BRONTE: THE SCARBOROUGH CONNECTION

I have previously blogged about the Bronte family, with the focus on their home village of Haworth.  However, one of the sisters, Anne Bronte, spent many a happy time on the Yorkshire coast at Scarborough, where she found the sea air beneficial for her tuberculosis.  Sadly, the disease got the better of her in the end, and having spent her final days there, she now lies buried in the graveyard of St Mary’s Church.

Bronte’s novel Agnes Grey does not mention Scarborough by name, but the castle where Weston proposes to Agnes is unmistakably Scarborough Castle.  In her other novel, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, the coastal scenes and the seaside excursions undertaken by the characters are clearly inspired by Scarborough.

Scarborough Castle, Scarborough, Yorkshire - geograph.org.uk. Photo by Christine Matthews, via Wikimedia Commons. 

Scarborough is one of the main resort towns on the Yorkshire coast.  The reason it was so popular in Anne’s day is that it was a spa town, added to which the arrival of the railway in 1845 really propelled its prominence as a resort.  Scarborough is still reachable today by train from York.

Map of the area.

THREE LOCATIONS USED IN THE ITV SERIES GONE: BRISTOL, FOREST OF DEAN, SOMERSET

 The ITV series Gone deals with the murder of the wife of Michael Polly (David Morrissey), headmaster of a prestigious school on the outskirts of Bristol. DS Annie Cassidy (Eve Myles) is the officer assigned as family liaison officer, then subsequently pulled from the role.  For much of the series Polly is a major suspect, but there is an unexpected twist at the end.

During the investigation, Cassidy has to make multiple visits to the Polly home, which entails crossing the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which is shown in all its glory from aerial views.  The bridge, the creation of the great Isambard Kingdom Brunel, opened in 1864, providing a link across the gorge between the Bristol neighbourhood of Clifton and Leigh Woods and the Ashton Court Estate in North Somerset.

Clifton Suspension Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 2085952. Photo by Steve Daniels, via Wikimedia Commons.

The school scenes which featured heavily in the series at the fictional St Bartholomew’s were filmed at Downside School an independent boarding and day school near Midsomer Norton in Somerset.  The school sits right alongside the A367, aka the Fosse Way, formerly a Roman road. 

Downside School and the abbey church - geograph.org.uk - 8257855. Photo by Neil Owen, via Wikimedia Commons.

For Mr Polly’s house, the action moves north to the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, namely Danby Lodge near Lydney. The property, which is listed on Booking.com, though not currently available, has a swimming pool in real life, but this was airbrushed out for the purposes of the series.

THREE LOCATIONS USED IN WUTHERING HEIGHTS 2026: YORKSHIRE

 In February of this year, a new version of Wuthering Heights hit the big screen.  Starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi as Cathy and Heathcliff, the film is not without its controversy.  The casting has come in for criticism due to the pale-skinned Elordi being selected as Heathcliff and Robbie being too old to play Cathy, albeit looking great for her age.  Eyebrows were also raised over the film playing fast and loose with the details of the story.  One thing that can’t be denied, though, is that the film portrays Yorkshire in all its bleak and beautiful majesty.

The village of Low Row was used for many of the village scenes, with the Old Gang Smelting Mill to the north of the village featuring heavily, forming part of the surroundings of Wuthering Heights.  The mill was built in the 19th century as a lead smelting mill.  Low Row is on the banks of the River Swale in Swaledale.

Old Gang Smelt Mill 002. Photo by Kreuzschnabel, via Wikimedia Commons.

The most northerly dale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park, Arkengarthdale made for an excellent choice in the filming of Wuthering Heights, with its bleak landscape and feeling of isolation.  Reeth, the nearest settlement of any note, was used as a base camp for the crews involved in the filming, with the local pubs enjoying the extra custom keeping the crews fed and watered.

Looking down Arkengarthdale - geograph.org.uk - 6088446. Photo by Russel Wills, via Wikimedia Commons.

The enticingly named Booze Moor near the village of Langthwaite served its purpose for the sweeping views of the windswept landscape, lending an atmospheric feel to the film.  Roadside viewing points above the village are the nearest one can get to the moor by car.  Visitors expecting to indulge in drunken debauchery will be disappointed: the moor is named after the hamlet of Booze, which derives from the Old English ‘boga’ (bow) and ‘hus’ (house) meaning ‘house by the curve’.

Map of the area.

LITERARY PUBS: THE KINGS HEAD, CHIGWELL

Of all literary figures, Charles Dickens must surely win the prize for most pubs frequented.  And some of these watering holes have formed the inspiration for inns featuring in his works of fiction.  The Maypole Inn, which plays a key role in Barnaby Rudge, is based on the King’s Head Inn in Chigwell, Essex, although the Maypole name came from an inn called the Maypole, now closed, in Chigwell Row.  The inn is introduced right at the start of the novel, and is central to the story as a communal hub which is later destroyed by rioters.

The King’s Head no longer exists as a pub, having ceased trading in 2011.  However, the building now houses a Turkish restaurant called Sheesh, a favourite with celebrities which has featured in the TV series The Only Way Is Essex.

Chigwell, the former King's Head public house now Sheesh (1) - geograph.org.uk - 2389001. Photo by Nigel Cox, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of the area.

A BISHOP'S BALLAD: THE HERMIT OF WARKWORTH

 

Warkworth Castle, in the village of Warkworth, Northumberland, has an unusual feature in the form of a Hermitage, separated from the castle by the River Coquet.  The Hermitage consists of a priest’s house and chapel hewn into the cliff face.  In 1771, one Bishop Percy composed a ballad called The Hermit of Warkworth, which helped to raise the profile of the Hermitage after a period of obscurity.  In the same year the renowned writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, a friend of Percy,  wrote “Parodies of The Hermit of Warkworth”. 

Warkworth Castle interior, 2007. Photo by Draco2008, via Wikimedia Commons.

The hermit in question is a knight who accidentally killed his brother and his betrothed in a fit of rage, and who has carved a chapel into the cliffs of the River Coquet to atone for this act.  The Hermitage is described as “deep-hewn within a craggy cliff, and overhung with wood”, while the chapel “neatly arch’d on branching columns rose”.  More details about the chapel follow.  Of the castle, “Fair Warkworth lifts her lofty towers, and overlooks the sea”.  The poem blames the Scots for the castle’s decline, ravaging the local farms and stealing wealth. 

The Hermitage, Warkworth - geograph.org.uk. Photo by hayley green, via Wikimedia Commons.

Warkworth lies a mile from the Northumbrian coast, just inland from Amble.  The main street slopes uphill, leading to the castle entrance.  The castle and Hermitage are run by English Heritage.  Visits to the Hermitage are confined to Sundays and Mondays, and a place must be secured in advance at the castle on arrival.

Map of the area.

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 Waterside 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.