Time filming locations in London and Cornwall! Have you watched the film or visited any of the About Time movie locations? Let me know in the comments below!
Read next: Notting Hill Filming Locations in London
I love your blog! I’ve been pinning movie locations on a London map for a few years now, and you posted some I didn’t have 🙂 I have About Time’s number 8 in Leinster Terrace (not Gardens), and there’s still a Greek restaurant there. So I guess there’s a mistake on IMDb.
Alicia! Thank you so so much! You are absolutely right and I’ve updated the post to reflect this new info – that location had me stumped for ages haha.