St Albans Abbey is favourite location for film directors

ST ALBANS Abbey is fast becoming a familiar backdrop for film directors in search of a stunning location.

Ewan McGregor is the latest big name joining the array of stars to appear there.

His new film Incendiary - due to be released tomorrow (Friday) - has scenes of St Albans including St Peter's Street, Market Place, the city station and of course, the Abbey which was used as a backdrop for a funeral scene in the film which is set in the aftermath of a terrorist attack in London.

Julian Hopkins, the Abbey's business development manager, said: "It is quite common to see movies or videos being filmed in and around the Abbey at least two or three times a year. The fees charged by the Abbey vary according to the length of time needed for filming, the resources required of the Abbey and the extent of any disruption to the life of the Abbey."

Other films made there include Johnny English starring Rowan Atkinson when the nave was used as a substitute for Westminster Abbey.

Sean Connery and Richard Gere were filmed in the Lady Chapel for the film First Knight.

TV credits include Charles Dance and Emilia Fox in Fallen Angel (the ITV thriller filmed throughout the Abbey, outside the Deanery and with long shots of the Abbey from Verulamium Park and beyond).

Fees can range from £100 to more than £1,000, depending on the factors in question.

Location manager for Screen East Ian Ellis said: "As a location manager I have found St Albans to be a great place to film. The variety of locations available to productions in a relatively small area, combined with great central unit bases and sensible street-parking policies, make it an ideal city in which to shoot. Stunning locations such as the cathedral and city-centre alleys provide filmmakers with a wealth of unique locations.