Hamilton Mausoleum makes appearance in hit Apple TV+ period drama The Buccaneers

The mausoleum, one of South Lanarkshire’s most iconic landmarks, was selected for its striking architecture and unique character.

Hamilton Mausoleum has made a star appearance on screen after being used as a filming location for the second series of the hit Apple TV+ period drama The Buccaneers.

Filming took place at the historic site in 2024, with production teams from the global streaming platform using the atmospheric setting to bring 1870s high society drama to life.

The series, based on Edith Wharton’s final, unfinished novel, returned to screens in June 2025 and continues to attract viewers around the world.

And the mausoleum, one of South Lanarkshire’s most iconic landmarks, was selected for its striking architecture and unique character, adding to its growing list of screen appearances.

Nick Lansdell, chief executive of South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture, said: “We were delighted to welcome the production of The Buccaneers to Hamilton Mausoleum.

“It’s a real boost for the area to see such an iconic site featured on a global platform, and we hope it encourages more people, both locals and visitors, to discover the fascinating history we have right here on our doorstep.”

In the show’s second season, Hamilton Mausoleum appears in episode two ‘Holy Grail’ and episode ten ‘She Knows’. It is transformed into the Tintagel family crypt, where characters confront questions of legacy, mortality and duty.

Its dramatic dome and echoing chambers provide a suitably haunting atmosphere as the Duke of Tintagel guides Nan St. George through the space, highlighting its role in the Tintagel family’s history.

The Buccaneers has been filmed extensively across Scotland, with additional locations including Gosford House and Newhailes House in East Lothian, Culzean Castle in Ayrshire, Drumlanrig Castle in Dumfries & Galloway, and Preston Hall in Midlothian, while Glasgow brilliantly doubles as 1870s New York. Together, these sites showcase Scotland’s rich architectural heritage and bring Wharton’s world vividly to life.

The series stars Kristine Froseth (Nan St. George), Guy Remmers (Theo, Duke of Tintagel) and Christina Hendricks (Patti St. George).

Originally built as a resting place for the Duke of Hamilton, the mausoleum regularly welcomes visitors on guided tours, offering a rare glimpse into both architectural brilliance and local history.

It is also famed for its grand design, dramatic dome, and one of the longest echoes in the world.

South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture is encouraging fans of the show and history lovers alike to come and explore the building featured in the series.

When operating, guided tours can be booked by emailing lowparksmuseum@southlanarkshireleisure.co.uk or calling 01698 452382.

Hamilton Mausoleum was built as a tomb and monument to Alexander the 10th Duke of Hamilton around 1842.

It was built at a cost of about £33,000 (£1.2 million today)

The duke decided that he wanted to have a proper resting place for himself and his family but died in 1852, before the building was complete.

The mausoleum stands at 128ft high. The main room was originally intended for a chapel but the 15-second echo prevented these plans from going ahead.

Below the crypt is where private ceremonies were held and the Duke moved his ancestors’ bodies there in 1852 from the old Collegiate Church.

When Alexander died later that year he was laid to rest in an Egyptian sarcophagus.

He was then laid on a black marble plinth in the chapel, which is still inside the mausoleum today, and work on the mausoleum was completed.

In the years to follow permission was granted for the area around the mausoleum to be mined for coal, which resulted in the foundations becoming weak and the building to subside and sink 18ft.

By the 1920s there were fears that mining subsidence would damage the mausoleum and as a result the bodies of Alexander and his ancestors were removed and reburied in the Bent Cemetery in Hamilton.

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