Welcome to The Period Films List on Willow and Thatch, where we share the best British period dramas, costume drama series, period romances, and historical movies to watch on TV or streaming, all sorted by era.
Lists for The Tudor and Stuart Eras, Georgian and Regency Eras, Victorian Era, Edwardian Era, First World War, Interwar Era, Family Friendly, BBC Classic Drama Collection, and Christmas Classics are linked below. Click on the yellow banner or words to see a specific list.
All of the lists have multiple pages.
Once you are at a list, you can:
Click on the TITLE of the period drama to STREAM or buy the DVD.
Use the SEARCH box at the top of each list to help you find what you are looking for by keyword.
Use the FILTER option so you can narrow the results in any given list by these tags.
New / additional films are regularly added to existing lists and more lists are in the works.
For news and reviews, lists of period dramas streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, Acorn TV, and BritBox, and other articles on the best period dramas to watch, visit our homepage.
A list of movies, television series, and historical films that take place during the Tudor era (1485 – 1603) and the Stuart era (1603 to 1714). Includes the Elizabethan, Jacobean, Caroline, (Interregnum) and Restoration periods. Covers the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I (The Virgin Queen), King Henry VII who succeeded in ending the Wars of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York to found the highly successful Tudor house, King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, Queen Mary I. The Stuarts were the first kings of the United Kingdom. King James I of England who began the period was also King James VI of Scotland, thus combining the two thrones for the first time. Also includes the era of King Charles I, King Charles II, King James II, Queen Mary II, King William III, Queen Anne.
Best Period Dramas: Georgian and Regency Eras
A list of movies, television series, and historical films set during the Georgian era (1714 to 1837) and the sub-period Regency era (1811 to 1820). Jane Austen adaptations. The Georgian era of British history is a period which takes its name from, and is normally defined as spanning the reigns of the first four Hanoverian kings of Great Britain who were all named George: George I, George II, George III and George IV. The era covers the period from 1714 to 1830, with the sub-period of the Regency defined by the Regency of George IV as Prince of Wales during the illness of his father George III. The definition of the Georgian era is often extended to include the reign of William IV, which ended with his death in 1837.
Best Period Dramas: Victorian Era
A list of movies, television series, and historical films that take place during the reign of Queen Victoria: Victorian era (1837 to 1901). American Civil War.
Best Period Dramas: Edwardian Era
A list of movies, television series, and historical films set during the reign of King Edward VII, 1901 to 1910, and beyond Edward’s death to include the four years leading up to World War I: Edwardian era (1901 to 1914).
Best Period Dramas: First World War Era
A list of the best World War I era period dramas. Movies and TV series set during the First World War era (1914 – 1918), also known as the Great War. British costume period dramas, filmed in England, UK and other countries set in that time period. Television mini-series, PBS, BBC, Masterpiece Theatre productions, historical epics. Wartime romances, family friendly options and stories about people lives at the brink of war, soldiers returning from combat, and the challenges faced by those at home during wartime.
Best Period Dramas: Interwar Era
A list of the best period films available on DVD and to stream that take place during the Interwar Era (1918 – 1939), the years between the First World War and the Second World War. Includes movies about the Roaring Twenties, Prohibition, 1930s, the Great Depression in America, British Colonialism, changing social classes, and about people lives at the brink of war.
Period Dramas: BBC Classic Drama Collection
A list of movies, television series, and historical films available that were included as part of the BBC Classic Drama Collection of costume dramas: PBS Masterpiece Theatre productions, BBC television mini-series, romances mostly set in the England, UK in the Georgian, Regency, Victorian and Edwardian eras. Willow and Thatch believes this to be the full list of the 71 DVDs (across 37 titles) that were originally part of the subscription.
You can read about the collection here.
Best Period Dramas: Family Friendly
A list of television series and movies that are Family Friendly and take place during the Tudor era, Stuart era, Georgian / Regency eras, Victorian era, Edwardian era, First World War, Interwar, Second World War, and beyond. Costume period dramas filmed in England, UK and other countries set in that time period that are safe for children to watch, with family values. Television mini-series, PBS, BBC, Masterpiece Theatre productions, historical dramas, heritage films, movies based on classic books and literature. Jane Austen adaptations.
Best Period Dramas: Christmas Classics
A list of best period drama movies for Christmas. Costume dramas that take place around or celebrate the Christmas holiday. Timeless classics, all-time Christmas favorite films, top family friendly and Christian faith-based movies, that take place during the Victorian era, Edwardian era, First World War, Interwar, Second World War, and beyond. Period dramas filmed in England, UK and other countries set in that time period that are safe for children to watch, with family values. Made for television, historical dramas, romantic comedies, feel good films, movies based on classic books and literature.
Want more? Visit our HOMEPAGE for reviews and news and additional suggestions of period dramas to watch. There’s much to discover in our other lists like 100 Period Dramas: Black History Month, Historical and Period Dramas for Easter, Period Dramas for St. Patrick’s Day, and for Halloween, here and here. For Victorian era family Christmas movies, see this list as well as these that air on television.
If you are looking for romantic period dramas you haven’t seen, see this list.
COMING SOON: More top period films lists are in the works, how do you feel about these?
Period Dramas: WW2
Period Documentaries and Reality Series
Contemporary Period Inspired Films
Period Dramas: British and UK
Period Dramas: Film Collection Sets
Period Dramas: Willow and Thatch’s Top 100
Period Dramas: Films to Skip
Period Dramas: Top Romantic Costume Dramas
The Willow and Thatch Period Films List brings you the best of the cinema you love, in an organized, easy to use format, and includes the date the film was first aired, actors starring in the movie, critical reviews, links to the film to purchase on DVD or to watch streaming, and more.
The list includes the top Tudor, Stuart, Regency, Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian era, must watch BBC, PBS Masterpiece Theatre productions, historical, heritage films, television mini-series and is growing daily to include more suggestions. Also family friendly and faith based movies, romantic and costume period dramas filmed in England, UK and other countries set in that time period. Enjoy!
The Period Film List is carefully researched, assembled, and sorted by era, but please do your own research before using the Willow and Thatch Period Films List for scholarly purposes.
SaveSave
SaveSave