Hollywood film features Dove Cottage

When Hollywood came to Dove Cottage

Highly anticipated feature film History of Sound releases in cinemas January 2026

Man of the moment Paul Mescal is seemingly everywhere these days including the Lake District!

The Hollywood heartthrob spent time in Cumbria in spring 2024 while filming scenes for the upcoming movie The History of Sound, which is released in cinemas this month. Part of the production was shot inside Dove Cottage, the historic home of poet William Wordsworth, located in the heart of Grasmere.

The History of Sound is a period romance drama set in the early 1900s and follows the relationship between two men, Lionel (played by Mescal) and David (played by Josh O’Connor). One of the final scenes of the movie was shot in the Lake District, as Lionel travelled to the area after David had told him it was ‘the most beautiful place he’d ever seen’.

Scenes filmed at Dove Cottage showcase the intimate interior of the property, offering cinema audiences a glimpse inside one of the Lake District’s most treasured literary landmarks, which the attractions’ bosses are hoping will convert into real time visits to Wordsworth Grasmere, the home of Dove Cottage.

Wordsworth Grasmere director, Michael McGregor explains: “We were approached a couple of years back by the production team to use Dove Cottage as one of the settings for the movie. It’s a great opportunity to show this period property on the big screen and hopefully in turn encourage a whole new generation to want to visit Dove Cottage and learn more about William Wordsworth, his life and the village of Grasmere. Just like Wordsworth, who famously described Grasmere as “The loveliest place that man hath ever found”, the characters in the movie also find the Lakes to be beautiful, with the character of Lionel travelling here because his friend had recommended it.”

The film’s release is expected to shine a fresh spotlight on the historic attraction, blending literary heritage with contemporary cinema appeal.

McGregor continues: “Our staff are well versed in which areas the scenes from the movie were filmed and what it is about so will be able to answer questions visitors have about the movie and the famous actors and their time ‘on-set’.”

Meanwhile, Joseph Cairns, Location Manager for Film Lake District said: “It was a privilege to be allowed to film in such an historic space at Dove Cottage.”

The movie was partially shot in Grasmere in April 2024, with a vast crew and cast spending five days in the hamlet of ‘Townend’ where Dove Cottage is located. Dove Cottage was the very last final filming location with staff from Wordsworth Grasmere experiencing what it was like to be part of a film crew, even noting that at the end the director really did say: “it’s a wrap.”

Wordsworth Grasmere is open to the public from 10am – 4pm Tuesday to Saturday with timed entry into Dove Cottage. Tickets can be purchased in advance from wordsworth.org.uk.

The History of Sound production was brought to Cumbria by Film Lake District, who specialise in location scouting and facilitating shoots in the region.