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.

 

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

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.

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.

 

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

 

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.

 

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

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.

 

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

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.

 

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

What if… Midsomer County was where it was shot and filmed? What if there was a map of Midsomer County showing the historical events? As if they were one with the film location?

You may already know me: because there was no such map of Midsomer, I made one myself. Ta-daaaa!