Midsomer Murders in Henley

Henley-on-Thames, aka Causton, has appeared in numerous episodes of Midsomer Murders. Fans of Detective Barnaby will recognise many of the filming locations within the town including Gabriel Machin’s butcher shop, Tudor House Antiques and the Argyll Public House. Guided and self guided walking tours are available. Visit https://www.visit-henley.com/midsomer-murders.html

Refreshments: The Argyll and The Catherine Wheel in Henley

Turville and Stonor 18 December 2021

Turville is the ultimate film village with the cottage next to the church being the main centre as used in the Vicar of Dibley, with the church being called St Barnabus. And the Windmill used in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and other movies. More recently Turville was used in Killing Eve.

Stonor was used for a major sequence in the James Bond film ‘The Living Daylights’, starring Timothy Dalton, and was used as Robbie Coltrane’s stately mansion in the film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s children’s classic ‘Danny the Champion of the World’, which starred Jeremy Irons. Other credits include ‘The Young Visitors’ and ‘A Duet for One’, starring Julie Andrews.

Stonor has featured on the television in two episodes of the 2021 series of ‘Antiques Roadshow’, in the 2019 Disney/BBC production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ starring Guy Pearce and Andy Serkis, ‘Hornblower’ and ‘Midsummer Murders’ to name but a few.

Join us on an 11 mile walk from Maidensgrove, with lunch at the Barn at Turville Heath, to see both locations. The walk is hilly.

For start place details and to book yourself on this walk, contact alie.hagedoorn@gmail.com

Hambledon

Another iconic village used in films is the village of Hambleden. Hambleden is best known for the village itself with its cluster of charming brick and flint cottages grouped round the old water pump, with the church and lych-gate flanking one side of the village square.

Hambleden has been used for many feature films such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 101 Dalmatians, Sleepy Hollow, Into the Woods and the New Avengers, for major TV productions such as Band of Brothers, A Village Affair, Poirot, Rosemary & Thyme, New Tricks and Down to Earth as well as a variety of advertisements and promotions.

Selfguided walk, Hambleden from Henley: Start Henley Church 7 miles)
Circular Walk. Cross the Thames at scenic Hambleden Lock at Mill End. Walk to the pretty village of Hambleden.

Refreshments available from the Stag & Huntsman in Hambleden.

James Bond - Nettlebed and Surroundings

The Fleming family’s involvement with Nettlebed began in 1903 when Robert Fleming, the Scottish banker, bought Joyce Grove. Fleming’s grandson was the renowned travel writer Peter Fleming whose younger brother was the celebrated spy novelist Ian Fleming, who wrote the James Bond books.

There are lovely walks from Nettlebed, for example to Bromsden Farm. The winged horse statue at Bromsden farm is from a James Bond film. It was hit by a tank in Russia - in the film. It is made from fibreglass. I learned this on a Farm Open day. For a long time it was just a horse. Then they got round to putting on the wings then the knight. But.the wings are not very strong and they have broken off. They are now bolted on and have metal brackets.

Refreshments available at the White Hart in Nettlebed.

Suggestion for walks: http://chilternsociety.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Commons_Series_Nettlebed.pdf

Places to stay: The Catherine Wheel in Henley on Thames, the Stag and Huntsman in Hambleden and the White Hart in Nettlebed.