Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets (2)

Harry Potter & The Chamber of Secrets

Gloucester Cathedral in England

Gloucester Cathedral was one of the main inspirations for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.  The cloisters and lavatorium were the main areas of the cathedral used for filming in 3 of the Harry Potter movies. Walking the halls of the cathedral takes you straight into the movie, as you remember Harry, Hermione, Ron, and many of the other Hogwarts students and teachers walking those familiar halls.  Gloucester Cathedral was completed in 1130.  It was formerly the Abbey of St. Peter.  In 1350 the Great East Window was installed, and at the time was the largest window in the world.  It is the size of a tennis court and is made of stained glass.  It is behind the high altar on the east wall of the choir.  Near the entrance of the cathedral there is an interactive map that shows you where to find the filming sites.

Gloucester Cathedral's official website is here:  Gloucester Cathedral  Entry is free, although they do have a suggested donation of 5 euro.  Visiting hours are Monday through Friday from 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday from noon to 2:30 pm and again from 4 to 5 pm.  Check their website for unusual closing days or hours.  The address of the Cathedral is 12 College Grn, Gloucester GL1 2LX, United Kingdom.  Its google maps location is here:  Gloucester Cathedral

The location of Gloucester Cathedral on Google Maps

My family visited Gloucester Cathedral in November of 2024 when we were on a road trip through England.  We had already visited Harry Potter Studios in Watford and we were very excited to see another of the Harry Potter filming sites.  We walked through the cloisters and recognized the hallways from the films.  One of the hallways was closed off because they were decorating it for Christmas.  Unfortunately, that was the hallway with the Lavatorium, so we missed seeing that important filming site for Harry Potter.  

Here is one of the Harry Potter scenes filmed in the Gloucester Cathedral:  Chamber of Secrets

Here is another scene from Chamber of Secrets, the writing on the wall: Chamber of Secrets 2

approaching Gloucester Cathedral

The east corridor

The south corridor

The interactive map near the entrance of the cathedral

the south corridor

beautiful vaulted ceilings

the south corridor

the south corridor

the south corridor

the stained glass windows in the south corridor

the north corridor with many people decorating for Christmas

Professors gather to witness the writing on the wall in the movie

The writing on the wall in the movie

Everyone gathering in the north east corner of the cloisters

writing on the wall in the northeast corner

The students gathering to see the writing on the wall

Witnessing the writing on the wall

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened
enemies of the heir... beware"

the courtyard

the east corridor

In the movie, the east corridor was flooded

the east corridor

the south corridor

the south corridor

This is where the south corridor meets the west corridor - in the first movie this is where the Gryffindor Common room door is and where the students walk down the south corridor towards it.

My daughter walking in the neighborhood of the cathedral

Harry Potter Studios in London

Warner Brothers Studio Tour London is located at Studio Tour Dr, Leavesden, Watford WD25 7LR, United Kingdom.  If you are a Harry Potter fan, it is a definite must-visit if you are ever in London.  The tickets are rather expensive, and you have to book them far in advance, but it is worth it.  Tickets are 56 pounds for adults, and they also offer family tickets, and tickets with added benefits.  I recommend purchasing priority parking so that you have parking right next to the entrance.  The Studio is open from 9:30 a.m. to 10 o'clock at night.  

Several aspects of this movie appear in the Harry Potter Studios tour, including the mandrakes that were used to cure the petrified students (and Mrs. Morris the cat).  Professor Sprout had to wait until the mandrakes were mature enough to use to treat the victims.  Mandrakes of all maturity levels can be found at Harry Potter Studios, and when you pull them from their pots they scream at you.  

This mandrake was not happy to be pulled

Gringotts Wizarding Bank is another aspect of the Studio tour.  Harry and the Weasleys visit Gringotts to access their vaults before buying school supplies for the new school year.

The Studio has a Platform 9 3/4 that you can pose next to for photos

The Dursley Home on Privet Drive is standing outside the studio

Harry Potter's new bedroom, which is Dudley's old second bedroom, with Dobby visiting him and causing a disruption

The Weasley's flying car is on display just outside the Studio

You can climb inside and pose for photos

The Dining Hall is featured in every Harry Potter movie.  It was actually fashioned after the dining hall at Christ Church, Oxford.  No filming was done in the Christ Church dining hall, however.  The set was created to mimic this high-ceilinged dining hall and filming for all of the movies was done at the Studio.

The entrance to the dining hall

Aragog the spider in his lair

Diagon Alley is an integral part of this movie.  It is here that Lucius Malfoy slips Tom Riddle's diary into Ginny's possession without her knowledge.  Harry, Hermione, and Ron shop for school supplies.  They meet Gilderoy Lockhart, the new Defense Against the Arts professor, as he is signing copies of his new book at the Flourish and Blotts bookstore.

Scribbulus is a shop where wizards and witches can purchase writing supplies of all sorts

Mr Mullpeppers Apothecary is where wizards and witches can purchase items for potion making.

Slug & Jiggers is also an Apothecary selling potion ingredients

Eeylops Owl Emporium where wizards and witches can purchase owls

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is the shop founded by Fred and George that features jokes and novelty items

The stairway to nowhere

The Hogwarts Castle was built as a miniature and was used in scenes for each movie with the weather changing on the set.  When we visited, it was snowing at the castle.  There are other models built of the Hogwarts set that were used in filming also.

The Hogwarts Express is part of each Harry Potter movie as well.  The train sits on display in the studio and people can walk through it and look in each train car.