What if… Midsomer really were located in England? And specifically where it was filmed? Where in Midsomer’s history would that be? (Update as of August 2025)

This page explores precisely that thought experiment. On the virtual map, you will see a blue dot for one or more events in the history of Midsomer County whose filming location is known to me. The information about the location opens when you click or tap on a blue dot: the real location, the Midsomer location, and the event from the Midsomer story that happened ‘there.’

 

 

If you are generally interested in film locations – with and without history – then Sabine Schreiner’s 2025 newly published in revised and updated form Location Guide Midsomer Murders and Joan Street’s website is just right for you.
 

 

Alternative to the map of Midsomer County

You don’t like working with the map or it doesn’t work for you for some reason?

Please let me know by email if there is a problem.

If it does not work: below, you will find the events with Midsomer location and real location and the event or events on site.

 

Real Location	Midsomer Location	Historical Event
Newington House, Newington, Oxfordshire	Home of Richard of Guillaume	After 1066: Sir Richard Guillaume of Normandy is in the retinue of William, Duke of Normandy and takes part in the Battle of Hastings. He kills many of the Saxons. (Lady Matilda William, wife of his direct descendant, later recounts: “His Sword of Guillaume, as his weapon became known, took many Anglo Saxon lives and came to symbolise everything that the English hated about the French.”) After the Battle of Hastings, which was victorious for him, King William I entrusted his faithful Sir Richard with “the land now known as Brighton and Hove”. In 1069, Sir Richard found St. Peter‘s in Brighton, dedicated to the Seaman and Fisherman. Later he moved to Midsomer Parva and was buried there in the church with his sword. (13×02: The Sword of Guillaume) Deep Dive: The Sword of Guillaume
Tyringham Hall Estate, Tyringham, Buckinghamshire	Chainey’s Field	1086/87: Chainey’s Field in Midsomer Mallow is mentioned as common land in Domesday Book. (07×02: Bad Tidings) Deep Dive: Domesday in Midsomer Murders
Munden Estate, Watford, Hertfordshire	Cavendish Estate / Marwood Manor / Troughton’s House	1914: In Broughton raises Montague Marwood, a big local landowner, an entire company from the village in this year, during World War 1. Numerous families lose their head of household and now have not enough to survive. (No battle is mentioned, but it is not unlikely that they also fought in the Battle of the Somme.) Some women form the Skimmington Society as a self-help group to work together, educate and raise money. (09×05: Four Funerals and a Wedding) Deep Dive: Deeds Not Words   1960: On August 15, a fire breaks out at Marwood Manor in Broughton. Almost all the inhabitants of the house die: Richard Henry Marwood, Elizabeth Ann Marwood, Montagu Henry Marwood, Catherine Elizabeth Marwood, Henry Edward Marwood, Elizabeth Marwood, Frederick Hastings, Dorothy Sairfield, Harold Sairfield and the two children George Richard Marwood and Henry Marwood.   Late 1960s and/or 1970s: Germaine Troughton from Lower Pampling is captain of the England Ladies Cricket Team. (19×03: Last Man Out) Deep Dive: Sports History in Midsomer Murders, pt. 2: Other Sports   1990: During a precipitate accident at Fletcher’s Cross, Matthew Draper is killed in an explosion at the local quarry. Owner Robert Cavendish doesn’t want to wait for the detonator to be secured after a misfire, because that would cost him a big deal. He sends Draper to check when the detonator does ignite. (02×03: Dead Man’s Eleven)
Nether Winchendon House, Nether Winchendon, Buckinghamshire	Monks Barton Priory	Between 1536 and 1541: Monks Barton Abbey and St Frideswide were dissolved. Monks Barton Abbey was resolved by force, because the monks probably refused to give it up. However, they are driven into flight by the royal soldiers and literally hunted down and slaughtered in the adjacent Monks Barton Wood. (11×07: Talking to the Dead, 12×04: The Glitch) Deep Dive: The Dissolution of the Monasteries in Midsomer Murders
Waverley Abbey, Waverley, Surrey	Monks Barton Abbey / St Frideswide	Before 43 BC: The Celts have a shrine at Midsomer Sanctae where St Frideswide Abbey is later built.   About 1300: Start of Frideswide pilgrimages in Midsomer County: Very many pilgrim groups use Pilgrims’ Ride at Midsomer Sanctae to make a pilgrimage to the Abbey of St Frideswide to ask the saint for blessings and help. (12×04: The Glitch) Deep Dive: St Frideswide    Between 1536 and 1541: Monks Barton Abbey and St Frideswide were dissolved. Monks Barton Abbey was resolved by force, because the monks probably refused to give it up. However, they are driven into flight by the royal soldiers and literally hunted down and slaughtered in the adjacent Monks Barton Wood. (11×07: Talking to the Dead, 12×04: The Glitch) Deep Dive: The Dissolution of the Monasteries in Midsomer Murders
Manor House, Long Crendon, Buckinghamshire	Inkpen’s Manor	Between 1536 and 1541: The Inkpens obtain a formerly clerical property in Midsomer Deverell, becomes “Inkpen Manor”. (04×01: Garden of Death) Deep Dive: The Dissolution of the Monasteries in Midsomer Murders
The Prebendel House, Thame, Oxfordshire	Causton Abbey	1539: Brother Jozef is executed (boiled to death in beer) for poisoning Causton Abbey’s beer. (20×01: The Ghost of Causton Abbey)
Joyce Grove, Nettlebed, Oxfordshire	Fitzroy’s Estate	British Civil War (1642 and 1651): The Fitzroy family owning Bledlow Village is a Catholic family with, among other things, priest holes in the building to celebrate Catholic Mass in secret. (11×02: Blood Wedding) Deep Dive: Civil War, pt. 1
Chenies Manor, Chenies, Buckinghamshire	Jonathan Lowrie’s House / Melmoth Hall	1644: On 1 August, the Battle of Aspern Tallow took place during the Civil War. It ended at 3:30 pm with a Royalist defeat. Among them fought Royalist Jonathan Lowrie (1591-1644), a philanthropist, classical scholar and owner of the manor Aspern Hall. Parliamentarians pursue and chase him home after the battle, shooting him in his house. He is buried on the site, as was his wish. The family legend arises that he is not at peace and lives on as a ghost. (03×04: Beyond the Grave) Deep Dive: Civil War, pt. 1   1802: Sir Hugo Melmoth is murdered on 23rd June by residents of Midsomer Oaks. Just as Sir Hugo had some disagreeable people murdered under the guise of a pagan ceremony. (17×02: Murder by Magic) Read more about him in Henry Hogson & other local historic celebrities in Midsomer Murders
Knebworth House, Knebworth, Hertfordshire	Quitewell Hall	1645: Geoffrey DeQuetteville (1605-1645) is a loyalist in the Civil War and dies at the Battle of Naseby by charging cannons. The Battle of Naseby is lost for the Royalists. (15×01: The Dark Rider) Deep Dive: Civil War, pt. 2
A building in Turville, Buckinghamshire	Gemma Christie’s Teahouse	1801: Jane Austen travels through Whitcombe Grange. (19×05: Death by Persuasion) Deep Dive: Jane Austen & Baroness Orczy in Midsomer County
Shotover Park, Oxfordshire	Whitcombe Grange Hall	1801: Jane Austen travels through Whitcombe Grange. (19×05: Death by Persuasion) Deep Dive: Jane Austen & Baroness Orczy in Midsomer County
