Ashridge

In 1604, the estate became the property of Sir Thomas Egerton. Egerton's son, John Egerton, was created 1^st Earl of Bridgewater on 27 May 1617. In 1800, redevelopment of the estate as the Bridgewater residence was begun by Francis Egerton, 3^rd Duke of Bridgewater. The Duke demolished most of the Priory and after his death, the present house was constructed between 1808 and 1814 by John Egerton, 7^th Earl of Bridgewater. The 3^rd Duke of Bridgewater was buried in the Egerton family vault in Little Gaddesden Church, close to Ashridge. In 1848, the estate passed to the Earls Brownlow, another strand of the Egerton family, and then in 1921 it was split,…

Ashridge Common has been featured many times in film and television series due to its distinction as an area of natural beauty. Scenes for: Maleficent, Plotlands, Sleepy Hollow, Jonathan Creek and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire were filmed in Ashridge's Frithsden Beeches wood. Ashridge House, which is now Ashridge Business School, has been featured in films such as The Dirty Dozen. More recently, it has been used as a location for The Crown and Pennyworth TV series. In early 2023, English singer-songwriter Sam Smith released a music video for his song, I'm Not Here to Make Friends, almost entirely shot in and outside the property.