The fictional town of Hawley sits not in some distant production lot but in plain sight on the streets of Bacup, Lancashire—a working mill town that the show uses as its beating heart. This guide maps every confirmed filming spot, from the pub where the gang gathers to the farm where Jim tends his sheep.

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Primary village: Bacup, Lancashire · Fictional town: Hawley · Key locations: Jim’s Farm, Vinnie’s Shack, Crow’s Nest · Regions used: Lancashire, Greater Manchester

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact street addresses for all Bacup locations kept private
  • Full list of season 7 sites beyond confirmed Burnley and Altrincham spots
  • Whether all Llandudno maritime scenes are permanently filmed in Wales
3Timeline signal
  • Series 1 premiered 22 August 2019, filmed starting in Bacup (Screen Manchester)
  • Vinnie’s shack relocated to Arley Hall from series 3 (Secret Manchester)
  • Season 7 filming confirmed in Burnley and Altrincham as of January 2025 (Secret Manchester)
4What’s next
  • Production continues across Lancashire and Greater Manchester regions
  • No official announcement on season 8 or future location changes
  • Tourism impact on Bacup growing with each new series

Seven locations span three categories: the mill-town core, the farm, and the pub that anchors every episode.

Location type Real-world spot Series used
Town streets Bacup (Union Street, Market Street, Broadclough Mill area) Series 1–7+
Farm Burnley outskirts sheep farm Series 1–7+
Character home Ashton-under-Lyne (Erin’s House) Multiple seasons
Pub interior Star & Garter, Manchester city centre Series 1–7+

What village is Brassic filmed in?

The fictional town of Hawley draws its bricks and cobblestones from Bacup, a former textile hub sitting in the Rossendale Valley of southeast Lancashire. Hawley scenes filmed in Bacup near Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire border (Secret Manchester). The production team settled on Bacup after considering Chorley—where co-creator Joseph Gilgun grew up—but chose Bacup for logistical reasons and its similar mill-town feel (Screen Manchester).

Hawley town scenes filmed on Union Street, near old police station, Broadclough Mill, and Market Street in Bacup (Radio Times). The setting deliberately echoes a forgotten former mill town with forgotten people—language the show itself uses to describe Hawley’s character (Radio Times). Bacup locals and cast treat town as home away from home for each series (Secret Manchester).

The upshot

Bacup isn’t just a backdrop—it’s the soul of Hawley. The production returns because the town delivers authenticity that a studio lot simply cannot manufacture.

The Hawley connection

While Hawley feels like a standalone northern town, it’s directly inspired by Chorley, Lancashire where Joseph Gilgun grew up. Hawley inspired by Chorley, Lancashire where co-creator Joseph Gilgun grew up (Radio Times). The show transplants that Chorley sensibility onto Bacup’s real streets, giving Hawley an authenticity rooted in Gilgun’s childhood memories.

Where is Jim’s farm in Brassic?

Jim’s Farm filmed at a working farm on Burnley outskirts across Forest of Bowland (Secret Manchester). The site sits on a sheep farm on hillside between Bacup and Burnley with windfarms visible on the skyline (Screen Manchester). This working farm location gives the show a genuine rural backdrop that matches the character’s rough-around-the-edges personality.

Why this matters

The farm isn’t dressed for television—it’s an active sheep operation. That authenticity comes through on screen in ways a constructed set simply cannot replicate.

Farm location details

The farmland appears throughout all seven series, consistently filmed at the same Burnley outskirts location. The production maintains a relationship with the working farm, scheduling shoots around actual farming operations rather than demanding the farmer work around filming.

Where is Vinnie’s Shack from Brassic?

Vinnie’s Shack originally built in Bolton woodlands, moved to Arley Hall Woods in Cheshire from series three (Secret Manchester). Vinnie’s Shack first filmed in woods above Bolton (Screen Manchester). The original location worked for early series, but production moved it when logistics became challenging.

“The shack was filmed in some woods above Bolton. The director fell in love with the location before looking at how practical it was.”

— Jonathan Davies, Location Manager (Screen Manchester)

Shack specifics

The move to Arley Hall in Cheshire happened after series two wrapped. The production built a new version of Vinnie’s Shack in Arley Hall Woods, maintaining the woodland aesthetic while solving the practical challenges of the original Bolton site.

Brassic filming locations by season

Filming across seasons in Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, West Yorkshire (Radio Times). The production base operates at The Sharp Project in Newton Heath to avoid central Manchester traffic (Screen Manchester), a purpose-built media campus that handles the logistical challenges of running multiple outdoor sets simultaneously.

The trade-off

The Sharp Project keeps production efficient and traffic headaches down—but it means cast and crew commute from Manchester city centre to Bacup, Bolton, and beyond daily. The payoff is having Lancashire’s real streets and landmarks on screen without the costs of building them from scratch.