Railway, Haddenham, Buckinghamshire	Old Railway behind the Key’s Cottage	In Victorian time (1837-1901): One of the railways in Midsomer County runs close to the Keys’ cottage at Fletcher’s Cross, just beyond some trees. (08×01: Things That Go Bump in the Night) Deep Dive: Midsomer’s Old Railways
The Maltings, Amersham, Buckinghamshire	Plummer’s Factory (exterior)	1851: Albert Plummer returns from India to Little Upton, not with the fortune he had hoped for, but with a recipe for an excellent relish. He had eaten it in India and managed to recreate it. This sauce became – with a few changes – Plummer’s relish. (Why he was in India is not mentioned. I suspect that he was only a merchant and not a soldier who took part in the Second Anglo-Sikh War 1848–1849.) (08×07: Sauce for the Goose) Deep Dive: Albert Plummer in India
Wilkin & Son, Tiptree, Essex	Plummer’s Factory (interior)	1851: Albert Plummer returns from India to Little Upton, not with the fortune he had hoped for, but with a recipe for an excellent relish. He had eaten it in India and managed to recreate it. This sauce became – with a few changes – Plummer’s relish. (Why he was in India is not mentioned. I suspect that he was only a merchant and not a soldier who took part in the Second Anglo-Sikh War 1848–1849.) (08×07: Sauce for the Goose) Deep Dive: Albert Plummer in India
Foxwarren Park, Wisley, Surrey	Smythe-Websters’ estate	1867: Author Ellis Bell (“The House of Satan”) is born out of wedlock in Lower Warden. His mother worked in the manor in Upper Warden and was seduced by the son of the house. The Smythe-Websters denied paternity but helped young Ellis Bell get a job as a teacher. (06×04: A Tale of Two Hamlets)
Fair Mile Hospital, Cholsey, Oxfordshire	St Fidelis	1875: On 25 June, nineteen-year-old Caroline Maria Roberts, suffering from tuberculosis, commits suicide by throwing herself from the staircase at St. Fidelis Hospital in March Magna. “NOT DEAD BUT SLEEPTH” is written on her gravestone. (13×04: The Silent Land) Deep Dive: Not Dead But Sleepth
Chestnut Cottage, Warborough, Oxfordshire	Stannington’s House	1893: Reverend Stannington from Bishopwood becomes World Chess Champion 1893/1894. He dies as reigning World Chess Champion. (15×05: The Sicilian Defence) Deep Dive: Sports History in Midsomer Murders, pt. 2: Other Sports
A large thatched cottage in Watlington, Oxfordshire	Ellis Bell Museum	1897: Ellis Bell’s ‚The House of Satan’ is published for the first time. It is an ‚old-fashioned socialist novel‘. The title, The House of Satan, refers to the Smythe-Webster family. (06×04: A Tale of Two Hamlets)
Loseley House, Artington, Surrey	Midsomer Magna Manor / Morchard Manor	1860: The famous duel between the British boxer Sayers and the US boxer Heenan takes place on the grounds of Morchard Manor in Midsomer Morchard. It ends in a hullabaloo. (13×06: The Noble Art) Deep Dive: Sports History in Midsomer Murders, pt. 1: Boxing   1905: Just a rumour: The author Baroness Emma Orczy is a guest of Lord Fitzgibbon at Midsomer Magna Manor when she is writing her stage play (and later novel) “The Scarlet Pimpernel”. Lord Fitzgibbon was supposedly the model for her main character and hero, Sir Percy Blakeney. (10×07: They Seek Him Here) Deep Dive: Jane Austen & Baroness Orczy in Midsomer County
The Mill, Sonning, Oxfordshire	Empson Theatre	1923: Sir Huntley Empson found the amateur theatre company Midsomer Mummers and had the mill in Brattlington converted into a stage for his productions. (22×05: For Death Prepare) Gilbert & Sullivan: Pirates of Penzance and Midsomer
Rumsey‘s Chocolaterie, Thame, Oxfordshire	Caspar Madrigal’s Photo Shop	1930: The Annual Exhibition of the Luxton Deeping Photographic Society takes place for the first time. The Society was previously founded by Casper Madrigal. (10×06: Picture of Innocence)
UCL Observatory, Greater London, London	Stanton Observatory	1936: Tom Stanton, a local landowner and keen amateur astronomer, has the Astrodome built in Midsomer Stanton. (15×03: Written in the Stars)
White Waltham Airfield, White Waltham, Berkshire	Finchmere Airfield	1942: ATA pilot Ellie Wingate from Finchmere takes off in her plane despite a storm warning. She never returns – her friend Molly believes she committed suicide out of heartbreak. (16×04: The Flying Club) Deep Dive: ATA – Anything To Anywhere
RAF Benson, Dorchester on Thames, Oxfordshire	Old Airfield of Cooper’s Cross	1944: Ralph Wood was a bomber fighter pilot at Cooper’s Cross and never returns from a mission in this year. (10×01: Dance with the Dead)
Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire	Great Auburn & Little Auburn	1944: During the Second World War, the village of Little Auburn was turned into an army base. The place was forcibly evacuated – only for a short time, they said. The inhabitants founded Great Auburn not far from their village.   1962: A group of former residents of Little Auburn (now living in Great Auburn) occupy the village to protest against the army’s continued occupation. They remain for a few days before being arrested, fined and put in chains. Among them were Fred Messenger and Sylvia Lennard.   2016: 72 years after the residents were forced to leave Little Auburn and it was used as an army base, the village is now being returned to the family of the then landowner, Roderick Craven.   (19×01: The Village That Rose from the Dead) Deep Dive: Ghost Villages in World War 2
Adwell House, Adwell, Thame, Oxfordshire	Isobel Hewitt’s House	1950s: Isobel Hewitt from Midsomer Malham is a racing driver and wins a prize at Silverstone. (06×01: A Talent for Life) Deep Dive: Sports History in Midsomer Murders, pt. 2: Other Sports
Royal Holloway, Egham, Surrey	Devington Hall	After WW2: Midsomer Parva’s public boys’ school, Devington Hall, has been hoarding numerous artefacts of immeasurable value from all over the world for decades. Members of the school’s elevated Pudding Club often became diplomats and were thus able to steal the exhibits and bring them to the school. This happened, for example, during the Vietnam War (1955-1975) or the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989). (05×04 Murder on St Malley’s Day) Deep Dive: Treasures & Raiders in Midsomer County
Mapledurham House, Mapledurham, Oxfordshire	Heldman Estate / Bingham Estate	In the Iron Age (about 800 BC): In Midsomer Barrow, a local ruler, the Fisher King, is murdered with a spear in his leg and a role model for the Fisher King from the later Arthurian legend and the so called “dolorous stroke”/„dolorous blow“. Midsomer’s Fisher King is buried in the land that later becomes part of the Heldman’s estate.   1970: On the estate of Roger Heldman, local archaeologist Paul Heartley-Reade and Dr James Lavery, an archaeologist from the Ashmolean Museum, find a Celtic tomb – the grave of Midsomer’s Fisher King. The landowner and multiple rapist Roger Heldman is then murdered in the grave. The Celtic artefacts are recovered and registered at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford with the site of Suffolk. Shortly thereafter, Paul Heartley-Reade faked his own death.   (07×03: The Fisher King) Deep Dive: The Fisher King in Midsomer County   1914/1918: Frank Bingham sold cheap, inferior food to the Ministry of Defence during WW1 and did very well for himself. He set up a huge trust fund for his new fortune. A trust fund that will run out as soon as William and Mary Bingham die. (14×02 Dark Secrets)
