A ROYAL RETREAT IN SCOTLAND: THE CROWN/ARDVERIKIE ESTATE

Not being the most ardent royalist, I resisted all the hype surrounding the Netflix series The Crown until recently.  But with the latest series now upon us I decided to have a look at the earlier episodes to see what all the fuss is about, and to my surprise I am finding it rather good. 

Inevitably, a show such as The Crown will be full of sumptuous locations.  The interior of Buckingham Palace, for example, was shot in Wilton House near Salisbury, while Winchester Cathedral was used for the Churchill funeral scenes, and the Windsor Castle interiors were filmed at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire.  

One of the most scenic locations is that used to represent the Queen’s Scottish retreat Balmoral: Ardverikie Estate in Inverness-shire.  The estate, which in earlier times was the subject of a tug-of-war between the Macpherson and Mackintosh clans, forms the backdrop to the 19^th century baronial mansion Ardverikie House, formerly a hunting lodge and set on the shore of Loch Laggan, about 10 miles as the crow flies to the south of the more famous Loch Ness.  The present-day building is of typical Scottish baronial-style architecture, a riot of turrets and other grandiose grey-stone features.

Ardverikie House (2477752137). Photo by Bert Kaufmann, via Wikimedia Commons.

Ardverikie Estate has form when it comes to featuring in royal scenes, as it was also used in the film Mrs Brown, starring Judi Dench as Queen Victoria.  It was during her reign that Balmoral was purchased by her husband Prince Albert.  As it happens, in real life the couple stayed at Ardverikie Estate in 1847 as the guests of James Hamilton, the Marquis of Abercorn and Groom of the Stole to Prince Albert.  The estate was also used for the fictional Glenbogle Estate in the BBC series Monarch of the Glen.

Fans of The Crown who want to immerse themselves in the Ardverikie/Balmoral experience can stay at Ardverikie Estate, which offers a range of self-catering accommodation. 

Map of the area.

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW: THE REMAINS OF THE DAY, DARLINGTON HALL

It is a long time since I read The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, but I still remember how impressed I was by the authenticity of the dialogue of the period in which it was set, all the more so given the Japanese origins of the writer.  The focus of the story is Darlington Hall, where the butler James Stevens (Anthony Hopkins) and housekeeper Miss Kenton (Emma Thompson) develop a slow-burning relationship against the backdrop of the pre-war years (Lord Darlington is a Nazi sympathiser, a fact which Stevens turns a blind eye to).



As is so often the case in films, the scenes involving Darlington Hall were shot in a number of different properties, scattered between Gloucestershire, Devon and Wiltshire.  The scenes showing the driveway and exterior of the mansion were shot at the National Trust property Dyrham Park in Gloucestershire.  Also in Gloucestershire, nearby Badminton House was used for the scenes involving the servants’ quarters.  Some of the outside scenes were also filmed here, such as the scene where Stevens’ father (Peter Vaughan) suffers a fall and where Reginald Cardinal (Hugh Grant) is found having a sneaky cigarette.

At Dyrham Park 2018. Photo by Mike Peel, via Wikimedia Commons.

The county of Devon plays its part in the form of PowderhamCastle on the estuary of the River Exe, which was used for the Blue Staircase, hall, master bedroom and music room.  The scene at the end featuring the trapped pigeon was also filmed there under the domed ceiling.  Corsham Court in Wiltshire, meanwhile, provided the library and dining room scenes, including the scene of the conference in the ‘Cabinet Room’.

Powderham Castle, east side-geograph-4066229-by-Steven-Craven. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Dyrham Park is just off the A46 and to the south of the M4, handy for anyone staying in Bath.  The house, with treasures including a collection of Dutch Masters, dates from the 17^th century and the grounds include a deer park.  The Badminton Estate is to the east of the A46 a little further north, and is famous for its annual Horse Trials.  Visits to the house and gardens are available by special arrangement for group tours.  The estate has a history stretching back centuries: it was mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Madmintune’, and the grounds incorporate the remains of several Roman Villas.



Powderham Castle, just off the west bank of the mouth of the River Exe, is open from March to the beginning of November.  There are a number of special events held during the year, such as a Food Festival and the Two Moors Festival of classical music.  The original structure was built in the late 14^th century by the 2^nd Earl of Devon, but much of the present-day building dates from the 18^th century.  Corsham Court is open daily during summer but at weekends only in winter, closing in December.  It is a handsome country house built in the typical honey-coloured stone of the area, and the parkland surrounding it was designed by the prolific landscape designer Capability Brown.  The history of the estate dates back to Saxon times, when it was reputedly the seat of Ethelred the Unready.

