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The gardens were originally laid out as a private space for the owners of the adjoining villas which were owned by wealthy shipping merchants.
The park is situated on the cliff top and has stunning views over Penarth Pier and the Bristol Channel. On a clear day you can see the second Severn Crossing and Weston-super-mare.
An octagonal bandstand occupies a prominent position in the northern side of the park and there are steps nearby leading down the the former Beach Shelter on the Esplanade.
You won't be the first to choose the Vale as the perfect destination for your film/tv production, here are just a few others:
While most will associate Poldark with the beautiful coast and countryside of Cornwall, few might be aware that some scenes were also filmed on the glorious Glamorgan Heritage Coast in the Vale of Glamorgan. In Season 3, cast and crew re-located to shoot scenes at Dunraven Bay in the village of Southerndown, and those that know our coastline well will recognise the familiar backdrop of the cliffs. A popular location for filming, there have been many productions that have chosen this spot, including Dr Who and TV series Merlin, and Sherlock.
Fantasy Drama His Dark Materials is a television series based on the trilogy of novels by Philip Pullman. Produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Productions, for BBC One and HBO, the show follows the orphan Lyra as she searches for a missing friend and discovers a kidnapping plot related to an invisible cosmic substance called Dust. We were delighted to welcome the film crew to the Vale. Rhoose Point, the most southerly point on mainland wales, where the Wales Coast Path follows the shoreline, was used for the filming of a scene for Season 3.
Much loved TV sitcom Gavin & Stacey was filmed in and around Barry with much of the filming taking place on iconic Barry Island showcasing the beach and amusement arcades. The show, created by James Corden and Ruth Jones, revolves around the romantic relationship between Gavin from Essex and Stacey from Barry. The use of Barry Island adds to the show's authenticity and charm and visitors from around the world still make the journey to Barry Island to visitor iconic locations made famous by this very much loved, award-winning programme
Viewers will recognise some familiar scenes in Penarth from the hit Netflix series Sex Education. The Netflix hit comedy-drama Sex Education follows Otis, Eric, Maeve, and their motley crew of friends and family as they navigate through the tricky topic mentioned in the show's title - 'sex education'. Viewers will recognise some locations in Penarth where the Paget Rooms was used for the school hall scenes and Penarth Pier and esplanade features in later episodes.
The Vale has been the backdrop for much of the filming of Dr Who over the years. Viewers will have seen the Tardis pop up on the coastline at the Knap in Barry, against the stunning backdrop of Dunraven Bay on the Glamorgan Heritage Coast and at St.Donats Castle, which has also been home to the filming of Wolf Hall, Keeping Faith and Decline and Fall. Keep watching for more iconic locations from the Vale in the new season.
