MORE BLING THAN BLEAK: INGATESTONE HALL, ESSEX/BLEAK HOUSE

Charles Dickens’ novel Bleak House, which he started in 1852, concerns a lengthy legal dispute, namely the Chancery case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce.  The 15-part BBC adaptation of the book was first shown in 2005, but is currently available on BBC iplayer.  The exterior of Ingatestone Hall in Essex was used to represent Bleak House in the series.

Ingatestone Hall, which lies just outside the village of Ingatestone, a few miles northeast of Brentwood, Essex, is a 16th century manor house built by Sir William Petre, a secretary of state to dor royalty.  Petre’s descendants still reside on the estate, which includes 10 acres of gardens.  The Hall runs guided tours for visitors as well as hosting weddings and corporate events.

Map of the area.

Ingatestone Hall; south aspect (geograph 4578050). Photo by Michael Garlick, via Wikimedia Commons.

LONG LIVE THE PUB: MOTHER'S PRIDE/SOMERSET, WILTSHIRE AND BRISTOL

In this day and age, with pubs going under at an alarming rate due to the vicious economic policies of the Labour Party, the release of the film Mother’s Pride is very timely.  The film features a struggling West Country pub (with Martin Clunes playing the landlord) which manages to turn its fortunes around by brewing its own real ale, which is entered into the Great British Beer Awards, pitting itself against a rival pub.

The village of Norton St Philip in Somerset provided the location for the main pub in the film, the George Inn, and the rival pub, the Drovers Arms.  The real life George Inn plays its namesake, while the Fleur de Lys plays the part of the Drovers Arms.  The streets of this charming village are also seen in the film, including the scene depicting the village fete, which is set up between the George and the church of St Philip and St James.

NortonStPhilipTheGeorge. Photo by Rodhullandemu, via Wikimedia Commons.

Westbury and environs are also seen in the film.  The station scene was filmed at Westbury station, while the famous white horse etched into an escarpment to the east of the town is also featured.  The local press reported that a couple visiting the site ran into Martin Clunes while he was filming there, and described him as very nice.

Paragliding above Westbury White Horse - geograph.org.uk - 539764. Photo by Chris Downer, via Wikimedia Commons.

Back in the 80s, there was a large venue at Bristol Harbourside where beer and wine festivals were held, which always made for a fun day out.  In Mother’s Pride there is a nod to those times, as the Great British Beer Festival is filmed in the same area, specifically at the Aquarium.  

Bristol Harbourside.

Norton St Philip lies midway between Bath and Frome.  It was an important centre for the wool trade during the Middle Ages, and its church dates from the 14th century.  The Westbury White Horse, clearly visible from the trains moving through the area, is the oldest of eight white horses in Wiltshire, dating from around the late 17th or early 18th century. The Bristol Harbourside venue that used to host beer and wine fairs is no longer there, but it has been replaced by a large array of bars and restaurants, while the aquarium that featured in the film lies just behind the waterfront in another space given over to eating, drinking and entertainment. 

LITERARY PUBS: THE EAGLE AND CHILD, OXFORD

 It is perhaps inevitable that a city such as Oxford, with its long tradition of higher learning and a plethora of colleges, would have watering holes frequented by writers.  The Eagle and Child in St Giles is chief among these.  

The Eagle and Child, sometimes nicknamed the Bird and Baby, was a regular Tuesday meeting place for a group of writers called the Inklings, including J R R Tolkien and C S Lewis.  They would gather in the Rabbit Room to read and discuss their own writing.  The earliest recorded instance of the pub’s name was in 1684, with origins varying from the abduction of Ganymede by the eagle of Zeus, to the crest of the Earl of Derby. 

Sadly, it is not currently possible to visit the Eagle and Child, which has been closed for some time.  However, in October 2025 plans for the reopening were announced.  The redevelopment of the premises is being planned in such a way that the famous Rabbit Room will remain in situ, and the front of the pub will remain unchanged.

Map of the area.

The Eagle and Child - geograph.org.uk - 3989834. Photo by N Chadwick, via Wikimedia Commons.

LIFE WITH A MAN OF WORDS: ACCORDING TO QUEENEY, BERYL BAINBRIDGE/STREATHAM AND LICHFIELD

Dr Samuel Johnson, who made his name as a writer, literary critic and lexicographer, grew up in Lichfield, but he spent much of his life in London, where for some years he lodged with the Thrales, a brewing family who occupied Streatham Park, aka Streatham Place.  Johnson pretty much became one of the family, and had a special bond with the Thrales’ daughter Queeney, whom he addressed as Sweeting.  According to Queeney by the late Beryl Bainbridge is a brilliant representation of this period of Johnson’s life, expressed in terms  authentic to the period and with a great deal of humour.

