CREDITS SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, 1998 dir: John Madden Joseph Fiennes Gwyneth Paltrow Judi Dench Colin Firth Tom Wilkinson Geoffrey Rush Ben Affleck Rupert Everett Simon Callow Imelda Staunton

“You see - comedy... love... and a bit with a dog. That's what they want.”

Multi-Oscar winner, including Best Picture, as a hunky, young playwright William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes) struggles to write Romeo and Ethel, The Pirate’s Daughter and aristocrat Viola de Lesseps (Gwyneth Paltrow) defies convention by wanting to act.

The ‘Rose Theatre’ is a set built for the movie. After filming, it was presented to Dame Judi with an eye to restoring it as a working theatre. The real Rose, where Shakespeare's earlier plays were first performed, was actually uncovered during building work in Southwark in the late eighties, and a massive campaign was launched to preserve it. The property developers eventually agreed to preserve the theatre in the basement of the new building.

The Rose Theatre site is now operated by the Exhibitions Department of Shakespeare's Globe, who offer tours of the site with their own expert guides (currently available to pre-booked groups only – though there are plans to offer regular openings for the general public in future). The site is at Park Street, at the southern end of Southwark Bridge.

Shakespeare In Love: Viola's window, where a balcony was added for the film: Broughton Castle, Banbury, Oxfordshire

Viola’s home, the ‘de Lesseps house’ is Broughton Castle, home of Lord and Lady Saye and Sele, two miles southwest of Banbury, Oxfordshire. The dance, where Will first meets Viola, is the house’s Great Hall, while it’s in the Oak Room that Lord Wessex (Colin Firth) informs Viola she is to be married.

Shakespeare In Love: Viola's formal garden: Broughton Castle, Banbury, Oxfordshire

Viola’s bedroom is a studio set, but for the exterior, a false wooden balcony was built onto Broughton Castle, overlooking the formal gardens. The castle was also seen in Joseph Andrews, Tony Richardson’s follow-up to Tom Jones, Lady Jane (Trevor Nunn’s historical epic about the tragic life of Lady Jane Grey), The Madness of King George and Three Men and a Little Lady. It’s open to the public on various days between May and September (admission charge; tel: 01295.262624).

The command performance of Two Gentlemen of Verona for Queen Elizabeth (Judi Dench), in the ‘Banqueting Hall at the Palace of Whitehall’, is in the Great Hall of Middle Temple in London This is part of the same complex where you'll find Temple Church, a location for The Da Vinci Code (tube: Temple, District and Circle Lines).

'Shakespeare In Love: The ‘Greenwich’ fireworks party: Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire

The ‘Greenwich’ fireworks display, at which Viola meets the Queen, and Shakespeare accepts a bet in drag, used the rear of Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire (seen in Tim Burton’s Batman among many other films).

The riverside scenes were shot on the Thames at Barnes.

'Shakespeare In Love: Shakespeare begs forgiveness: Church of St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfield, London

The interior of the church, where Shakespeare begs forgiveness after hearing about the murder of Kit Marlowe (Rupert Everett), is the Church of St Bartholomew the Great, a tiny church – repository of the bones of St Rahere – tucked away behind Smithfield, EC1, London. You probably recognise this as ‘Nottingham Cathedral’ in the Kevin Costner romp Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves or from the ending of Four Weddings and a Funeral. It also features in Neil Jordan's excellent The End of the Affair, with Ralph Fiennes and Julianne Moore. Incidentally, Smithfield was once the site of grisly executions – it was here that the real William Wallace (played by Mel Gibson in Braveheart) was hung, drawn and quartered.

'Shakespeare In Love: Viola marries Wessex: Eton College Quad, Eton, Berkshire

The church exterior, after Viola’s wedding to Wessex, is the courtyard of Eton School, Berkshire – which also served as the exterior of the ‘Houses of Parliament’ in The Madness of King George.

More riverside scenes were shot in the grounds of Marble Hill House, Twickenham.

Check out the original, witty and superior, ending on the DVD version. The spectacular beach of ‘Illyria’ at the end is Holkham Beach, part of the Holkham Hall estate, three miles west of Wells-next-the-Sea on the A149 on the north coast of Norfolk.