Outlander Season 7 Episode 10 transports Claire (played by Caitriona Balfe) and Young Ian (played by John Bell) to the time of the Revolutionary War in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. While previous episodes have showcased colonial North Carolina and New York, Philadelphia holds a special significance in American history with landmarks like the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, cobblestone streets, and the notable figure of Ben Franklin. Due to its unique characteristics, recreating Philadelphia in Scotland for Outlander was not a feasible option.
In Season 7 Episode 10 titled “Brotherly Love,” Outlander ventured beyond its Scottish filming location to depict colonial Philadelphia. However, despite the storyline being set in Philadelphia, filming did not take place on location in the historic city.
Philadelphia plays a crucial role in the narrative of Outlander. Claire finds herself apart from Jamie (played by Sam Heughan) but is reunited with the beloved Lord John Grey (played by David Berry), who is concerned about his nephew’s well-being. Meanwhile, Young Ian hopes to reconnect with Rachel Hunter, a spirited young Quaker. Additionally, the series is on the brink of intertwining its timeline with significant events from the Revolutionary War, such as George Washington’s encampment at Valley Forge.
So where did Outlander journey to in order to capture the look of Lord John Grey’s home on an 18th century version of Philadelphia’s Chestnut Street (which is now the home of high-rise office buildings)? Where exactly is Claire running her errands? Where did Outlander go to recreate Philadelphia in the 1770s? Here’s what you need to know about Outlander‘s Philadelphia filming locations…
While Claire and Young Ian might have journeyed from Scotland all the way to Philadelphia in Outlander Season 7 Episode 10 “Brotherly Love,” the show’s production stayed closer to home…but they still left Scotland.
“That was Liverpool,” Outlander executive producer Matthew B. Roberts explained to Decider. “So thank you Liverpool for providing us the streets of Philadelphia.”
Liverpool, of course, is a coastal city in England, most famous for being the birthplace of the Beatles.
“The nice thing about the UK is a lot of the elements that moved from Great Britain to the colonies, you know, that’s where they came from. That was their origin,” Roberts said. “So when we search around, we can ultimately sometimes find what we’re looking for in the UK…brick and stone are just everywhere.”
So, no, Caitriona Balfe did not get to visit the real Philly for those scenes. No cheese steaks were enjoyed by the Outlander team. However, Roberts admitted that Outlander‘s cast and crew still had a lot of fun.
“It was also a bit of a mini vacation for the crew and the cast to go down to Liverpool and spend spend a week there filming,” he said. “It’s always nice to take our little sojourns away from base camp.”
Most of Outlander is shot on location in Scotland, with interior sets shot at Wardpark Studios.
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