Christmas at Plumhill Manor Filming Locations and Cast Details

The 2024 Lifetime holiday film “Christmas at Plumhill Manor” was shot entirely on location in England over several weeks in May and June 2024. The production used two areas: Suffolk in the east, where the Grade II* listed Crow’s Hall in Debenham served as the manor at the center of the story, and the cathedral city of Chester in the northwest, which supplied the exterior Christmas street scenes. The film premiered on Lifetime on November 16, 2024.

Crow’s Hall in Debenham: The Manor at the Center of the Film

Crow’s Hall, in the Suffolk claylands roughly 30 minutes north of Ipswich, is the building that stands in for the fictional Plumhill Manor. It is listed Grade II* on the Historic England national register, a classification reserved for buildings of more than special interest, one tier above the standard Grade II designation. The hall dates from the mid-16th century, built in red Tudor brick with a diapered pattern in dark headers. It stands within a moated island entered by a brick bridge and gatehouse, and the moat itself dates to at least the 13th century according to Historic England records. The estate now operates as a private wedding and events venue, and the production filmed across both its interior and exterior during the shoot.

Director Brian Herzlinger described the opportunity to shoot in England as a “bucket list” experience. Lead actress Maria Menounos spoke to Deadline when principal photography wrapped in June 2024: “It was magical to film on location in the English countryside. […] And what fun to add some historical mystery to holiday cheer, and with a touch of suspense.” Herzlinger, in the same Deadline production wrap announcement, said: “Maria’s vibrant energy and heartfelt performance brought Margot Stone to life. We were so fortunate to land the cast we did.”

The second Suffolk location was Endeavour House, the Suffolk County Council office building at 8 Russell Road in Ipswich. The production converted it into a film set for key interior sequences. Ipswich sits approximately 30 minutes by road from Crow’s Hall.

Chester’s Medieval Streets

The production moved to Chester in Cheshire for exterior scenes in which Margot moves through the fictional Plumhill town center. Chester’s Rows, the medieval two-tier covered walkways running above ground-floor shops along the main streets, appear as the street-level backdrop. The Rows follow the lines of Roman-era roads beneath them, and the city’s density of preserved timber-framed buildings made it a practical visual match for the kind of English market town the script describes.

The Eastgate and Eastgate Clock on Eastgate Street also feature in the film. The gateway dates from 1768, built on the site of the original Roman fortress wall, with the decorative clock added above it in 1899. Both are Grade I listed.

Maria Menounos as Margot Stone

Maria Menounos plays Margot Stone, a New York architect who inherits a centuries-old English manor from a great-aunt. Her firm also has commercial designs on the property, which creates the central tension of the story. Menounos was born in Medford, Massachusetts, and built her public career across more than two decades of entertainment television, with a correspondent role at “Entertainment Tonight,” hosting stints on “Extra,” “E! News,” and “Access Hollywood,” and co-hosted episodes of “Today.” Her acting credits include a recurring role in Season 2 of “One Tree Hill” (The WB, 2004-2005) as Emily “Jules” Chambers, and a role in the ensemble comedy “Tropic Thunder” (2008).

In the years before this film went into production, Menounos had surgery to remove a benign brain tumor in 2017 and was diagnosed with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer in 2023, also requiring surgery. She has spoken publicly about both diagnoses.

Kyle Pryor as Alfie Bailey

Kyle Pryor plays Alfie Bailey, Margot’s love interest in the film. Pryor was born in Surrey, England, in 1984, and came to acting via competitive Taekwondo and stunt work. He appeared in “Spartacus” (2010) before securing his most prominent early role as doctor Nate Cooper in the Australian soap “Home and Away,” which he played from 2013 to 2017. He subsequently joined the British soap “Hollyoaks” as Laurie Shelby from 2018 to 2019.

Supporting Cast and Production

Caroline Colomei plays Jackie Bonohnan. Stewart Alexander plays Mr. Calvaux. The remaining credited cast, confirmed via Rotten Tomatoes and TV Guide, includes David Shaw Parker as Thomas, Tim Bartholomew as James Wright, Eke Chukwu as John Mills, Joseph Millson as Nick, Sunny Ormonde as Mrs. Hughes, Carol Royle as Loraine, and Dominic Andersen as Daniel.

The screenplay was written by Avery Henry-Bailey, Megan Henry Herzlinger, and Daniel Levin. Producers were Mark Vennis, Lucinda Rhodes Thakrar, Adam Scott Epstein, and Daniel Levin.