Filming Locations for ACT
From the book
A Canterbury Tale - Memories of a classic wartime movie
by
Paul Tritton
All locations are in Kent, England, unless otherwise specified.
Remember that The Archers were very sneaky and clever when it
came to filming. Also, as Powell knew the area very well (he had grown
up there) they could pick and choose to get the best locations.
A typical problem is in a classic two-shot with two people talking
to each other, the view over one person's shoulder will be in one
village. The view over the shoulder of the person they are talking to
might well be in another village, 20 miles away.
We are indebted to Paul Tritton
and the wonderful work he did for his book
A Canterbury Tale - Memories of a classic wartime movie
for the identification of these locations.
-
Opening scenes with the Chaucerian pilgrims
-
On the old Pilgrim's Way that runs through the area.
|
St Martha-on-the-Hill,
Guildford,
Surrey
|
TQ 028 483
|
-
Road of steel
-
In
Paul Tritton's
book on ACT,
the only location that he couldn't identify was the valley that the
train ran along when we first see it. You know the one I mean, the
falcon has just turned into a Spitfire, the carriers trundle off
down the hill and it fades to a valley. We pan right and stop as a
train comes in from the right. It's all over very quickly - but it
always bugged us :)
Christoph Michel
has done some
screen captures
from the DVD to show you the scene we mean.
Mark French has identified this for us as having the camera at about TR 137 501.
From the car park at the top of Ranmore (TQ 141 503) go into the field take a diagonal across the field heading South West. The indistinct path goes downhill to the fence line. Go through the gate that you will find there and then walk West following the edge of the woods which should be on your right hand side (do not descend any further) after approximately 500 yds look South and you should be there. I found the spot where they filmed to within approximately 50 yds or so as I say nothing has changed so it is very easy to find.
Pilgrim's Way (North Downs Way),
Ranmore Common,
Nr Dorking,
Surrey
|
TR 137 501
|
-
Selling Station
-
"Chillingbourne, this is Chillingbourne. Canterbury next stop"
The train arrives on the real station. When they come out of the station
office they are in the studio. I'm not sure about the bridge.
The station is now very bleak & bare, see
Steve's visit
-
Charing Street
-
Where they chase the glueman up the street
Studio reconstruction based on Taylor's Hill, Chilham. Built with
a false perspective to make the road appear to be a steeper and longer
hill. Aided by the "glueman" running away being a child in a scaled
down greatcoat.
-
Fordwich Town Hall
-
Both the exterior and interior were reconstructed in the
studio but are very close to the original.
Fordwich Town Hall is the smallest Town Hall in the country.
The Town Hall was built in 1544.
Fordwich was awarded "Town" status, despite its small size, because
it was the furthest boats could get up the River Stour (it has since
become silted up so only very small boats can navigate it now).
The stone for Canterbury Cathedral was unloaded there after being brought
from Caen in France. The crane that could be swung out over the river
to unload boats is still there and the crane arm is seen in the film.
The railway built in 1830 linking Canterbury with Whitstable Harbour
meant that Fordwich was no longer used as a port.
-
The Hand of Glory
-
See
The Meaning of "The Hand of Glory"
The interiors were recreated in the studio.
The exteriors are mainly of The Red Lion, Wingham.
The view from Bob's bedroom window where he waves at Dick Lucy
is the view from The Red Lion but as the hay waggon
leaves it is seen leaving from The George and Dragon,
Fordwich.
-
Horton's Yard
-
The wheelwright & blacksmith's yard is Horton's Yard in Shottenden.
Ben Horton (wheelwright) and his brother Neville (blacksmith) both appear
in the film as assistants to the actors playing them. Ben's son Eric
also appears (in leather jacket).
-
Wickhambreaux
-
As Alison & Bob leave the yard in the cart they go past the old
watermill at Wickhambreaux. They then pause by Wickhambreaux Court
(Colpeper's house).