Corsham Court. Photo by Hugh McKechnie, via Wikimedia Commons

Map of Dyrham Park

Map of Badminton Estate

Map of Powderham Castle

Map of Corsham Court

BIRDS OF A FEATHER: DAUGHTERS-IN-LAW, JOANNA TROLLOPE/THE SUFFOLK COAST

Anyone planning a break on the Suffolk coast will find reading Joanna Trollope’s Daughters-in-Law the perfect scene-setter for their trip.  This story about a mother-in-law’s complex and fraught relationship with her three daughters-in-law is mainly set around the portion of the Suffolk coast between Shingle Street near Orford and RSPB Minsmere, a haven for birdwatchers.  It certainly brought back happy memories of a break my husband and I spent in the area a few years ago.



The most pivotal part of the story, in which one of the daughters-in-law, Petra, meets someone, risking a break-up to her marriage, takes place at the RSPB Minsmere bird reserve, to which Petra, who is keen on drawing birds, escapes for the day when feeling the heat in her relationship.  She takes herself off to commune with the avocets “picking their fastidious way around the Scrape” and observes the ‘other man’, RSPB ranger Steve, moving around among the marram grass and sand dunes and “silhouetted against the shining water”.   

Minsmere - geograph.org.uk - 321676. Photo by Mike Pennington, via Wikimedia Commons

Another location which forms part of the story, also good for observing birdlife, is the hamlet of Shingle Street near Orford, where Petra sets up home with husband Ralph in his cottage “right on the shingle”, before later moving to Aldeburgh.  Later in the story it is revealed that Steve lives in Shingle Street, where he has a whitewashed cottage “sunk deeply into the beach”. 



The other Suffolk coastal location which looms large in the story is the town of Aldeburgh.  The parents-in-law live in a house near there, and Petra and Ralph move from Shingle Street to the town part-way through the story.  We have Petra taking her kids into town to escape from Ralph’s moods, past the cottages with names like Shrimper’s Cottage or Mermaid Cottage.  The famous scallop shell sculpture on the beach, commemorating Benjamin Britten, gets a mention elsewhere in the story, as well as the southern end of town “where the tall seafront terraces petered out into the marshy stretches of mingled river and sea”.

The mouth of the River Alde at sunset

Aldeburgh is a characterful seaside town just north of the mouth of the River Alde, which is at its best at sunset, when the river gleams in the orange glow of the setting sun.  The High Street, as hinted at in the novel, is a pleasant mix of small shops, galleries, restaurants cafes and pubs.  Benjamin Britten lived in Crag House in the town from 1947, hence the aforementioned commemorative sculpture.


RSPB Minsmere hosts a variety of birds in its coastal lagoons, such as the slender avocet, bearded tits and bitterns.  There are also otters present in the reedbed pools.  The reserve is close to the Sizewell nuclear power station, and sadly recent reports suggested that the planned Sizewell C station could threaten the future of the reserve.  This weekend the RSPB is holding a Love Minsmere festival to raise awareness of the concerns.  Shingle Street is another favourite with birdwatchers, and recent sightings have included Western Cattle Egret, American/Pacific Golden Plover and Red-Necked Phalarope. 

Map of Aldeburgh. 

WOMEN OF WINDERMERE: DEEP WATER/THE LAKE DISTRICT

Deep Water follows the lives of three women, Lisa, Kate and Roz, all living among the beautiful scenery of the Lake District, but whose lives are considerably less perfect than the surrounding landscape.  Much of the filming took place around Lake Windermere, which forms a watery backdrop to many of the scenes.  Which is appropriate enough, as the series is based on the Windermere series of novels by Paula Daly.

The Sunset in Bowness Harbour, Bowness on Windermere, England 02. Photo by Michal Klajban, via Wikimedia Commons.

One of the most striking properties used in the filming is the house where Kate (Roslind Eleazar) lives, set in an elevated position overlooking the lake.  The real-life property is near the village of Hawkshead, near the western shore of the lake.  Anna Friel’s character Lisa, meanwhile, lives in the countryside near the lake.   The kennels she runs are seen surrounded by the dramatic slopes which are a feature of this area.  Roz’s house is in the village of Staveley, a couple of miles to the east of the lake along the A591.  Staveley Primary School was used for the school gate scenes which form the common denominator between the three women.



