A seemingly inoffensive little film about post-war Guernsey
and a writer who takes an interest in what it was like during the occupation
has become the unlikely focus of a spat between the island and a Devon
aristocrat. The trouble has arisen
because the island of Guernsey is gleefully cashing in on the film, which has
enraged the owner of Hartland Abbey in North Devon, where much of the filming
took place. Some scenes were also shot
in nearby Clovelly, a picturesque village famous for its steep
main street leading down to a pretty harbour.
The corner of North Devon featured in the film is missing out on its
share of the publicity, hence the outrage.
So let’s take a look at the actual locations used in the
film. Hartland Abbey is a former
monastery dating from the 12th century, and it sits in beautiful
grounds including glorious gardens. The
present-day building bears no resemblance to the original monastery, the
remains of which can be seen in the basement.
As well as the Abbey itself, there are wonderful grounds to
explore. This time of year is
particularly good being bluebell time, as the woodland walk going down towards
the sea is redolent with bluebells.
Earlier in the year the Abbey holds a ‘Daffodil Day’ to celebrate the
appearance of the yellow lovelies.
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Hartland Abbey - panoramio - PLMarriott. Photo by PJMarriott, via Wikimedia Commons
|
Clovelly is a privately owned village, which
unfortunately means having to pay an entrance fee to go in. However, the fee does include parking, and it
would be a shame to miss out on this delightful place when visiting the
area. On the way down you pass the
Donkey Stables, donkeys being a longstanding feature of the village, having been
used in the past to transport fish from the harbour. The writer Charles Kingsley, author of The
Water Babies, used to live in the village, and there is a museum dedicated to
him. For refreshment there are a couple
of pubs and some tea rooms, or at the top next to the entrance area there is a
cafe with wonderful views along the North Devon coast.
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| Clovelly harbour (0942). Photo by Nilfanion, via Wikimedia Commons |
Other North Devon locations which feature in the film include
the nearby town of Bideford and Saunton Sands, which was used for a scene in
which a Dakota aircraft comes in to land.
Map of Clovelly.
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