Step back in time with our pick of the best period dramas available on streaming now. From grand country estates to cobbled city streets, these stories are rich in history, romance and intrigue – and are often filmed in some of the most beautiful UK film locations.
Whether you’re in the mood for upstairs-downstairs scandal in the Regency era or a heartwarming love affair set in the 1950s, there’s something here to sweep you away.
Best period drama TV shows to stream and watch now
Far from the Madding Crowd
Available on Disney+, the 2015 adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s romantic classic Far from the Madding Crowd is one of the great English love stories. You can undoubtedly also rent the 1967 film version too, if one adaptation isn’t enough. Set in the stunning rural Dorset countryside, Far from the Madding Crowd sees Bathsheba Everdene inherit a farm and attract the attention of three very different men – with romantic entanglements ensuing.
Stream Far from the Madding Crowd on Disney+.
Belgravia: The Next Chapter
Set in the London district of Belgravia in the 19th century, Belgravia follows the Trenchard family as their nouveau riche class starts to emerge and socialise with the city's elite. Belgravia: The Next Chapter is set 30 years later and is available on ITV's streaming platform ITVX from Sunday 9 March.
Stream Belgravia: The Next Chapter on ITVX.
Outrageous
Outrageous focuses on the lives of the six Mitford sisters and their brother Tom, a family that captured the attention of the British public throughout the 1930s and beyond – telling the story of their public scandal, political extremism, love, heartbreak and imprisonment.
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has stood the test of time, its witty dialogue, sharp characters and fascinating explorations of social class, love and reputation. It has also enjoyed a rich life on screen, most notably spawning an iconic 1995 BBC series starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, and a 2005 film with Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
Stream the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice on BBC iPlayer. You can rent the 2005 film adaptation online.
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Bridgerton
You can’t do a round-up of period dramas without including Bridgerton, the Regency drama packed with glamour, debauchery, intrigue and scandal. Season 4 of Bridgerton is due to land on our screens in early 2026, following the relationship between Benedict and Sophie Bridgerton.
Miss Austen
The cosy Sunday evening period drama Miss Austen is a four-part series looking into the long-discussed puzzle of why Jane Austen’s sister, Cassandra, burnt Jane’s personal letters. The show reimagines these events as a witty and heart-breaking tale of sisterly love, based on Jane Austen's real-life family.
Stream Miss Austen on BBC iPlayer.
The Forsytes
The Forsytes is a new adaptation of The Forsyte Saga, which tells the stories of the upper-class Forsyte family, who are wealthy stockbrokers enjoying a life of privilege in the late Victorian era.
Call the Midwife
If you get into Call the Midwife now, you’ve got a wealth of episodes to get up to date with. Perfect for the winter period. A 15th season is planned for 2026, and the BBC have revealed that they have no plans to stop the show there. Set in the East End of London at Nonnatus House (an Anglican convent), the heartwarming show transports viewers back to the 1950s to meet a group of midwives and nuns who provide healthcare to the impoverished locals.
Stream Call the Midwife on BBC iPlayer.
House of Guinness
The hit new Netflix period drama House of Guinness brings the famous Guinness family to the fore. Created by Steven Knight – the visionary behind Peaky Blinders – the show explores the Succession-like tale of the Guinness family after the death of the family’s patriarch, Sir Benjamin Guinness.
- Where is House of Guinness filmed? Discover the locations used in the Irish dynasty drama
- Do you have Irish roots? Your ancestors could have brewed Guinness – and its online archive could reveal your family’s past
Stream House of Guinness on Netflix.
Jane Eyre
The classic Gothic romance Jane Eyre crosses the line between love story and thriller, with the eponymous lead falling for the brooding Mr Rochester – while also being stalked by the strange presence that walks the hallways at night. The 2011 adaptation sees Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender and Judi Dench come together to tell this most dramatic tale in the north of England. Thanks to its staggering Derbyshire backdrop, we named this as one of the best British rural romantic films.
Stream Jane Eyre on BBC iPlayer.
- Historic homes with links to literary heroes
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The Hardacres
Set in 1890s industrial Yorkshire, Channel 5’s The Hardacres offers another style of period drama – a rags-to-riches tale. We follow the lives of the Hardacre family as they rise up the social ranks.
The Gilded Age
Julian Fellowes made a name for himself as the creator of Downton Abbey, but his more recent offering is The Gilded Age, an HBO drama set during the period of rapid economic expansion and industrial growth in the US. Interestingly too, The Gilded Age is historically accurate, based on the true stories of British aristocracy travelling to the US to find wealthy American wives.
- How historically accurate is The Gilded Age? Did Britain’s aristocracy go to America to find wives?
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Grantchester
For those looking for a period drama without corsets or bonnets, Grantchester might be worth a try. The detective drama is set in the 1950s, following the story of an unlikely detective duo – a clergyman and a police detective.
Outlander
Historical fantasy series Outlander captured audience’s hearts and minds when it first hit our screens over a decade ago. Prepare to be swept up in the drama – a married World War II nurse, Claire Randall, is mysteriously transported from 1945 to 18th-century Scotland, where she meets a Scottish warrior and becomes embroiled in the Jacobite risings. A prequel series was later released – Outlander: Blood of My Blood – so there’s plenty more to enjoy as well.
- Where is Outlander filmed? A guide to the compelling historical drama's filming locations
- Where is the Outlander prequel filmed? All the filming locations for Blood of My Blood
Outlander is available to rent via streaming services.
Wolf Hall
Set during the reign of Henry VIII, Wolf Hall is based on the hit Hilary Mantel trilogy of novels. She depicts a fictionalised biography of Thomas Cromwell’s rise to power in the court of Henry VIII.
- Where is Wolf Hall filmed? A guide to the historical Tudor drama's filming locations
- Wolf Hall costumes go on display at Hever Castle – plus more of Britain’s best Tudor experiences
Stream Wolf Hall and its sequel The Mirror and the Light on BBC iPlayer.
Poldark
The world hasn’t been the same since Ross Poldark rode into our lives in BBC’s Poldark – and although the series has now come to an end, there’s never been a better time to revisit it. Enjoy stunning Cornish scenery as Poldark returns from the American Revolutionary War to find his former life in tatters.
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Downton Abbey
It’s the TV show that took the world by storm, spawning six seasons and three films. Whether you watched Downton Abbey the first time around and are ready for a rewatch or if you’re coming to it entirely fresh, there’s lots of drama for you to sink your teeth into. This upstairs-downstairs drama about the Crawley family and their staff is set against the backdrop of World War One, with lots of fascinating history unfolding around them. If that wasn’t enough, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale was released in September 2025, the final time we see these iconic characters on screen.
- Downton Abbey guide: history of Highclere Castle and how to visit
- Where is Downton Abbey 3 filmed? Discover the filming locations of the period drama's 'grand finale'
- “Vulgarity is no substitute for wit”: Downton Abbey's 12 most epic one-liners
- Who is Noel Coward, the enigmatic playwright who makes a surprise appearance in the new Downton Abbey film?
Stream Downton Abbey on ITVX and the Downton Abbey film on Disney+.
Top image: House of Guinness (credit: Netflix)