Most of the day to day activities described centre around Streatham, a district of south London mostly contained in the Borough of Lambeth.  The brewer Ralph Thrale built Streatham Park in the 1730s, and it was passed to his son Henry, married to Hester.  It was this couple who accommodated Dr Johnson.  Sadly, the property cannot be visited as it was demolished in 1863.  

In 1774 Johnson takes the Thrales to his home city Lichfield, where they fetch up at the Swan Inn.  They meet some of Johnson’s old acquaintances and explore some of the key areas of the city, such as the Square, the Cathedral Close and the Market, over which an argument takes place about bears supposedly being tortured in the market place.  Johnson exclaims that “there were never bears in Lichfield Market, tormented or otherwise, only bulls”.  Another argument erupts when Mr Thrale claims that there is a lack of industry in Lichfield, and Johnson retorts that while Birmingham works with its hands, Lichfield folk use their brains.

Lichfield Cathedral, west front. Photo by Tony Grist, via Wikimedia Commons.

Lichfield is a cathedral city in Staffordshire.  During Johnson’s time in the 18th century the city became a busy centre for coaching, hence inns such as The Swan Inn.  Sadly, the Swan no longer exists today, but it retains the name in its current guise of accommodation.  There is a website devoted to the history of the inn.

Swan Hotel Bird Street Lichfield WS13 6NP. Photo by Spudgun67, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of Lichfield.

A SAD STORY IN A SEASIDE SETTING: SOUTHWOLD/A MOTHER'S SON

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.  

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.

Boats on the Rivrt Blyth at Walberswick - geograph.org.uk - 5825071. Photo by Mat Fascione, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of the area.

AN INDUSTRIAL BACKDROP FOR A RISING STAR: PORT TALBOT/MR BURTON

On our westwards drives through South Wales, heading for the tourist hotspots of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion, our thoughts full of the gorgeous coastlines we are about to enjoy, it is always a shock to be confronted with the steaming, industrial environs of the town of Port Talbot.  This is the scene that forms the opening of the BBC drama Mr Burton about the early life of the late Richard Burton and the teacher who saw his potential and took him under his wing.  

Port Talbot, Town Scenery - geograph.org.uk - 5502269. Photo by Lewis Clarke, via Wikimedia Commons.

In the 1950s a famous photo appeared showing Richard Burton and his father walking across the Pontrhydyfen Viaduct  In the film there is a scene with Richard and his teacher Mr Burton crossing the same viaduct on their way to see Richard’s father to try and persuade him to give permission for Richard to take his teacher’s surname in order to facilitate his acceptance into professional acting, hence the change from Richard Jenkins to Richard Burton.  The viaduct, which is in Richard’s home village of the same name, a few miles to the northwest of Port Talbot, was built in 1898 by the Port Talbot Railway.

Several of the scenes in Mr Burton feature a beautiful sandy beach.  Wales has more than its fair share of these, but this is one of the lesser known ones.  The beach is Aberavon Beach, which stretches southeastwards from the mouth of the River Neath, very near Port Talbot.  Another popular hangout in the area is Margam Country Park, two miles southeast of Port Talbot on the southern slopes of Margam Mountain, known locally as Mynydd Margam.  The mountain appears in several of the film’s countryside scenes.  

The beach at Aberavon - geograph.org.uk - 3136704. Photo by Simon Mortimer, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of the area.

LITERARY PUBS: THE HILL HOUSE INN, HAPPISBURGH, NORFOLK

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, writer of the Sherlock Holmes stories, once visited the Hill House Hotel, now Hill House Inn, while on a motoring holiday in Norfolk in 1903.  While there, the landlord’s son showed the author a signature he had created using ‘pin men’.  It is believed that this incident provided the inspiration for the Sherlock Holmes story titled ‘The Dancing Men’.  The story is also set in Norfolk and features a local squire with the same surname as the landlord and his son.  The pub has two plaques on the wall commemorating the visit.

The Hill House Inn, Happisburgh - geograph.org.uk - 7694731. Photo by Sandy Gerrard, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Hill House Inn lies in the village of Happisburgh, which is on the coast of Norfolk, about 14 miles from Cromer.  As well as the cosy interior, the outside of the property includes an interesting building which was built as a signal box for a railway which never materialised.

Map of the area.