Grey’s Court, Rotherfield Grey’s, Oxfordshire	Midsomer Priory	Before 1930: Foundation of Midsomer Priory in Midsomer Vertue. In 1930 Mother Jerome’s great aunt was prioress. (14×07: A Sacred Trust)
A farm in Stonor, Oxfordshire	Abbey Farm	c.1500: The Bartletts become farmers in Midsomer Worthy. (05×02: Worm in a Bud)
Dorney Court, Dorney, Buckinghamshire	Bantling Hall / Allenby House	C.1500: The Catholic Hartley family come into possession of Bantling Hall. (08×04: Bantling Boy)   1605: Cecil Hartley, 3rd Baron Bantling was famous Catholic and was involved in the Gunpowder Plot. (08×04: Bantling Boy) Deep Dive: “Involved in the Gunpowder Plot.”   1644: On 2 July, George, 4th Baron Bantling, is part of the King’s army at the Battle of Marston Moor. But he betrays his side and the King at the battle, which is ultimately lost. It is the first major victory for the Parliamentary Army and the decisive turning point in the Civil War. (08×04: Bantling Boy) Deep Dive: Civil War, pt. 1   War of Independence (1775-1783): Thomas, 4th Baron of Bantling, was born in England and enlisted in the English army. During the War of Independence, however, during the war, he becomes a defector and fought on the side of the English colonies in America. (08×04: Bantling Boy) Deep Dive: A traitor from Midsomer in the American Independence War?   1982: Malcolm Frazer, Nicky Frazer, Jenny Frazer (birth name not known) and Jimmy Wells from the British secret service help refugees to get from East Berlin to West Berlin. Jimmy Wells, however, is betrayed by Nicky Frazer and arrested by the Stasi. Nicky Frazer marries Jenny, who was actually a couple with Jimmy. Later, Jenny Frazer and Jimmy Wells learn of the betrayal, noted in the Wolfman file. (12×03: Secrets and Spies)
Braziers College, Ipsden, Oxfordshire	Chetwood Estate	c.1500: The Chetwoods have been living in Chetwood Estate for some time, now the roof is leaking (and still is 500 years later). (05×01: Market for Murder)
St Mary the Virgin, Hurley, Berkshire	St Claire	End of the 12th century or later: On a wall in the crypt of the church in Midsomer St Claire, an unusual Domesday painting is created, which does not show the crossroads between salvation and damnation as usual, but only medieval methods of torture. (16×02: Let Us Prey) Deep Dive: Doom Paintings
Sapperton Canal Tunnel, Sapperton, Gloucestershire	Midsomer Canal	End of the 18th century: The ceiling collapses during canal construction work at Midsomer Worthy and buried eight workers. In order not to run out of time and go bankrupt, 38-year-old engineer John Haslett decides, in the interests of his investors, to leave the eight dead in situ and merely had a retaining wall put in. This allowed the excavation work to continue on the very next day. This was all forgotten by the time he received his knighthood. The newspaper “Midsomer Journal” accused John Haslett of putting his own interests before human lives and reported: „Local Canal in Tunnel Collapse. Eight men still missing. Yesterday afternoon at approximately 3.30 pm a collapsed in the Midsomer canal happened, devastating locals and fellow workers. It is believed workers are still missing and friends and family fear the worst. The engineer Sir John Haslett has called the search off believing the workers would all be dead due the size of the cane in. Angered locals are up in arms over the decision and have called for further searches. A service for the bereaved has hastily arranged in respect in respect conducted by the local vicar, angering friends and family further. [… That’s all you can read in the scene]“ (07×01: The Green Man)   1801: On 2 May 1801 it is recorded in the minutes of the Midsomer Canal Company that £ 12 11 shilling 9 pence are paid to blacksmith Thomas Edwards „in discharge of his bill for iron work to the wheelbarrows, for the use of in the said navigation“. This entry is presumably related to the collapsed part of the Midsomer Canal at Midsomer Worthy, end of the 18th Century. (07×01: The Green Man)
Village Green of Crocker’s End, Oxfordshire	Village Green in Midsomer Mallow	In Anglo-Saxon time (5th-7th century): There was a Saxon burial ground where is now the village green of Midsomer Mallow. (03×03: Judgement Day) Deep Dive: The Fisher King in Midsomer County
Stanlake Park Wine Estate, Twyford, Berkshire	Midsomer Vinae winery	In Roman time (43-425): In Midsomer Vinae the Romans grow wine. (17×04: A Vintage Murder) Deep Dive: Roman Vineyards
Sydenham, Oxfordshire	Midsomer Abbas	1370: In Midsomer Abbas, there are long frosts in the spring that stunt the year’s harvest and brought starvation to many residents. They get help from the neighbouring village “over the valley”, Midsomer Herne, who bring part of their apple harvest. (14×06: The Night of the Stag) Deep Dive: The Dantean Anomaly
Turville, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire	Midsomer Parva (07×06)	17th century: There was an outbreak of swine fever in Midsomer Parva. The villagers tried to contain the epidemic with prayers, but were unsuccessful. Some women are able to nurse pigs back to health by using herbal remedies, but the women are tried for witchcraft and hanged from the old oak tree. The first of them is named Katherine Malpas. (07×06: The Straw Woman) Deep Dive: Witch-Hunting in Midsomer County
Mapledurham Watermill, Mapledurham, Oxfordshire	Mill in Lower Blissingham	1821: The mill in Lower Blissingham was bought by the Larkton family. (23×03: A Grain of Truth).
St. Leonard’s Watlington, Oxfordshire	Well in front of the Church in Midsomer Wellow	1860: In Midsomer Wellow, the well at the church is shut down after the body of vicar Jonathan Ebbrell is found in it. He was murdered by local bell ringers because he forced them to attend church services and had their beer barrel removed from their room. The bell ringers were not convicted, however, because the people of Midsomer Wellow formed a wall of silence. (05×03:  Ring Out Your Dead) Deep Dive: The Bell Ringers from Midsomer Wellow
Watlington, Oxfordshire	Lower Warden (06×04)	1643: From 14 March, the neighbouring villages of Upper Warden in the valley and Lower Warden on the hill start killing each other, on the occasion of the Civil War. (06×04: A Tale of Two Hamlets)
Lewknor, Oxfordshire	Upper Warden (06×04)	1643: From 14 March, the neighbouring villages of Upper Warden in the valley and Lower Warden on the hill start killing each other, on the occasion of the Civil War. (06×04: A Tale of Two Hamlets)
St Mary’s, Woburn, Bedfordshire	St Cicely’s Church	15th century (probably second half): In Midsomer County, a devout woman, Cicely Milson, is interrogated and tortured for three weeks by her tormentors. Her family flees to France to escape the torture. The family treasure, however, remained with Cicely. Cicely dies during the torture and is buried with her family hoard. She is later venerated as a martyr. (18×05: Sinners and Saints) Deep Dive: Treasures & Raiders in Midsomer County

