Where Was “Dark Shadows” Filmed?

Love the weird and groovy series and have asked yourself: Where was “Dark Shadows” filmed? We get it! Whether you’re just a fan or planning a “Dark Shadows”-inspired event or production, we’ll fill you in on the most popular filming locations.

And while you’re here, we’ll share a “Dark Shadows”-inspired filming location that you can use for yourself from Peerspace. Peerspace is the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, after all. Now, let’s pull back the curtain and take a look at the macabre dealings of “Dark Shadows” throughout the years.

What is “Dark Shadows”?

The gothic soap opera “Dark Shadows” was a big success on American television from the late 1960s into the early 1970s. The series ran for over 1,200 episodes, all chock full of melodrama and dark, gothic themes that were a major draw for a mostly teenage audience.

The large estate, as Collinwood, is the setting for many of the stories throughout the series. You can see it in the original “Dark Shadows” along with all the subsequent reboots and movies, such as the Tim Burton-helmed 2012 movie that younger generations might know.

Superfans of the series might have watched each slightly different Collinwood and wondered: where was “Dark Shadows” filmed? We have the answers for all of the iterations of “Dark Shadows,” so you won’t have to go scouring the internet to find them.

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Where did they film the original “Dark Shadows”?

The original “Dark Shadows” series took a bit of time to catch on with fans. It eventually gained massive success with the introduction of the fan-favorite vampire, Barnabas Collins, played by Jonathan Frid, almost a year into its run.

One element that was in the show from the beginning was the gorgeous gothic manor, Collinwood. If you were a fan of the show, you might remember thinking to yourself, “Where was ‘Dark Shadows’ filmed?”

According to IMDB, they filmed the original Collinwood mansion at Seaview Terrace, also known as Carey Mansion, in Newport, Rhode Island. If you’re unfamiliar with Newport, the town is the location of many historic and beautiful mansions that date back to the mid-19th century. With so many large mansions, it may surprise you to find out that Seaview Terrace is the fifth-largest one in Newport.

If you’re looking to visit the original Collinwood, then you can check it out yourself – just make sure you look like a prospective buyer. An article in the Newport Daily News says that as of late November 2021, Seaview Terrace is on the market! The asking price might be a little more than people can pay at nearly 30 million dollars!

“House of Dark Shadows” and “Night of Dark Shadows”

As fans of the show might remember, there were two movies based on the original soap opera. First up was “House of Dark Shadows” in 1970 and then “Night of Dark Shadows” in 1971. Curious fans might have noticed some differences from this version of Collinwood and wondered: where was “Dark Shadows” filmed in these iterations?

Instead of returning to Newport, Rhode Island and Seaview Terrace, the filmmakers decided on the Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, New York, according to IMDB. In an article for Westchester Magazine, it appears that they only used Lyndhurst Estate for exterior scenes. They then shot interior footage elsewhere, likely in a studio space.

That shouldn’t stop you from visiting Tarrytown for yourself and giving the beautiful gothic mansion a tour. A visit to the Lyndhurst Estate website has all the information regarding tours and what you can expect if you visit for yourself.

Where did they film The “Dark Shadows” remake?

In the early 1990s, NBC rebooted “Dark Shadows” as a soap opera once again. Unfortunately, this iteration was less successful and only lasted for one 12-episode season before the network canceled it. Despite all that, it still has a fan following. You may have seen this remake series for yourself and wondered: where was “Dark Shadows” filmed?

Unlike other versions of Collinwood on the U.S. east coast, they filmed the 1990 remake closer to Hollywood, according to IMDB. The production team for this series settled on the historic Greystone Manor on Loma Vista Drive in Beverly Hills, California.

The manor dates back to the late 1920s. The city of Beverly Hills now owns it, and it’s currently a park and historic site. This is another wonderful location to visit for yourself – check out their website for details on when to visit. They also have a handy list of the many other movies and television shows that were filmed there!

Where did they film The 2012 “Dark Shadows” movie?

New fans of the “Dark Shadows” series may only know the 2012 Tim Burton movie starring Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins. In terms of visuals, it compares to many of Tim Burton’s other works while bringing a new spin on Collinwood.

According to IMDB, they shot the exteriors of the mansion at Trafalgar Castle School in Whitby, Ontario, Canada. They filmed many of the interior scenes at Pinewood Studios in Buckinghamshire, England.

The internationally-known Trafalgar Castle School was built in 1874 and is now home to a girls’ day and boarding school. So don’t expect to be getting a full tour unless you have a child attending there. However, you can still admire the sights of the gorgeous gothic castle by driving past the Trafalgar Castle School if you find yourself in Whitby.

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Where to find your own “Dark Shadows”-inspired filming location

Now we know everything there is to know about “Dark Shadows” and the Collinwood Mansion. Next, we can move on to sharing a “Dark Shadows”-inspired filming location that you can use for yourself.

Head on over to Peerspace and take a look at this 1850 historic New York City landmark mansion! Be sure to check out the high-quality images in the listing. In factm you can almost imagine Barnabas Collins himself walking through the home’s gothic halls.

Check out Peerspace for all of your filming location needs. Maybe you’ll find the perfect space to film the next “Dark Shadows” reboot!

Find unique filming locations on Peerspace