A SCRIBE'S SUSSEX HIDEAWAY: BATEMAN'S/RUDYARD KIPLING

When Rudyard Kipling moved into the 17th century Jacobean house Bateman’s with his wife Carrie in 1902, he was already an established author, with The Jungle Book and Kim under his belt, to name just two.  For his subsequent works, he drew much inspiration from the house and its charming surroundings, particularly the Dudwell Valley, where the house is located.  The Kiplings fell in love with the property at first sight, declaring that “we entered and felt her Spirit - her Feng Shui - to be good”.  The garden Kipling created was a place of solace for him after he lost his son to World War I.  The poem My Boy Jack was a product of this tragic loss.

Bateman's - geograph.org.uk - 2594587. Photo by Josie Campbell, via Wikimedia Commons.

Bateman’s lies in the heart of the Sussex countryside, a few miles to the north-west of Hastings.  The date above the front door says 1634, although parts of the house are even older.  Not much is known about the owners preceding the Kiplings.  Rudyard’s wife left the property to the National Trust on her death in 1939, three years after Rudyard died.

Map of the area.

A REGENCY RESORT: THE SOMERSET COAST AND DYRHAM PARK/SANDITON

Sanditon is based on a novel by Jane Austen about a seaside town which is being developed into a resort by entrepreneur Tom Parker.  Unlike other dramatisations of Jane Austen novels, this one was never finished by Austen, giving the screenwriters free rein to develop the characters and storyline in the latter stages.

Episode four of the series had some of the characters going for a walk in the dunes of an extensive sandy beach, with one character collapsing from heatstroke in the dunes. We also see Sidney Parker surveying the beach from above in search of the errant Georgiana.  These scenes were filmed at Brean, one of the lesser known of the sweeping sandy beaches to grace the coast along the Bristol Channel, adjacent to the west Somerset resort of Burnham-On-Sea.  The better-known resort of Weston-Super-Mare was used for the bathing scenes, which were filmed in the Marine Lake.

Aside from Brean, other seafront scenes in the series were filmed at the small Somerset town of Clevedon.  Clevedon also has a marine lake but is best known for its graceful pier, which opened in 1869.  The pier can be glimpsed in Sanditon, which is a bit unfortunate because no such pier existed in Jane Austen’s day.

The seafront at Clevedon, Somerset - geograph.org.uk - 1867050. Photo by Anthony O'Neil, via Wikimedia Commons.

Moving away from the coast, another notable location seen in Sanditon is Dyrham Park, which we last encountered in this blog as Darlington Hall in The Remains of the Day.  In Sanditon the estate plays the role of Lady Denham’s home Sanditon House.  Managed by the National Trust, Dyrham Park is in South Gloucestershire, a few miles to the north of Bath.  We owe its existence to William Blathwayt and the fruits of the Empire, specifically the Colonies in North America, providing for its creation in the 17th century.  As well as the house there are extensive grounds, including a deer park.

Dyrham Park lower park. Photo by Rwendland, via Wikimedia Commons.

AN ECCLESIASTICAL EDUCATION: FOUNTAINS ABBEY/THE HISTORY BOYS

The film adaptation of Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys, which tells the story of a group of schoolboys preparing for acceptance at Oxford University, was shot in a number of Yorkshire locations, as well as a couple of schools in Watford.  The most striking location used is Fountains Abbey, which is where the boys are taken on a history field trip. 

Fountains Abbey 02 2005-08-27. Photo by Klaus with K, via Wikimedia Commons.

The ruins of the Cistercian Fountains Abbey are run by the National Trust and lie in the Nidderdale National Landscape to the south-west of Ripon in North Yorkshire.  The National Trust site also includes the water gardens of Studley Royal.  The abbey was founded in 1132 and was one of the wealthiest in the country until Henry VIII did his worst in 1539.

Map of the area.

LITERARY PUBS: THE WOOLPACK, SLAD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE

The Woolpack in the village of Slad near Stroud in Gloucestershire overlooks an idyllic scene of rolling Cotswolds meadows and valleys, best admired from its outdoor terrace.  Slad was where the poet Laurie Lee grew up, and the village and surrounding countryside were described in detail in Lee’s childhood memoir Cider With Rosie.  Although he moved away for a time, he returned with his family in the 1960s and he died there in 1997.  His grave is in the churchyard of the village church, almost opposite the pub.  

Laurie Lee was a regular at The Woolpack, and the pub has plenty of memorabilia dedicated to the poet, with a small museum containing artefacts relating to Lee and the original wooden settle he used to sit in, providing a brilliant photo opportunity for fans.  The pub has also been known to include special beers devoted to him.