There is a lakeside cafe which in the series is where Roz’s brother works and which is the scene of a number of meet-ups such as in episode 1, where Kate meets Lisa to discuss her son’s bullying.  The cafe which was used for these scenes is the Bluebird Cafe on Coniston Water, named after the jet-powered boat which killed Donald Campbell as he attempted to break the water speed record on the lake in 1967.  

Bluebird Café - geograph.org.uk - 900291. Photo by David Palmer, via Wikimedia Commons.

Lake Windermere is the largest of the Lake District lakes, as well as being the largest natural lake in England.  The main tourist centres are Bowness-on-Windermere and Ambleside, and there are frequent departures on leisure boats linking the two, as well as Lakeside at the southern end.  Coniston Water is a short distance to the west of Lake Windermere.  The National Trust runs trips on the restored Steam Yacht Gondola, which leaves from a pier near the Bluebird Cafe.  Hawkshead is a village a short distance from the west shore of Lake Windermere with a good range of pubs and cafes, as well as an array of shops, including a large branch of the Hawkshead outdoor clothing and equipment chain.

Map of the area.

A TALE OF LOSS IN NORTHERN IRELAND: PHILOMENA/COUNTY DOWN

Philomena, starring Judy Dench and Steve Coogan, is a film based on the true story of a woman from Northern Ireland called Philomena Lee (Dench) who had a son out of wedlock, which led to her being sent to a convent.  The son was taken away from her and ended up in America.  The film centres on Philomena’s search for her son with the help of TV presenter Martin Sixsmith (Coogan). 

A large proportion of the film is set in America, where Philomena and Martin go in search of the lost son, but in the early scenes we are treated to the sight of the Mourne Mountains and surrounding area.  In the scene where Martin picks up Philomena to take her to the convent to quiz the nuns about her son, we see a sign saying ‘Birr’.  There is a town called Birr in County Offaly, Republic of Ireland, but the scene was actually filmed in Rostrevor on Carlingford Lough, close to the Mourne Mountains, and Philomena is seen waiting opposite the Killowen Inn on Bridge Street.

Rostrevor (elevated view) - geograph.org.uk - 278010. Photo by Albert Bridge, via Wikimedia Commons

Further north in the county, in Killyleagh, the Dufferin Arms pub was used in the scene where Philomena and Martin discover that there was a fire which destroyed the convent’s records, while suspiciously leaving the convent itself intact.  The landlord of the pub was so chuffed at his hostelry being chosen for the scene that a party was held to celebrate the premiere of the film.  

Killyleagh harbour (1) - geograph.org.uk - 296250. Photo by Albert Bridge, via Wikimedia Commons

Fans of the film who head to Northern Ireland in search of filming locations should not waste their time looking for the real-life version of Roscrea Convent, where Philomena had to give up her son.  The building used to depict the convent was actually Harefield House in Harefield near Uxbridge, Greater London, conveniently located close to Pinewood Studios.  In the film there is a smaller red brick building visible to the right of the front of the convent.  This is in another place altogether, on the estate of Shirburn Castle near Thame, Oxfordshire, and was added in with the help of computer graphics technology.  The cemetery scene was also filmed on the estate.  Note that neither of these properties are open to the public.



The Mountains of Mourne are a constant presence overlooking the coastal areas between Newcastle, County Down, and points south, as well as the county’s inland areas.  They include the  highest mountains in Northern Ireland, most notably the mighty Slieve Donard.  Rostrevor lies at the southern entrance to the mountains and is bordered by the Rostrevor Forest, which has many attractive paths for walkers to explore.  The area is also rich in historical and folkloric remains.  Killyleagh lies on the western side of Strangford Loch.  One of its most attractive features is its harbour lined with houses of different colours.   The harbour was the recipient of coal imports from England until the 1980s.

Map of County Down.

A RIVER ROMANCE: FRENCHMAN'S CREEK, DAPHNE DU MAURIER/HELFORD, CORNWALL

Frenchman’s Creek, a novel by Daphne du Maurier about the relationship between the English lady Dona, Lady St Columb, and a French pirate set during the reign of Charles II, came about following Daphne’s marriage, when her husband used to bring her to a tranquil corner of the Helford River, mooring up for some newly-wed canoodling.  Daphne later lived within sight of this spot, so that she was constantly reminded of those romantic times.



