The film "Philomena" was filmed in the United Kingdom.

Filming Locations:

Shirburn Castle - All Saints Church

In the Movie

Scene where Philomena visits the grave at Roscrea Monastery.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at All Saints Church - a disused Anglican parish church in the parish of Shirburn, Oxfordshire, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The church is located in the western part of the village, just south of Shirburn Castle. The castle was also used as Mycroft Holmes' home in the film "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows", and the village of Shirburn was used in the film "Fury".

Harefield House - Number

In the Movie

Scene where Philomena and Martin visit Roscrea Monastery and talk with Sister Claire about Philomena's son.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at Harefield Grove Farm - a small estate three miles northeast of the famous Pinewood Studios in London. The estate includes a manor house (Harefield House), outbuildings, barns, and greenhouses. Harefield Grove is a Grade II listed house, probably late 18th or early 19th century, but significantly altered on at least two subsequent occasions. It is most notable for its grounds with lakes and a waterfall, which is one of the few surviving landscape gardens in London not open to the public.

The Dufferin Arms Hotel

In the Movie

Scene where Philomena and Martin visit the pub and learn more about the fire that destroyed the monastery's archive.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at To celebrate the film's premiere, the pub held a party in its honor.

National Mall - Ulysses S. Grant Memorial

In the Movie

Scene where Philomena and Martin stroll along the National Mall.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at The National Mall is a landscaped park within the National Mall and Memorial Parks, an official unit of the United States National Park System, encompassing the area between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol, with the Washington Monument located slightly off-center between them. The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C., honoring American Civil War general and 18th President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant. In the background of this scene, we see the United States Capitol.