Detectorists is a gentle comedy with an unusual theme: metal
detecting. The series follows the
exploits of a small group of metal-detecting enthusiasts, including Andy
(Mackenzie Crook) and Lance (Toby Jones).
Much of their time is spent scouring the gentle green fields around
their neighbourhood, dreaming of the discovery of the next “Staffordshire
Hoard”, but more often than not their finds are confined to metal ring-pulls or
cheap badges.
The green fields in question are located in Suffolk, chiefly
in the area in and around Framlingham – meant to be the fictional town of
Daneby in Essex. The Scout Hall where
the detectorists meet up is in Framlingham, better known as St Michaels
Rooms. The most important landmark in
the town is the castle, and near the entrance to the castle is the Castle Inn –
this appears in the series as the Two Brewers pub, although the interior pub
scenes were filmed in The Crown in Great Glemham, a few miles away. Other
pub scenes were filmed in the coastal village of Orford, at the Kings Head.
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| Pastel street scene, Framlingham, Suffolk - geograph.org.uk - 1475942. Photo by nick macneill, via Wikimedia Commons |
Back in Framlingham, the distinctive red brick facade of
Framlingham College features in series two, doubling as a university. During series two a round-tower church, one
of 38 in Suffolk, becomes integral to the storyline. The church is Aldham St Mary, in the village
of Aldham, eight miles west of Ipswich.
Apparently, the landowner there allowed Mackenzie Crook to do some
detecting in his spare time while filming was taking place, and he found some
interesting items including some musket balls.
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| St Mary Aldham - geograph.org.uk - 985095. Photo by Keith Evans, via Wikimedia Commons |
Framlingham is about 12 miles to the north-east of Ipswich,
and its main attraction, the castle, is at the north-east edge of town. Music fans may be interested to know that Ed
Sheeran grew up in Framlingham, and his song “Castle on the Hill” was inspired
by Framlingham Castle. Orford is on the
coast to the south of Aldeburgh, and it also has a castle, as well as the
rather eerie Orford Ness with its wartime relics, such as a model atomic
bombing range. The site is also a National Nature Reserve run by the National Trust.
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