 

 

🤓 Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

 

First published on MidsomerMurdersHistory.org on 24 April 2024.

Updated on 27 August 2025.

Englefield House is a film location for:Aloysius Wilmington’s house incl. the library („The Magician’s Nephew“).

Film Location for Midsomer Murders

The majestic building is, among other things, the film location for what is probably Midsomer’s largest and most beautiful library…

• Aloysius Wilmington’s house incl. the library (11×05: The Magician’s Nephew)

 

Obviously, the manor and its estate of 20,000 acres and woodland (8,100 ha) – to which the parish of Englefield largely belongs – are in the county of Berkshire. The special thing about the parish is that it is still very original in its form from the 19th century before the Enclosure.

The base of today’s the house was built between 1590 and 1600 or around 1600 (and not as early as 1558, as some sources incorrectly attribute). It is therefore architecturally a late-Elizabethan country house, which was rebuilt four times in the 18th and 19th centuries, most recently by architect Richard Armstrong. 

 

Englefield’s families

There are two dates above the door: 1587 and 1887, the first of which could be the year of construction, the latter referring to renovations in the house after the fire in 1886 that destroyed the interior of the Long Gallery (but not the whole house, as is sometimes read).

The house became part of the National Heritage List on 19 June 1984 and the garden followed on 30 September 1987. While the house can only be booked in the warmer months on Tuesdays to Thursdays for larger groups of 20 or more, the garden is always open on Mondays on a trust basis. The entrance fee of 5 pounds (children free) is deposited in a kind of letterbox and you can enter the large, differently furnished garden – which is more of a park.

But let’s start the story at the beginning – back in the days of Anglo-Saxon England. We know of one Alwin who had an building here in 1066, before the Domesday Book was compiled. He is thought to have been a member of the Englefield family, who gave the area its name and who had probably lived here since the 10th century. The influential Catholic family owned the forerunner of the manor on the hill until the mid-16th century. Sir Francis Englefield (c.1522-1596) was a servant of the catholic Queen Mary.

In 1559, shortly after the death of Mary I and the accession of Elizabeth I, Sir Francis wisely fled to Vallodolid in Spain and never returned to England. His estate was then confiscated by the Crown.

And then they begin, the local traditions and myths – not only about the ownership of the manor, but also about who built it in the 1600s. But virtually all of them are so historically confused as to be easily refuted by the actual evidence.

Sir Francis Walsingham, who was one of the Queen‘s principal advisers (spymaster is more like it), although there is no evidence of this. It is probably an example of the post hoc fallacy and is not supported by evidence or modern authority.

The Earl of Essex is ruled out as the dating is uncertain and his politically uncertain position makes him implausible as a builder.

Finally, Lord Norreys is ruled out because historical evidence shows that his estate at Englefield probably did not include Englefield House, but the older Cranemoor House, elsewhere but within the Englefield estate.

 

Many Powletts & Richards in Englefield

The fog did not lift until the early 17th century, after the estate passed first to short-lived occupants and then, from 1635, to the Paulette/Paulet/Powlett family. In the middle of the English Civil War. John Paulette, 5th Marquess of Winchester, famous for defending his main residence, Basing House, bought it from Lucy Davies, daughter of the poet, lawyer and politician Sir John Davies. (This purchase may also have had a family connection with his marriage to Honora de Burgh).

After the loss of Basing House ten years later, Englefield House became the new main residence of the family, who owned the house and estate until the 18th century. In 1712 it passed within the family to the Wrightes, as Anne Powlett had previously married the Reverend Nathan Wrighte. They called one of their sons by his first name – Powlett Wrighte. He married Mary Tyssen, daughter of Rachel De Beauvoir and Francis Tyssen of Hackney. They had a son who was again given the Christian name of Powlett.

Powlett senior died soon after the birth and Mary married Richard Benyon, who had made a fortune as a trader of the East India Company and governor of Fort St George (now Chennai, India). They had a son, also named Richard. When Mary died in 1777, she left two sons who shared their father’s first names and were half-brothers, Powlett and Richard.

The elder, Powlett, originally lived at Englefield but died childless in 1779. In his will he left his uncle Nathaniel (Powlett senior’s brother) the right to live at Englefield for life. (Or did Powlett junior bequeath the estate to him? I have found conflicting sources on this and cannot say for sure). However, two years later, in 1781, Nathaniel was very short of money and rented out the estate in order to become solvent again. Although the estate was valued at 400 guineas per annum, he sold it to Lady Margaret Clive for 300 guineas per annum – including the outstanding library you know from the episode ‚The Magician‘s Nephew‘. Lady Clive was a very wealthy widow of Robert Clive, a military hero of Fort St George. It is possible that there were connections through his deceased mother and half-brother.

What about Powlett’s half-brother Richard? He lived most of the time at Gidea Hall in Essex. He seems to have had no claim to Englefield and died in 1796. It was Richard’s (junior) son of the same name, Richard, who became the first Benyon to have Englefield as his principal residence.