Season 1 sites

Series 1 premiered on 22 August 2019, filmed starting in Bacup with Hawley town streets, Jim’s Farm, and the original Vinnie’s Shack in Bolton woodlands. The Star & Garter pub handled all interior pub scenes from the outset (Radio Times).

We film all the interior scenes at the Star and Garter. Since it operates as a gig venue, we coordinate with the owner (Radio Times).

The Star and Garter used for all interior pub scenes, coordinated around gigs (Radio Times). Star & Garter has history as live music venue, used in other shows like Band of Gold, It’s a Sin (Visit Manchester).

Season 2 sites

Season 2 continued in Bacup with expanded town street coverage. Rural Yorkshire scenes filmed closing two country roads for drone and car shots in Pennines (Screen Manchester), adding visual variety without leaving the region.

Season 3 onwards

Vinnie’s Shack relocated to Arley Hall Woods in Cheshire from series three (Secret Manchester). Additional Lancashire locations include Accrington and Tockholes, with season three maritime scenes reportedly shot in Llandudno (Radio Times).

Season 4 brought Haigh Hall in Wigan used for wedding scenes and surrounding woodlands in season four (Secret Manchester). Haigh Hall woodlands used in multiple episodes, also for ITV drama Passenger (Visit Manchester).

Season 7 filming

Brassic season 7 filming in Towneley Park, Burnley including Rossendale Road and Crown Point in January 2025 (Secret Manchester). Season 7 filming in Altrincham at Medway Crescent and Altrincham Business Park in January 2025 (Secret Manchester).

Other Greater Manchester sites include Bolton (Bromley Cross, Le Mans Crescent), Salford University Frederick Road Campus for doctor’s surgery (Radio Times). Bolton town centre, Kearsley, Bromley Cross, Le Mans Crescent used for scenes (Visit Manchester). Erin’s House in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside with nearby walking trails like Daisy Nook (Visit Manchester).

Was Brassic filmed in Ireland?

No Ireland filming for Brassic exists in verified sources—the show remains firmly rooted in northern England. Irish actor Aaron Heffernan appears in the cast, but his presence reflects casting choices rather than location shooting (Radio Times).

The production spans Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, and West Yorkshire—not international waters. Any scenes set in Ireland use English locations dressed to stand in for Irish settings, a common production approach that keeps budgets manageable.

The catch

A show built on Irish actors and northern English authenticity—but filmed entirely in England. The locations deliver that rough northern feel without the cost and logistics of cross-border production.

Irish actor presence

Aaron Heffernan plays a recurring role in Brassic, bringing Irish identity to the screen without requiring the production to film in Ireland. His character exists within the Hawley world rather than alongside Irish settings.

Regional variations show Lancashire (Bacup, Burnley) handling the core Hawley town and rural farmland, Greater Manchester (Manchester, Bolton, Ashton, Wigan, Altrincham) covering pub interiors and suburban scenes, and Cheshire (Arley Hall) hosting the relocated Vinnie’s Shack woodland (Visit Manchester).

“We received the scripts and had a meeting with Joe to discuss the overall vibe and visual style of the show, as well as the direction we wanted to take.”

— Jonathan Davies, Location Manager (Radio Times)

“It was an ambitious shoot and there were so many different places we filmed. It was very varied and hopefully watching it, that will be evident.”

— Jonathan Davies, Location Manager (Screen Manchester)

Bottom line: Joseph Gilgun’s Hawley exists in Bacup, Lancashire—not Chorley where he grew up, but a town close enough in spirit and far enough in logistics to work for a television production. For viewers wanting to walk Hawley’s streets themselves, Bacup is the destination. For those tracking filming news, season 7 brought fresh locations in Burnley and Altrincham as recently as January 2025.
Where is Brassic accent from?

The northern Lancashire accent in Brassic draws from the Rossendale Valley area where Bacup sits, close to Joseph Gilgun’s native Chorley dialect. The cast worked to develop consistent regional speech patterns for authenticity.

Brassic cast details?

Joseph Gilgun co-created and stars as Vinnie, alongside Michelle Gomez, Tom Burke, and others. Aaron Heffernan appears as an Irish actor in the cast, though filming remains in England.

Where to watch Brassic?

Brassic streams on Sky Go and NOW TV, with new series typically premiering on Sky One before becoming available on the streaming platforms.

What is Brassic season 7 about?

Season 7 continues the misadventures of Vinnie and the gang in Hawley, with filming confirmed in Burnley and Altrincham during January 2025 alongside the established Bacup locations.

Are Vinnies tattoos real in Brassic?

The character Vinnie features extensive tattoos as part of his visual characterization, though whether they are real prosthetic work or the actor’s own tattoos varies by scene.

Who is the Irish actor in Brassic?

Aaron Heffernan appears in Brassic as an Irish character. He films with the production in England, not Ireland, as all Brassic filming locations are in northern England.


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Fans exploring Brassic’s Bacup village and Greater Manchester spots like Jim’s Farm will appreciate how the authentic Brassic ensemble captures the raw Lancashire working-class spirit.