Map of the area.

A POETIC STRETCH OF CORNISH COAST: TREBETHERICK/SIR JOHN BETJEMAN

When the former British Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman was a boy, he and his family used to holiday on the majestic north Cornish coast at Trebetherick between Polzeath and Daymer Bay.  These holidays evidently made a lasting impression, because he later bought a house in the area, and when he died in 1984 he was buried in the Church of St Enodoc to the south of Trebetherick.  

Daymer Bay and Trebetherick Point - geograph.org.uk - 7916. Photo by Stephen Dawson, via Wikimedia Commons.

This gorgeous part of Cornwall was described in detail in his poem Trebetherick, in which he describes family picnics - “sand in the sandwiches, wasps in the tea” - and the vagaries of the weather - “rain and blizzard, sea and spray”.  Shilla Mill gets a mention, now a campsite at Polzeath, as does Greenaway, a beach to the south-west of Polzeath.

Map of the area.

WATER, WATER...: TEES BARRAGE/AFTER THE FLOOD

The ITV series After The Flood, as its name suggests, tells the story of the aftermath of a flood in Yorkshire, an all too frequent occurrence in real life.  The opening episode shows a dangerously flooded river in the fictional town of Water…. with dramatic rescues and tragic loss of life. 

This scene was filmed not on a real river, but at the Tees Barrage International White Water Centre, where people pay to negotiate the foaming waters.For the filming the main straight section of the barrage was made to look like a village, complete with bridge and foliage.

Map of the area.

Tees Barrage - geograph.org.uk - 5079651. Photo by Richard Webb, via Wikimedia Commons.

The Tees Barrage is located in Stockton-on-Tees and offers a range of waterborne activities such as paddleboarding, white water rafting, canoeing and kayaking.  The centre is open year-round.

MURDER AT THE MANOR: WROTHAM PARK AND SYON HOUSE/GOSFORD PARK

A classic whodunnit in the style of Agatha Christie, Gosford Park sees a group of wealthy guests plus their servants gathering for a shooting weekend at Gosford Park, owned by Sir William McCordle (Michael Gambon).  During the course of the weekend, Sir William’s body is discovered slumped in his chair.  The rest is a familiar round of police questioning, with plenty of likely suspects.  

The gruesome event is offset by the sumptuous interiors of Sir William’s home, with most of the scenes filmed at Wrotham Park, Hertfordshire, for the downstairs and Syon House, West London, for the upstairs and bedrooms.  Near the start of the film we are shown the outside of the home of Lady Trentham, one of the guests.  This was filmed at Hall Barn, Buckinghamshire.

Wrotham Park 1820, courtesy of the British Library, via Wikimedia Commons.

Wrotham Park is to the south of Potters Bar in Hertfordshire.  The house dates from 1754 when it was designed for Admiral John Byng, and it is surrounded by a vast estate of 2,500 acres.  The house remains in the hands of the family to this day, and is not open to the public.  However, it is made available to film crews for filming, most recently being used for the ITV series Code of Silence.

Interior - Syon House - London, UK - DSC07437.  Photo by Daderot, via Wikimedia Commons.

Syon House, the London Home of the Duke of Northumberland, is near Hounslow in West London and is surrounded by Syon Park.  The house was built in the 16th century on a site originally occupied by Syon Abbey.  The house and park are open to visitors, who as well as the magnificent interior can marvel at the beauty of the Great Conservatory. Hall Barn is not normally open to the public, except for open-air theatre productions in the grounds.

LITERARY PUBS: THE SPANIARDS INN, HAMPSTEAD

On the edge of Hampstead Heath is a handsome inn called The Spaniards, so named because it was built by two Spanish brothers, in the year 1585.  Our old friend Charles Dickens, who seems to pop up with uncanny frequency in these ‘literary pubs’, was one writer who frequented The Spaniards, which provided inspiration for ‘The Pickwick Papers’, but he was not the only one.

The attractive garden is said to have been where the poet John Keats wrote ‘Ode to a Nightingale’.  There is a Keats Room in the inn to commemorate the fact.  His contemporary Lord Byron also visited.  The inn also appears in Bram Stoker’s ‘Dracula’.  As a non-literary aside, the father of the highwayman Dick Turpin was once the landlord of the inn, and it was where Dick came into the world.

The Spaniards Inn 1585 AD and outbuilding - geograph.org.uk - 1131521. Photo by Mike Quinn, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of the area.

