Slow Horses filming locations in London you can visit
When it comes to espionage dramas, no show dives into London’s grittier corners quite like Slow Horses. Based on Mick Herron’s hit novels, the Apple TV series follows a scrappy bunch of MI5 misfits—dubbed the “slow horses”—banished to Slough House, a dreary, run-down office. Their disgraced leader, Jackson Lamb, played brilliantly by Gary Oldman, reluctantly guides them through unglamorous tasks that inevitably spiral into high-stakes chaos. Forget glossy spy gadgets and sleek headquarters—this series revels in London’s shadowy alleys, grimy launderettes, and overlooked landmarks.
Here’s a closer look at the show’s key filming locations, alongside the standout scenes that brought them to life.
Aldersgate Street
The exterior of Slough House is filmed at 126 Aldersgate Street, situated above the Vecchio Parioli Italian restaurant at the corner of Aldersgate and Carthusian Streets. This unassuming building becomes the central hub for the show, appearing in nearly every episode. The worn fire escape seen in the series is filmed on nearby St John’s Street.
Barbican
The Barbican’s striking brutalist architecture is key to the show’s atmosphere throughout all four seasons, especially during a tense confrontation between River Cartwright and James Webb on Barbican Bridge in season three. The area’s stark concrete structures and shadowy passages heighten the tension, perfectly capturing the gritty tone of the series.
This is one of the Slow Horses filming locations in London that is easiest to visit at no cost!
Rheidol Rooms
This real-life cozy café is a regular haunt in Season 1, often visited by the anxious journalist Robert Hobden, adding a bit of warmth to the otherwise tense atmosphere of the show.
Stansted Airport
The series kicks off with a tense scene at Stansted Airport, setting the tone for River’s sudden career change and the challenges that follow.
Truefitt & Hill
In the second episode of the first season named “Work Drinks”, the historic Truefitt & Hill barbershop in St James’s plays a key role in a quirky scene with James “Spider” Webb. The luxurious, old-world charm of the shop contrasts sharply with the gritty, dark world of Slough House, highlighting Webb’s fondness for the finer things in life.
Bunhill Fields Burial and Gardens
Known as Blake’s Grave in the show, Bunhill Fields appears often in Season 1 as a quiet, secretive meeting place for the team.
St Pancras Station & The King’s Cross Tunnel
St Pancras Station and the colorful King’s Cross Tunnel are crucial locations in Season 4, Episodes 5 and 6, where thrilling chase sequences unfold. River Cartwright races through the station’s grand architecture and the vibrant, rainbow-lit tunnel in a desperate bid to both escape and capture his pursuers.
Gresham Street
In Season 4, Episode 5 named “Grave Danger “, Gresham Street serves as the location for an intense ambush that leads to deadly consequences for The Park’s Dogs. A pivotal moment in the series.
Granary Square & The Lighterman
Granary Square and the nearby Lighterman pub take center stage in Season 4, Episode 6 (“Hello, Goodbye”) during the thrilling final showdown between River and a major villain.
Leather Lane Market
This lively market makes a dramatic entrance in Season 4’s opening scene when Roddy Ho steps out of a chicken shop and is immediately caught off guard by a massive explosion that sets the season’s chaotic events in motion.
Regent’s Canal
This historic canal plays a recurring role as the secret meeting point for Jackson Lamb and Diana Taverner, where they exchange information, make deals, and engage in their tense power struggles. Notable areas near Macclesfield Bridge, St Mark’s Church, and the floating Chinese restaurant are all key locations that can be easily visited.
St Michael’s Church
St Michael’s Church stands in as the place where high-ranking MI5 officers, who have lost their lives in the line of duty, are laid to rest with the appropriate honors. At the end of Season 2, Jackson Lamb’s team uses this location to secretly lay a fallen colleague to rest, someone who was denied the recognition they deserved.
Marylebone Railway Station
Marylebone Station takes the spotlight in Season 2, Episode 1 (Last Stop), during a nerve-wracking chase scene involving former spy Dickie Bow and a mysterious man that quickly turns into a sinister setup.
1 Cornhill
In Season 2, Episode 5 named “Boardroom Politics”, 1 Cornhill becomes the epicenter of a chaotic protest orchestrated by Slough House. The iconic Bank area, with its grand architecture, serves as the perfect backdrop for a plan that, in true Slow Horses fashion, unravels spectacularly.
Barbican Launderette
Jackson Lamb covertly meets an old informant at the Barbican Launderette multiple times throughout the series. This unassuming spot, nestled in London’s brutalist Barbican Estate, reflects the show’s knack for turning the mundane into something steeped in intrigue.
30 Great Guildford St
Featured in season three’s “Hard Lessons” episode, this viaduct and restaurant becomes the site of Catherine Standish’s shocking abduction.
Additional Slow Horses filming locations in London and elsewhere
Where is Upshott Village in Slow Horses?
The picturesque Castle Combe, located in Wiltshire, served as the backdrop for Upshott, most notably in the aptly titled Season 2 episode “From Upshott with Love.” Known as one of the Cotswolds’ most beautiful villages, it’s also an easy day trip from London.
Where in France was Slow Horses series 4 filmed?
The commune of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, located in the Val d’Oise Department north-west of Paris, was used to depict the fictional town of Lavande in the tense Season 4, Episode 2 named “A Stranger Comes to Town”. Exterior shots of the eerie Les Arbres were filmed at Domaine de Seraincourt, an 18th century castle.
What are the castle ruins in Slow Horses?
They are Wimpole’s Folly, dating back to the mid-1770s. The site includes a four-story Gothic tower and is managed by the National Trust. Located in Cambridgeshire, it is open to the public and appears in the thrilling Season 1 finale, aptly titled “Follies.”