The story begins with a detailed description of the village of Helford and the river, partly from the viewpoint of the time when the story was set, and partly as it was during Daphne’s time there in the 1930s.  The river in Charles II’s time is described as “lonely and austere”, and the hamlet’s inhabitants as “dull-witted and uncommunicative”.  In short, no reason for anyone happening upon this spot to linger there.  Of course, at that time there would have been no pub, the present-day Shipwrights Arms being a mere 300 years old.  

Helford Village - geograph.org.uk - 9853.  Photo by Richard Johns, via Wikimedia Commons

Du Maurier contrasts this unappealing description with how it was in her time, with “many voices to blunder in on the silence” and the coming and going of “pleasure steamers”.  Presumably these were visiting from nearby Falmouth; it is still possible to get a boat trip from Falmouth to the Helford River, also taking in Frenchman's Creek.  However, visiting yachtsmen in Daphne’s day would hesitate at the entrance to the creek, finding it disconcertingly mysterious, the only sounds the occasional plopping of a fish breaking the surface and the sound of the night-jar issuing from the bracken on the hills.

In Daphne’s day, daytrippers would head to a farmhouse kitchen which doubled up as a tea-room.  She claims in the novel that this was once Navron House, the Cornish retreat Dona escapes to when she has tired of London.  In fact, Navron House is a fiction, and the inspiration for it can be found in the Trelowarren Estate.  Fans of the book can stay on the estate, which offers a range of cottages for hire, and guests staying there can also enjoy the beautiful gardens.  What is real, however, is Frenchman’s Creek itself, a long sinuous offshoot of the Helford to the west of Helford village.  The National Trust website has a suggested walk taking in the creek.

Frenchman's Creek at low tide - geograph.org.uk - 1370928. Photo by Graham Loveland, via Wikimedia Commons

Helford River and its village lie between Falmouth and Lizard Point, the most southerly spot in Britain.  Lovers of gardens visiting the area are in for a treat, even if not staying at Trelowarren.  On the other side of the Helford is the National Trust garden Glendurgan, with the equally beautiful Trebah Garden next door.  From Helford, it is possible to cross to the other side by ferry and follow the South West Coastal Path along to Glendurgan.  Further afield, and accessible from Falmouth by boat, is another National Trust garden, Trelissick.

Map of the area.

BEAUTY IN A TIME OF COLD WAR: SUMMER OF ROCKETS/BENINGTON LORDSHIP

As was the case with its predecessor, Close To The Enemy, the latest Stephen Poliakoff TV drama, Summer Of Rockets, has come up trumps once again with its visual beauty and period touches.  Set in the Cold War period, in 1958, at a time when fears of a nuclear conflict were growing among the populace – hence the title – the focal point of the story is Russian émigré Samuel Petrukhin (Toby Stephens) who invents a clever tracking device and who is reluctantly sucked into the world of espionage, necessitating repeated visits to the beautiful home of a politician and his wife, Richard and Kathleen Shaw (Linus Roache and Keeley Hawes).  Another facet of the story is the desperate search by Kathleen for her son who has disappeared.



The Shaws hold many posh get-togethers at their home, and this is where much of the action takes place in the series.  The real-life property where these scenes were filmed is the curiously named Benington Lordship, a few kilometres east of Stevenage in Hertfordshire, a private family home which opens up its gardens to the public at certain times of the year, for instance in February for the snowdrops.  The gardens were created above an ancient fortified site dating from Saxon times.  The gatehouse seen in many of the scenes is a neo-norman folly completed in 1838.  The house itself was a manor house, originally started around 1700.  The west wing was added in 1905 by the present owners’ ancestors.

Benington Lordship 001 (8249305273). Photo by Ozzy Delaney, via Wikimedia Commons.

The property has been used in a number of other productions, such as the BBC Just William production and series 1 and 2 of the Channel 4 drama Humans.  

Another location frequently seen in Summer Of Rockets is the airfield where the tracking device is put to the test.  This was filmed at the former RAF base Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire, an appropriate choice, having been used as a base for US forces based in Britain during the Cold War.

Benington Lordship-5279415003. Photo by Rictor Norton and David Allen, via Wikimedia Commons.

Map of Benington Lordship and surrounding area.