OF MICE AND BUNNIES: NEAR SAWREY, CUMBRIA/BEATRIX POTTER

Beatrix Potter, who died in 1943, is best known for her children’s books featuring an array of charming animal characters, with illustrations depicting the characters in human clothing.  Benjamin Bunny, Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Squirrel Nutkin and their friends were brought together a few years ago as a collection of special 50P pieces, a testament to their enduring popularity.

Potter’s obvious affection for the animal world must in part stem from the fact that she made her home in the Lake District with all its natural wonders.  Her house, Hill Top, now managed by the National Trust, is in the village of Near Sawrey, near the west shore of Lake Windermere.  Some of her favourite possessions can be viewed in the house, while the garden, in the style of the English cottage-garden, displays scenes from her books.

Hill Top Near Sawrey 120510w. Photo by Strobilomyces, via Wikimedia Commons.

On the other side of Lake Windermere, in Bowness-on-Windermere there is an attraction aimed at families called The World of Beatrix Potter with displays featuring the characters in Potter’s books.  I have not visited, but it seems to get the thumbs-up on Tripadvisor.

Map of Near Sawrey.

ISLE BE BACK: BERGERAC 2025/JERSEY

Bergerac first hit our screens in 1981, starring John Nettles as the Jersey detective of the title.  Now in 2025 the series has been reborn, with Damien Molony as Bergerac, battling the booze after the death of his wife.  We don’t see much of the island in the first episode.  There are views over the island’s capital St Helier and several glimpses of one of the island’s best known landmarks, the martello tower on a large rock just off the shore at Portelet Bay.  St Ouen’s Bay on the west coast is the backdrop to a pivotal scene in which Jim decides to give up alcohol.

Portelet Bay - panoramio. Photo by georama, via Wikimedia Commons.

Further on in the series there are scenes shot in Bouley Bay, where the crew were treated to a magnificent early morning sunrise.  This is where Bergerac apprehends the couple suspected of abducting a baby.  Another iconic location in Jersey is the town of Gorey, dominated by Mont Orgueil.  The pier at Gorey features in a later scene.  In episode two, Philip Glenister, who plays businessman Arthur Wakefield is seen on a balcony overlooking a beautiful bay - this is St Brelade’s Bay in the south-west corner of the island.

BOULEY BAY-ISLE OF JERSEY..,, (29871258297). Photo by INDIGO WOLFSBANE, via Wikimedia Commons.

Back in St Helier, the disastrous bag drop scene in episode two takes place in Royal Square, where we glimpse the statue of King George II.  The Central Market also puts in an appearance.  

Royal Square, St Helier - geograph.ci. Photo by Bob Embleton, via Wikimedia Commons.

Two businesses feature in the series: The Driftwood Cafe on Archirondel Beach and La Pulente Restaurant, which doubles as the Jersey Club.  The grounds of Victoria College are also used.  

Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands, which form part of the British Isles as Crown Dependencies.  There are flights to Jersey from a number of regional British airports, and ferry connections from Portsmouth and Poole (as well as St Malo in France).

Map of the island.

A GRAND ABODE FOR A GRAND DECEPTION: THE SCAPEGOAT/KNEBWORTH HOUSE

The Scapegoat, a novel written by Daphne Du Maurier in 1957, concerns a man who one day by chance meets his double, an aristocrat beset with financial and family woes.  The aristocrat gets his new acquaintance drunk and persuades him to swap places, leading to an unfortunate chain of events as he meets the family and attempts to conceal the pretence.

The novel was set in France, and in 1959 a film adaptation was made, also set in France.  In 2012 a second film, starring Matthew Rhys as the two doubles, switched the action to Britain, starring Knebworth House as the aristocrat’s family home.  

Knebworth House - geograph.org.uk - 6582377. Photo by Jim Osley, via Wikimedia Commons.

Knebworth House dates from the 15th century, when Sir Robert Lytton, a close confidant of King Henry VII, purchased the Manor of Knebworth, which was probably a Saxon settlement previously, and set about building the original house.  Successive generations of Lyttons inherited the property.  In 1843 Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton transformed the property into the Tudor Gothic style which was fashionable at the time.  In more recent times the estate has got a name for itself as a concert venue, with such rock greats as Pink Floyd and Genesis playing there.

Knebworth House, which is located to the south-west of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, is open to the public on selected dates from March to September.  As well as the house and gardens, there is a Dinosaur Trail for the kids, and exhibitions on the Lyttons, filming locations and the concerts held there.

Map of the area.