This is how the Benyon connection started and evolved. Richard’s descendants, Richard and Zoe Benyon, now own the estate with their family.

It is also a popular as a film and TV location not only for British detective series such as Midsomer Murders, Agatha Christie’s Marple and Poirot, but also for more internationally renowned productions such as The Crown and the films The King’s Speech and Cruella.

 

Looking for the Battle of Englefield? The battle was fought on the hill above the village not far from the manor and marking an important victory for the West Saxons. Find out more here: At the Beginning of the Year in Englefield

 

Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

 

First published on MidsomerMurdersHistory.org on 2 July 2024.
Updated on 29 June 2025.

Film Location for: St Fidelis in March Magna (“The Silent Land”)

 

Film location for Midsomer Murders

Fair Mile Hospital is set in an abandoned building in Midsomers March Magna. It’s a spooky place, and it’s where the young tuberculosis patient fell to her death on the stairs in the main entrance. She fell out of sheer hopelessness. But unlike her, the nurses at the former hospital appear to be “not dead, but sleepeth“.

The Gothic-style building, which was also a hospital in reality, was used as a filming location for an episode of Midsomer Murders, namely

• St Fidelis, March Magna (13×04: The Silent Land)

 

However, it was not a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients, but a hospital for mental health problems.

The Maltings in Amersham is a film location for: Plummer’s Relish Factory in Little Upton (08×07: Sauce for the Goose), and Calder’s Biscuits Factory in Badger’s Drift (16×05: The Killings of Copenhagen)

 

Film Location for Midsomer Murders

Two factories in Midsomer County have twice been set in the former brewery buildings in picturesque Old Amersham:

• Plummer’s Relish Factory (08×07: Sauce for the Goose)
• Calder’s Biscuits Factory (16×05: The Killings of Copenhagen)

 

Amersham – A Village in a Chocolate Box

The town was first mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon document in 796 as Agmodesham. Apparently the name of the place was adapted from the first name of the local prince, for in 1086 it belonged to Ealmond, who was close to the king, and was recorded in the Domesday Book as Elmodesham. The suffix -ham is the Anglo-Saxon word for a settlement or village on a water meadow. And indeed, the risk of flooding from the River Misbourne is relatively high here.

The link with the English king continued through the Norman and Plantagenet periods, and in 1200 King John granted permission for a weekly market and an annual fair. This was the beginning of Old Amersham and its High Street, which is still the centre of the town today. Many tradesmen then settled along this street, especially craftsmen: leather workers, chair caners, straw weavers, lacemakers and especially the makers of the ‘Amersham Veil’, black lace.

Amersham town has changed little since the 17th and 18th centuries, and so has its landscape. John Leland’s description of it in 1540 as ‘a right pretty market town, well built with timber’ still holds true today. (John Leland was a Tudor historian and author).

Its parish church, St Mary the Virgin, whose origins date back to around 1140, dominates the town’s skyline with its imposing tower and Drake family chapel. Its floor was raised in the 15th century to avoid flooding, and the exterior was faced with flints in 1890. For a long time the church was the religious and social centre of the town, to which all citizens were obliged to flock on Sundays and feast days.

 

A Centre for Mind, Faith and Movement

As well as being shaped by the established church, Amersham was also a centre of religious dissent and diversity. As early as the 16th century, the Lollards challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and advocated the translation of the Bible into English. Later the town became a refuge for Quakers, Baptists and Methodists. During the Civil War, the town strongly supported the Parliamentary side, perhaps influenced by its long tradition of Nonconformist movements and its stubborn spirit of resistance to ecclesiastical paternalism and royal authority.

From the 17th century it was also an educational centre and a transport centre, important both for coach travel and later with the arrival of the railway as an important stop for travellers on the main routes between London and Birmingham and between Hatfield and Reading. These routes led to the development of many inns and taverns in Amersham, providing accommodation and rest for travellers and their horses. Particularly in the days of coach travel, the town was renowned for its overnight accommodation and ‘comfort stops’ on the long journeys between the major cities. Many of the inns in the High Street date from this period, although their facades have been modernised many times over the centuries. The oldest parts of the buildings, particularly at the rear, still retain their original timber frame construction.

The arrival of the Metropolitan Railway in 1892 gave the town a new direction. The station, built at Amersham-on-the-Hill, almost a mile from the old town, marked the beginning of urban expansion. Soon after the station opened, the former farms, pubs and common land were replaced by commuter housing. Architect John Kennard was instrumental in the development of the new district with his Arts and Crafts designs, which set it apart from the old town and gave it its characteristic ‘Metroland’ feel. This development was aided by the increasing number of commuters from London who discovered Amersham-on-the-Hill as an attractive place to live. Other 1930s architecture, such as Chiltern Parade and the striking Bank at Oakfield Corner, cemented the modern character of the new district.

With the railway came the transformation of Amersham-on-the-Hill into a London suburb, increasingly detached from its historic old town. It became not only a new centre for commuters, but also an example of the changes brought about by Metroland – a term coined by the Metropolitan Railway to encourage people to move out of London and into the suburbs.

 

The History of The Maltings

As the first coaching inn for travellers from London to Birmingham, the town’s coaching inns and guesthouses needed a large supply of beer. This necessitated the establishment of local breweries and maltings, which were favoured by the River Misbourne because its location on the river was important for powering the waterwheel that drove the machinery for cleaning the harvested grain and steeping the barley. Steeping required large quantities of water to start the germination process. River water was therefore diverted into the steeping pans as needed and then returned to the river.

William Weller, a Wycombe maltster, bought a malting near St Mary’s Church in 1775 and moved to the town with his wife Ann and their rapidly growing family. The brewery became the town’s largest employer, selling Weller’s Entire Stout beer through a chain of local inns. The family prospered.

In 1829 the Weller family built a new complex on Barn Meadow, possibly on the site of an earlier maltings. The complex was specially designed for malting and the superstructures on the roof acted as fans for the kilns. One-room houses were built for the widows of the employees, next to the first entrance to The Maltings. The Wellers held an annual sprat roast, inviting all the townspeople to roast sprats on shiny steel malt shovels. The Maltings provided a home for many families in Amersham – including maltsters who had to work near the kilns, and carters who stabled their huge draught horses within the complex.

However, the Malthouse was not without its setbacks. In 1837, The Times reported a devastating fire that completely gutted the malthouse and caused at least £5,000 worth of damage – the equivalent of around £700,000 in current value (2024). At the time, £5,000 would have bought a stately home in a good location in London, or a country house in a more rural area.

 

What Happened Afterwards

Five generations of the Weller family ran the business until they closed the brewery in 1929 and sold it to James Long, who, together with property developer William Matthews, wanted to turn it into a glamorous leisure development. Their idea was to create a country club with an indoor swimming pool and badminton courts. Some structural changes were made, but the project was never fully realised as Matthews died in a railway accident in 1934. Long then concentrated on converting the brewery buildings, which were later converted into a hotel with sports facilities.

