A Mother’s son, starring Hermione Norris as the mother of the title, along with Martin Clunes as her present husband and Paul McGann as her ex, was first shown in 2012, but I came across it for the first time recently on ITVX, and I’m glad I did because it is a well-acted story of a family tragedy in a picturesque setting. As soon as I started watching it I guessed which part of the country it was filmed in: unmistakably Suffolk.
The main focus of the story is the fictional seaside town of Eastlee, which in real life is Southwold. There is a scene with errant son Jamie and his dad (McGann) on an elevated piece of grassy land. with Southwold Pier in the background. The pier at Southwold Is a bit different from other seaside piers, with a more upmarket feel to it. Attractions include the elegant Boardwalk Restaurant and the quirky Under The Pier Show. Towards the end of the second and final episode there is an aerial view of the town, with its lighthouse clearly visible, an unusual one, being slightly set back from the seafront, right in the town.
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| Southwold, overlooking the pier. |
To the south of Southwold is the River Blyth, with the village of Walberswick on its south bank. Some of the most pivotal scenes of the drama were filed here, including the emotional encounter between mother and son towards the end. Walberswick lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its centrepiece is the Church of St Andrew.
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| Boats on the Rivrt Blyth at Walberswick - geograph.org.uk - 5825071. Photo by Mat Fascione, via Wikimedia Commons. |
Map of the area.
