I watched the new film Silent Night that was written and directed by Camille Griffin over the weekend. It’s filled with lovely British actors like Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Annabelle Wallis, and Roman Griffin-Davis among others, who gather on Christmas Day in the English countryside. “As the group comes together, it feels like old times — but behind all of the laughter and merriment, something isn’t quite right. The world outside is facing impending doom, and no amount of gifts, games or wine can make mankind’s imminent destruction go away. Surviving the holidays just got a lot more complicated.”

It’s incredibly funny until it’s not but I still loved it. The film is made more poignant by the fact that the plot is actually plausible these days which really makes you think about what you would do in the same situation. In addition to the interesting story and amazing acting, I loved the fashions and the interiors of the home at which the entire film takes place so of course I had to find it and share it with you.

I figured out pretty quickly where Silent Night was filmed based on the people who were thanked at the end of the credits but writer and director Camille Griffin also shared the location in an interview so I feel like it’s safe to share.

“We shot the film near Watford in a beautiful house. It’s a tragic comedy, I would say. So perhaps because there are some darker moments, I wanted the house to feel like a sponge cake to kind of soften the blow of some of the events. So it’s a very, very cozy. It’s the mother’s house in the story. They’ve borrowed the mother’s house to have this beautiful Christmas sentimental time together. So it’s very, very pretty. I think it’s the same house they used in David Copperfield with magnificent wallpaper and it just feels like the perfect stylish Granny house.“

– Camille Griffin

Serge Hill in Hertfordshire was built in 1720 and the entire history of the Regency house can be found on Old Time Tim. Serge Hill was sold multiple times until it was passed down Joan Stuart-Smith, who was married to Rt Hon Sir Murray Stuart-Smith, Lord Justice of Appeal.

According to a House & Garden feature Sibling Harmony from 2014, Joan’s daughter Kate Stuart-Smith shared the house with her husband David Docherty, their two children, and her parents, Joan and Murray Stuart-Smith. Joan passed away in 2015 but it is possible that her father still lives with them. To make things more confusing, Kate is a gardner in her own right and her brother Tom Stuart-Smith is a landscape designer who lives across the lane with his wife Sue Stuart-Smith who is also an avid gardener. To make things even more confusing, their brother Jeremy lives not far away with his wife Bella Stuart-Smith who is also a garden designer. All the properties are open to garden tours at certain times of year.

Silent Night was filmed at Serge Hill, top photo, in winter 2020 and wrapped up filming two days before the first lockdown in the UK. The bottom photo is from the revisionist history film, The Personal History of David Copperfield, which looks like it was filmed at the height of summer in 2018 or 2019. I forgot until a follower reminded me that it was also used for the British series Gold Digger where you can see even more rooms of the house.

The gardens have been featured and photographed numerous times but I can’t find any record of the interiors of Serge Hill house being posted or published anywhere so this is an exclusive treat. I’ve also tried not to give too much away even though you pretty much know the plot of Silent Night from the beginning.

The character of Sandra played by Annabelle Wallis is my favorite for her ridiculousness but she also looks great throughout the film. Also, the Brunschwig & Fils Gallier Diamond Wallpaper in seafoam runs from the entry hall all the way up upstairs and runs the length of the second floor.

In the beginning of Silent Night, we see Keira Knightley’s character Nell getting some of the bedrooms ready for her old friends who are coming for Christmas.

The second floor hallway with a peek into the master bedroom.

More of the second floor.

I thought this scene from David Copperfield was filmed on the same servant stairs in the above photo but the floors are different. Perhaps it was taken one floor above or the floors have been refinished since it was filmed in 2018 or 2019.

The elegant main stairs with doors that lead back to the kitchen and the dining room in red.

Fun fact, the children of Keira Knightley and Matthew Goode in Silent Night are actually the children of writer and director Camille Griffin and her husband cinematographer Ben Davis, who I think also worked on the film. Camille said that their son Roman Griffin Davis who starred in Jojo Rabbit was easily cast but his twin brothers, Hardy and Gilby Griffin Davis, had to audition.

Roman Griffin Davis in the kitchen of Serge Hill.

Actress Lucy Punch walks through a funny little pass through room on the way into the kitchen.

Lucy Punch, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, and Keira Knightley in the kitchen. I actually prefer kitchens with tables instead of islands that someone once described as “aircraft carriers” and I can never get that visual out of my head.

I’m wondering how much the house was added onto because of all the little rabbit warren of rooms off the kitchen.

For as small as it is, there were many scenes shot in the pantry.

Another view of the pantry.

There is nothing I love more than a quirky kitchen.

This is not a great photo but it gives you a look at how the dining room leads into what was possibly a music room.

Hardy and Gilby Griffin Davis setting the dining table.

Views of the landscape give insight into where we are in the story in relationship to the impending doom.

It feels very British to sit down to a beautiful meal before the end and is so different than American apocalypse films.

Another rabbit warren room for television at the top of some stairs.

The sky grows more ominous in Silent Night.

The group plays charades in the living room with beautiful peachy/orange walls.

It really is a fun movie for the first hour.

Opening presents.

The aftermath of opening presents.

The greenhouse behind the house at Serge Hill in Silent Night.

The men go to the greenhouse to smoke pot.

A view of the greenhouse at Serge Hill in the height of summer.

Another view of the greenhouse in the film.

The greenhouse in happier times.

It’s not a great photo but it’s a daytime look into the music room. There’s a piano in the room so that’s what I’m calling the space.

How the music room at. Serge Hill appeared in Silent Night and David Copperfield which really changed up the interior.

Another view of the room in Silent Night and David Copperfield.

A view of the upstairs hallway in Silent Night and David Copperfield.

A look inside the small bedroom in Silent Night and David Copperfield. There is no much wallpaper on in the rooms on the second floor which makes me wonder if an interior designer was involved and whether it was published someone that I just can’t find online.

The main bedroom as seen in Silent Night and looking almost unrecognizable in David Copperfield.

In Silent Night, Keira Knightley’s mother is played by Trudie Styler who was also one of the producers.

Trudie was filmed in the house she shares with Sting, Lake House, in Wiltshire, England.

The master bath/dressing room scenes in Silent Night were also filmed at Trudie Styler’s Lake House.

A view of the same room from Architectural Digest.

This bedroom had large scale gingham curtains.

This peachy sponge painted looking room had two twin beds and vintage looking coverlets.

I love how the dress looks against the wall color and the portrait on the wall.

The film Silent Night ends with snow on Serge Hill.

A photo of the same view from the summer. You can see more of the Serge Hill garden here, here, and here.