From the 1940s the site was taken over by Amersham Prints, which manufactured textiles and, during the Second World War, kite balloons, barrage balloons and inflatable dinghies. This conversion contributed to the war effort and marked the site’s transition from brewery to industrial manufacturing. Over the following decades the site was used for offices, light industry and an art gallery.

Following use by Amersham Prints and conversion to offices and light industry in the last decades of the 20th century, the site became increasingly underused from the 1980s and eventually fell into disrepair. The textile mill closed and the complex fell into disrepair over the years. The Maltings have been empty since 2017.

 

Present Day: Future Uncertain

In October 2022, a planning application for The Maltings sparked a lively debate. Planning consultants DLBP Ltdsubmitted the application on behalf of Thomdell Developments Ltd, an experienced local developer specialising in residential projects. The aim of the scheme was to preserve the historic existed buildings of the complex and to enhance the area with new buildings and upgrades.

The plans centred on two listed buildings to be retained, while three non-listed buildings were to be demolished and replaced by two new buildings. A total of 45 new homes were proposed, ranging from one-bedroom to three-bedroom apartments. The application also included the refurbishment of four existing flats, provision of 78 parking spaces, and to retain the main listed buildings. In the planning statement, Thomdell Developments argued that the buildings to be demolished would not make a positive contribution to the historic environment. On the contrary, their demolition would ‘reveal hidden historic buildings’ and visually enhance the area.

However, not all residents shared this view and the proposed changes were met with mixed reactions. More than 30 residents and neighbours and the Amersham Society raised concerns in letters to the town. Increased traffic congestion was a particular concern: School Lane, a narrow road, was already congested at peak times, particularly with the drop-off and pick-up traffic from the nearby school. The proposed parking would not be sufficient to meet the needs of the sum of 49 flats. There were also concerns about potential environmental damage. Critics accused the developers of failing to take account of the nearby River Misbourne, which could be polluted by building materials. There were no plans to incorporate the river into the design or to protect its banks.

Following continued opposition, Thomdell Developments submitted a revised version of the planning application in the end of 2023. The number of proposed apartments was reduced to 38 and the number of car parking spaces was maintained at 78. The developer also undertook to preserve trees protected by the council, including eight walnut trees and a hornbeam. These trees had previously been protected by a Tree Preservation Order from the council after residents raised concerns about potential damage to the vegetation. Despite the changes, the proposed entrance and exit on Pondwicks Road is criticised. They claim it is too narrow for two lanes and would be further obstructed by a gate. Waste disposal and congestion at peak times also remain unresolved.

 

Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

First published on MidsomerMurdersHistory.org on 7 July 2024.
Updated on 15 June 2025.

Waverley Abbey is a film location for: Monks Barton Abbey in Monks Barton Wood („Talking to the Dead“), St Frideswide near Aspern Tallow („The Glitch“), Causton Abbey near Causton („The Ghost of Causton Abbey“).

 

Film Location for Midsomer Murders

The ruins of Waverley Abbey, the first Cistercian Abbey in England, have so far been used as a filming location for three episodes of our beloved series, namely

• Monks Barton Abbey (11×07: Talking to the Dead)
• St Frideswide (12×04: The Glitch)
• Causton Abbey (20×01: The Ghost of Causton Abbey)

Let’s take a trip into the past of the first Cistercian monastery in England.

The History of Waverley Abbey

Situated near Farnham, in the middle of the idyllic countryside near the River Wey rise the ruins of the once glorious abbey, which is deeply rooted in the history of Great Britain. Founded  in 1128 – 900 years ago – by William Gifford, the Bishop of Winchester, it was the first Cistercian monastery on British soil. The abbey was populated by a small community of 12 monks and an abbot from Aumone, France. However, this modest fledgling community quickly grew: by 1187, there were already 70 monks and 120 lay Cistercians living in the community, which followed the strict rhythm of Cistercian life.

The early history of the abbey is characterised by its benefactors, who enabled it to become one of the most important religious institutions in England. These benefactors included Adeliza, the wife of Henry I, and Henry III, who generously donated land to the abbey in 1239. But there were also times of misfortune. A devastating flood in 1201 destroyed large parts of the abbey buildings. It was not until 1278 that the new church, the foundation stone of which had been laid in 1203/4, was completed.

However, Waverley Abbey’s fate changed in the 13th century. During the reign of King John, it fell out of favour and support from the crown dwindled. The following centuries are shrouded in the mists of time, only sparsely documented, especially for the 15th and 16th centuries.

 

The Dissolution of the Monasteries 

Life within the abbey walls was characterised by the strict Cistercian rule. The monks and lay brothers farmed the surrounding land, were involved in the wool trade and offered refuge to pilgrims. An infirmary was also run by the abbey, which looked after travellers and the sick. The architectural plan of the abbey followed the traditional guidelines of the Cistercian order. At the centre was the magnificent church, almost 91 metres long, surrounded by the important functional buildings. To the south of the church was the chapter house, where the monks met daily to hear a chapter of the order’s rules and discuss important matters. 

With the Dissolution of the abbey in 1536, the once mighty monastery fell into the hands of Sir William Fitzherbert, the treasurer of the royal household. At a time when the dwindling power of the church was abandoning its stone monuments, the destruction of these venerable walls also began. Most of the abbey, which had once been a place of contemplation and prayer, was demolished. However, the stones, which had borne witness to centuries of history, found a new purpose. They were incorporated into the construction of Sir William More’s house in Loseley, a few kilometres to the east – a survival in a changed world in which the aristocracy claimed the remains of the monastic past for themselves. Thus the monastery, which had once been a centre of faith and power, was transformed into a silent memory, hidden within the walls of a manor house.

 

Silent Witness

The remains of Waverley Abbey tell a story that has dug deep into the earth and stone foundations. Between 1890 and 1903, excavations by the Surrey Archaeological Society opened a window into the past when they uncovered the full layout of the abbey. Today, the ruins are silent witnesses to a once important Cistercian abbey whose walls have long since succumbed to time. The stone was reused for the house at Loseley which is now Loseley Park.

The remains of the lay brothers’ house are the most impressive. Located at the rear of the site, graceful pillars rise up from the long cellar, supporting the vault that once housed the community of lay brothers. Parts of the south wall and the upper floor are still preserved, a last stand against the ravages of time. A solitary end wall sits nearby and is thought to have been part of the refectory where the friars ate their simple meals.

