The Disney+ adaptation of Jilly Cooper’s famously scandalous Rutshire Chronicles has brought shoulder pads, champagne, country glamour and outrageously wealthy horse people galloping back into fashion.
Explore the world of Jilly Cooper -Credit:Ciara Hillyer
Hopefully you’re all caught up with the first three episodes of Rivals season two. If, like me, you’re not ready to leave the world of Rutshire, you may consider exploring the beautiful part of the country that inspired the novels.
Thankfully for south west locals, you won’t need to travel far as much of Rivals was filmed in Bristol and Gloucestershire, while the rolling Cotswolds countryside has long been woven into the fabric of Cooper’s novels.
So if you fancy a weekend of polo, clay shooting, vintage fashion and Concorde-level luxury, here’s how to spend a very Rivals-inspired weekend in Bristol and the Cotswolds.
Berkeley Castle the backdrop for the ‘Rutshire Cup’ in Rivals Season 2
Starting at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, the stunning backdrop for the ‘Rutshire Cup’ scenes in episode one.
Berkeley Castle
Steeped in almost 900 years of history, the castle is perhaps most famously linked to the murder of King Edward II, allegedly involving a red-hot poker in one of history’s more eyebrow-raising royal exits.
The horses (sorry ponies) in this scene are actually trained by Harry Tucker, a regular at Cirencester Park Polo Club.
Cirencester Park Polo Club
-Credit:Disney + / Hulu
Speaking to members at the club, it quickly becomes clear just how closely Jilly Cooper observed this scene while writing her novels. Rumours still swirl about which real-life polo personalities inspired the outrageous characters in her books.
Although playing Polo is a sport reserved for those with the funds to have at least six ponies per game (£8k-£200k a pop, you do the maths). A day trip to watch the exhilarating sport isn’t as expensive as you may think. With a £20 price tag for a day membership at Cirencester Park Polo Club you can observe the world that captured Jilly’s curiosity. Even if you don’t know your chukka from your patron, there’s something undeniably thrilling about watching riders and horses thunder past you.
Ian Coley clay pigeon shooting -Credit:Ciara Hillyer
From there you can travel on to Ian Coley’s, the home of shooting in the Cotswolds, or as our instructor Matt called it ‘posh pointing’. No Rivals-inspired weekend would be complete without trying at least one wildly upper-class hobby. My experience of clay pigeon shooting was surprisingly good fun and if you have an ounce of a competitive streak and don’t mind the idea of holding a dangerous weapon, then this might be the perfect way to spend a Tony Baddingham inspired afternoon.
The clientele ranges from seasoned countryside regulars to curious city visitors, and while some shotguns in the shop cost more than a Bristol flat deposit, beginners are made to feel remarkably welcome.
Although few places capture the aesthetic of modern Cotswold society better than Tetbury. The historic market town has become synonymous with the new wave of affluent Cotswold living (The Cotswold “set” if you like). Where old aristocratic families now neighbour American celebs, media personalities and famous pop singers.
Explore Tetbury
If you want to immerse yourself further in the region’s history, archaeologist-led walks with Alison at Cotswold Heritage Walks offer fascinating insight into the area’s hidden stories and centuries-old architecture. As well as multiple filming locations from both season one and two of Rivals.
Now after all the extreme sports and eyebrow raising you’ll need to refuel. Dunkertons near Cheltenham makes the perfect pit stop, with its under-canvas food market offering everything from burgers to tacos to excellent wood fired pizza. My personal favourite are the Baz and Fred pizzas (£10-14) washed down with a cold pint of Dunkerton’s cider. There’s also the option to pop next door to Holland Cooper to gawk at the gorgeous coats and dresses that mirror the glamorous British countryside style of Rutshire (albeit with less shoulder pads). The sort of wardrobe that says “old money” even if your bank account very much says otherwise.
Although if shoulder pads are your thing, then it’s time to head to Bristol where stylist, Meg Cox runs Clothemod inside Sparks in Broadmead. There she can guide you through Bristol’s vintage scene, one platform boot at a time. Playing dress up is a lost art on adults and trying on some vintage 80’s pieces may be the secret to unlocking a Cameron Cook level of confidence.
80’s inspired styling session at Clothesmod in Bristol -Credit:Ciara Hillyer
Whilst in Bristol you can make a day of visiting the various filming locations across the city from the Bristol Hippodrome, Marriott Hotel, Queen Square and Jilly Cooper’s cameo in Cosy Club. As a UNESCO City of Film, Bristol is the backdrop for so many iconic scenes throughout the series.
Harbour Hotel was the backdrop for the awards show scene in Rival season one
Although none quite as memorable as the Concorde toilet, where we are first plunged into the 80’s world of opulence and debauchery. The Concorde itself, a glamorous relic of the decade is homed at Aerospace Bristol. Where visitors can board Alpha Foxtrot and imagine the champagne (and second hand smoke) fuelled chaos that high society would get up to on supersonic flights.
Standing aboard Concorde, hearing stories of a louder, flashier and more carefree era, it’s hard not to feel a strange sense of nostalgia, even for those of us who never actually lived through the 1980s. That is the same sense I feel when watching Rivals, a curious longing for what seems (through rose tinted glasses) a much stabler time, when a house cost the same as the average deposit now.
Maybe that’s why Rivals resonates so much now. The ideas of 1980s excess and Aidan Turner moustaches are far beyond what many can dream. But a weekend exploring the beautiful place that inspired the late, great Jilly Cooper definitely feels like a peek behind the curtain.