-
Chartham Down
-
As Bob gets off the cart they are at the edge of Chartham Downs but
when they look up to 'The roundel', that can't be seen from where they
are and 'The Bend' in the Pilgrim's Road is in yet another place.
-
Elbridge Farm
-
Prudence Honeywood's farm where Alison goes to work is really
Elbridge Farm.
The scene where Alison takes Fee Baker her lunch is a combination
of location and studio shots.
-
The Pilgrim's Road
-
Where Alison is ambushed by the bren carriers led by Peter Gibbs is filmed
on Old Wye Lane, Chilham. The camera watches the carriers go down through
the Rye Field and another carrier goes across the field on the other
side of the Lane.
-
Colpeper Institute
-
The idea of the Colpeper Institute was almost certainly based on the Beaney
Institute in Canterbury, the young Michael Powell used to borrow books from
the library there.
The exteriors of the Colpeper Institute are the Manor House in Fordwich
High Street.
-
River Battle
-
The river battle takes place on the River Stour near Chilham Mill.
Bob boards the boat a short way upstream although some of the scenes
of the boat being paddled down the river were actually filmed
on the River Stour at Fordwich - over 5 miles away on the other side
of Canterbury.
-
Pow-wow Hill
-
The Pow'wow after the river battle takes place on an ancient long
barrow (burial mound) known as Jullieberrie's Grave. Local legend
claims it is the burial mound of a Roman tribune killed after a
river battle during Julius Caesar's invasion, although it might
well be even older than that.
In the film, Chilham Mill can be seen from the hill although now
the view is obscured by trees except when they lose their leaves in
winter.
-
Fordwich Church
-
When Bob leaves the pow'wow he goes off to meet the Horton's at the
church. These scenes were filmed at St. Mary's Church, Fordwich
although we don't see much of it. Just the view out of the door
as they come in and a shot of the bells being rung.
[Wasn't the ringing of church bells still banned in 1943?
NO, the restriction was relaxed on 21st April 1943 to allow
bells to be rung for Sunday services. Then, on 27th May 1943
it was further relaxed to allow ringing for weddings, funerals
and just ringing practices.]
-
Alison's Enquiries
-
Alison meets Polly Finn as her bus arrives in Chilham Square.
She meets Gwaldys Swinton at her signal-box at Harbledown Junction.
Then she meets Doroth Bird at Wickhambreaux.
-
Salvage Collection
-
Peter goes to see Mr Colpeper at his house (Wickhambreaux Court).
Bob and Peter meet the boys who have collected the salvage at
Chilham Mill
-
A Roll in the Grass
-
After a walk through the beech wood
[Sheila looking lovely]
Alison thinks she hears the sounds of the old pilgrims.
Colpeper is lying in the long grass and Alison lies down beside him.
Bob and Peter come up the hill talking about the tea drinking nations.
They survey the 'noble prospect' of the view of Canterbury and the
River Stour, neither of which can actually be seen from where
they were.
The views of the Cathedral seen when Alison emerges from the wood and
later when Bob says 'Cast your eye around that noble prospect'
show the Cathedral from the south-west, but the encroachment of
chestnut coppices and scribby woodland over what was once open downland
has now blocked off any such views that may have been obtained from
Chilmans Downs in 1943. However similar 'noble prospects' can be enjoyed from
Godmersham Park, the northern end of Church Wood, the eastern end
of Howfield Wood and several other vantage points in the Stour Valley.
The view of the River Stour cut into the scene where Peter and Bob
pick blackberries and discuss the tea-drinking nations was filmed
from Godmersham Downs. We see the River Stour meandering towards a
railway bridge near Trimworth Manor and, in the background, Tye
Wood and Oxen Lees Wood.
The other locations used towards the end of the film are in Canterbury itself.
Note the scenes under the end titles.
The boys playing football (with the new ball bought with the money they
were given by Bob) in the car park of the George and Dragon, Fordwich.
Also the soldiers going to the lecture with their girlfriends at
the Colpeper Institute (Manor House, Fordwich).
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