Waverley Abbey followed the strict, traditional plan of a Cistercian abbey. The large church, whose remains once guarded a sacred silence, measured almost 91 metres. To the south were the rooms that characterised the daily life of the monks: the chapter house, where they gathered to hear the rules of the order and discuss their business, the dormitory, where they found rest, and the refectory, which lay in the shadow of the cloister. The latrines and the lay brothers’ accommodation completed the austere, well-planned building. Read more on English Heritage.

 

English Heritage 

Today, only fragments of these once monumental buildings remain: the remains of the chapter house, the monks’ dormitory, the lay brothers’ house, the presbytery and parts of the north and south transept. A vaulted crypt, in the early English style, still defies time and the elements. Nearby are the remains of a room with three pointed arched windows – perhaps the former refectory. Trees and ivy entwine the ruins, growing in and out of the walls, while the nearby river floods the land from time to time, soaking the ground that was once sacred.

Waverley Abbey has been on the National Heritage List since 20 November 1925 and is now being carefully restored by the Ministry of Works in an attempt to preserve the last stone witnesses to a glorious past.

 

Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site and I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

 

First published on MidsomerMurdersHistory.org on 17 November 2024.
Updated on 17 May 2025.

Loseley Park was used as the film location for: Magna Manor in Midsomer Magna („They Seek Him Here“), Morchard Manor in Midsomer Morchard („The Noble Art“)

 

Film location for Midsomer Murders

Loseley House, a historic manor in Artington, Surrey, is located about 3 miles south-west of Guildford. The imposing Tudor building, part of the National Heritage List since 18 February 1958, is a rare example of Elizabethan architecture that has been preserved in its original form to this day.

The manor has so far been used as a filming location for two episodes of our beloved series, namely

• Magna Manor (10×07: They Seek Him Here)
• Morchard Manor (13×06: The Noble Art)

Let’s take a look at the history of this manor, which is closely connected to the recently introduced Waverley Abbey. Why? Well this Tudor building was built partly from stones from the then recently dissolved Waverley Abbey.

 

The History

The history of Loseley Park goes way back to a time when the land on which the present estate stands was known by a different name. In the famous Domesday Book, the first detailed land survey of England from 1086, it is listed as “Losele”. At that time it belonged to a certain Turald, who received it as a fief from Roger de Montgomery, one of William the Conqueror’s closest companions. There was already a farmstead here in those early centuries, but the history of Loseley Park as we know it today only begins some 500 years later, when Sir William More decided to build a new estate.

Sir William More, a descendant of the famous statesman and humanist Sir Thomas More, had the present estate built between 1562 and 1568. But even these stone walls tell a story of beginnings and endings: For old masonry from an even older site was used to build Loseley Park – those venerable stone ashlars of Waverley Abbey. This abbey, the first Cistercian foundation on English soil, was dissolved in 1536 in the course of the Reformation (Dissolution of the Monasteries). The stones of the ruins were removed and found a new home here in Loseley Park, where they have carried the splendour and power of that time ever since.

 

Queens & King

The building itself was characterised by a reverence accorded to few. Queen Elizabeth I had announced her visit, and the modest building that had stood in the country until then was simply considered inadequate for the reception of a queen. So the stately manor was built, which was henceforth available to the noble guests of the More family and was specially designed to accommodate monarchs.

The carved woodwork above the fireplace in the library, dated 1570, is still a reminder of one of those royal visits. The two bedchambers, the King’s Room and the Queen’s Room, also tell of a time when King James I and Queen Elizabeth I stayed here. The family‘s connection to the Tudor dynasty is emphasised by another valuable piece of evidence: One of the few surviving portraits of Anne Boleyn, the mother of Elizabeth I, has found its place here. The thought that not just one, but the crown came and went in these halls gives the building an almost tangible aura of royal grandeur and transience.

 

The Loseley House

But the story does not end here. Loseley Park is still in the hands of the family that was once entrusted with its construction: the More-Molyneux family are direct descendants of Sir William More and are the third generation to live on the estate.

The property is open to the public at certain times and impressively demonstrates the structure and layout of a typical manor from this era. Particularly noteworthy is the Great Hall, which was also used as a location for the film They Seek Him Here. Externally, the appearance of the building has hardly changed since it was built, with only the design of the main driveway suggesting a later remodelling inspired by Queen Anne.

The adjoining 17th century tithe barn can now be hired for private events such as weddings.

Loseley House has not only been used as a film location for Midsomer Murders, but for several more – since the 1950s. Perhaps the most famous uses are the film adaptations of Jane Austen’s works “Sense and Sensibility” and “Emma” in the 2000s.

 

The Gardens of Loseley Park

The walled gardens of Loseley Park – an estate with a history dating back to the 16th century – shine with a harmonious interplay of form, colour and historic spirit. Based on a design by Gertrude Jekyll in 1905, the gardens show her unmistakable signature: a graceful interplay of rose beds, herbaceous borders and carefully placed shrubs that exude a quiet elegance and at the same time an ordered opulence.

The bed to the north in particular, along the wall of the vegetable garden, reflects the typical Jekyll design, while a herbaceous border stretches along the moat, framing the gentle arches of the paths with its abundant blooms. A look back at paintings and photographs from the 1880s to 1900 shows Loseley in the style of Miss Jekyll, whose mixed borders and formal paths created a harmonious dialogue between architecture and nature even then. Even the magazine Country Life in 1899 praised the unusual planting of bamboo bushes and hemp palms that lined the property – trees and shrubs that still give the garden its exotic charm today.

The planting along the terrace wall, down the steps to the herb border, to the yuccas and old fruit trees by the moat, still bears the soul of Jekyll’s artistic garden philosophy. Its characteristic climbing roses, lavender and daisies, which welcome the observer with their unagitated beauty, are silent witnesses to a garden that preserves history and yet always comes to life anew.

 

Open to the public

The careful further development of the grounds in 1993 and 1994 brought the garden to its current bloom: an award-winning rose garden with over 1,000 bushes, the extensive herb garden whose fragrance fills the air, a lush flower garden, wisteria, and a garden for cut and organic vegetables that specialises in rare, historical varieties. The “White Garden”, with its rippling fountain and silver-grey foliage, may be the shining centrepiece of the grounds.

It is this diversity that today elevates Loseley Park to a garden of national significance – a living legacy that seems to transcend the boundaries between historic preservation and contemporary evolution, proving itself timeless in the spirit of Miss Jekyll.

Loseley Park was open from May to August 2024 on Sundays and Thursdays – 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The house was open until the end of July, the gardens until the end of August. 

 

 

Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

 

First published on MidsomerMurdersHistory.org on 10 October 2024.

Updated on 18 April 2025.

Film Location for: The Fox & Goose Hotel in Midsomer Worthy („Strangler’s Wood“), Bantling Hall in Bantling Village („Bantling Boy“), Allenby House in Midsomer Parva („Secrets & Spies“), Pelfe Hall in Great Pelfe („Not in my Backyard“), manor of Lord Argo in Carver Valley (“Drawing Dead”)

 

Film location for Midsomer Murders

Dorney Court really is a historical gem. It’s not as grand as some manor houses that were built later, but I simply adore it. Built on the border of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire and near Eton and Windsor Castle, it has been a Grade 1 listed building on the National Heritage List since 23 September 1955.

The manor has so far been used as a filming location for four episodes of our beloved series, namely

• The Fox & Goose Hotel, Midsomer Worthy (02×02: Strangler’s Wood)
• Bantling Hall, Bantling Village (08×04: Bantling Boy)
• Allenby House, Midsomer Parva (12×03: Secrets & Spies)
• Pelfe Hall, Great Pelfe (13×07: Not in my Backyard)
• manor of Lord Argo (exterior und entry hall) (20×03: Drawing Dead)

And, as always, let’s take a look at the history of the Dorney Court estate and its family, the Palmers. To do this, we have to go back quite far in English history. For there was a building here before Norman times.

 

The History of Dorney Court and its Owners

Dorney Court is intertwined with the history of England. I’m sure Honoria Lyddiard would have loved to have had it as the home of her family, who is woven in to the very warp and woof with the history of England. But I digress…Domesday in Midsomer

Before the present estate was built, back in Saxon times, there was an earlier building here which belonged to a certain Alread, a man of the Earl of Morcar, before 1086. This place was even inhabited in the 2nd millennium BC!

Miles Crispin is named as the owner in the Domesday Book. Over the next 500 years or so it passed through the Cave, Parker, Newnham, Paraunt, Carbonell, Scott, Restwold, Lytton, Bray, Hill families and finally, in 1537, Sir William Garrard, Lord Mayor of London. His daughter married Sir James Palmer of Wingham in Kent. For nearly 500 years the Early Tudor manor house has been the home to the Palmer family.

 

Dorney Court comes into the possession of the Palmer family

When Sir William Garrard died, the house passed to his wife Elizabeth and their son Thomas. However, there was a major family dispute: Thomas married Dorothy, daughter of Sir William Clarke of Hitcham, against her father’s wishes.

This led to a major family dispute, which resulted in Thomas renouncing his wife so that he could continue to live at Dorney Court. This in turn caused Dorothy’s family to despise him. There followed quarrels, lawsuits… the whole lot, I suppose.

Eventually – in 1624 – Thomas sold Dorney Court to his sister Martha, who by then had married James Palmer. More precisely, he sold to Richard Palmer, who was acting as a trustee for his relative.

 

Generations of the Palmer family

James Palmer was knighted five years later. Over the course of his life he also became Gentleman of the Bedchamber to James I and Charles I, Chancellor of the Order of the Garter, Governor of the Royal Tapestry Works, Mortlake, Adviser to the Royal Collection and a personal friend of Charles II.

He was also an artist and miniaturist and painted several portraits of James I, the Earl of Southampton and the Earl of Northampton.

A few decades later, Dorney Court passed from father to son Charles. And so it has been ever since: Dorney Court is passed down through thirteen generations as a family home.

 

The Interior & Exterior of the Historic House

Dorney Court is one of England’s Finest Tudor Manor Houses. Situated in the west of London, it is near the Thames and also close to the church on the west side of the village. It is Grade I listed in the National Heritage List.

What about the architectural? Well, the house appears to be entirely Early Tudor, but part of the exterior is a Victorian reconstruction.

Early Tudor? Victorian reconstruction? But it looks early Tudor now… Everything is correct: the original building was completely out of date in the 18th century. That’s why it was rebuilt according to the tastes of the time. A few decades ago it was conservatively restored to its original state, partly using the original bricks.

The interior has changed very little since 1500. The panelled parlour is the oldest area and contains some fine antique furniture. The Great Hall is also worth a visit.

The 15th century stone fireplace is not in situ and the panelling is said to have come from Faversham Abbey. The original timber construction is visible in many places throughout the house, and many original features such as the fireplace, remain, while other old fittings have been brought from other houses.

Family Portrait after family portrait and their closest associates of the Palmer family can be seen in the rooms of the manor, especially in the Great Hall.

 

England’s First Pineapple and Other Disappointments

Did you know that the first pineapple in England was grown here, at Dorney Court? Roger Palmer, a diplomat and mathematician, managed to bring seeds of this exotic fruit to England and had them planted in his garden. Thanks to an excellent gardener, a pineapple palm actually grew there. Roger Palmer gave the first one to King Charles II in 1661, who was so taken with it that he hired Palmer’s gardener to be his royal gardener.

This was not the only person the King had wooed away from Roger Palmer, for only a year earlier Roger’s wife Barbara Villiers had been unfaithful to him and become a royal mistress. (After Roger and Barbara had only married in 1659).

• 1659 Marries Roger Palmer
• 1660 Mistress of King Charles II (still in exile in the Netherlands)
• 1661 Marriage to King Charles II

And 1662? Well, after Barbara had given birth to the first of her five children with Charles II, she separated from her new husband.

 

Barbara Villiers

Apparently a beautiful woman but with little dowry, Barbara knew how to make herself secure as a mistress. None of her lovers or husbands could be sure that the child was really theirs.

This included the king, for Barbara may no longer have been his wife, but she was once again his mistress.

Her ex-husband Roger was created Earl of Castlemaine and Baron Limerick by Charles II in 1661 to provide for his mistress and her children.

Barbara Villiers herself was created Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Southampton and Baroness Nonsuch in 1670. At the same time, however, her influence at court began to wane. In the years that followed, the king increasingly turned to other mistresses. Barbara did the same, marrying several more times before dying of heart failure in 1709.

 

Visit Dorney Court

The Catholic family suffered during the Civil War. Their estates were confiscated in 1646. It is no coincidence that the parlour at Dorney Court still contains a priest hole, which is open to visitors.

Talking of tours: The estate is open to the public and tours have been possible at certain times of the year since 1981, as the family continues to live at the manor. In 2024 you could book a guided tour throughout June, for 2025 I am not aware of any times.

Visitors will find one of the most beautiful Tudor mansions in England and beautiful gardens. Afterwards you can then visit the Crocus at Dorney Court garden centre, tea room and shop.

The current visit and guide prices can be seen here.

It is often used as a film location. Most recently and most prominently for the successful series Bridgerton, but also several times for Midsomer Murders.

 

Read more about Midsomer Murders & History

The Chronology of Midsomer County by Year or by Episodes • Deep Dives into Midsomer & History • History of Midsomer Murders Film Locations

I would like to point out that this is an unofficial fan site. I am not connected to Bentley Productions, ITV or the actors.

 

 

First published on MidsomerMurdersHistory.org on 4 October 2024.

Updated on 26 March 2025.