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Travel & Tourism -
Visitor Information
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Lights, camera and …………action
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HERE TO GO DIRECT TO THE TV AND FILM LOCATION GUIDE
Since the early days of film making by the Bamforths of holmfirth,
Kirklees has stolen the limelight for many TV classics and successes.
Millions of TV viewers are familiar with heart warming dramas like
'Where The Heart Is' and the long running comedy series 'Last of the
Summer Wine'. They show some of the stunning scenery, mills, canals,
viaducts and many local people of Kirklees, which is part of the Pennine
Yorkshire region. Our prominence on screen has encouraged successive
tv and film companies to seek us out for new locations.
Big Dramas in Dewsbury
Dewsbury Town Hall has been in the spotlight many times as it is regularly
used as a TV or film location. It has been used for all manner of
productions due to its authentic Victorian interior and its reputation
as an accommodating location. The hall and courtroom have been used
for
- Various episodes of 'Emmerdale'.
- Scenes from 'The Darling Buds of May'.
- Popular police drama 'A Touch of Frost'.
- The police investigation behind the case of The Yorkshire Ripper,
'This is Personal'.
Did you know that ....?
Even in the early years, Oakwell Hall was used as a location in 1921
for the silent version of 'Shirley' written by Charlotte Bronte, which
starred Clive Brook.
Tom Wallis and Anne Crawford starred in the 'Master of Bankdam' in
1947, which was set in the Colne Valley about the life of a typical
working class textile family.
'Value for Money' starring Diana Dors and John Gregson in 1955 used
Batley for the main location of the film.
'Oh no, it's Selwyn Froggitt!', starring Bill Maynard, used locations
in Skelmanthorpe and Clayton West for the YTV comedy series.
Direct line to the commercial break!
Springdale Avenue in Thornton Lodge, Huddersfield was used for the
filming of a 'Direct Line' advert. During the day of filming the local
residents saw actor Edward Peel throw money away in the street for
the advert. Several council refuse men and one council refuse wagon
also became stars for the day.
Star of the Screen
The stunning scenery and timeless towns and villages of this part
of Yorkshire are familiar to millions of television viewers as locations
for some of the most popular drama and comedy series.
'Summer Wine' Country
The longest running British TV comedy series is set in and around
Holmfirth. For the last 28 years, viewers have tuned in to follow
the antics of its characters and to take in the wonderful scenery
of the Holme Valley.
In Holmfirth you can visit various locations including Sid's Cafe,
the Last of the Summer Wine Exhibition and the Wrinkled Stocking Tea
Rooms.
Filming for the series now takes in many other locations. The White
Horse Inn at Jackson Bridge is known locally as the 'Summer Wine Pub'.
It has frequently featured in episodes and has many pictures taken
from the series on display inside. Filming also takes place in the
nearby Colne Valley.
'Where the Heart Is'
This popular drama series has established itself as one of ITV's top
programmes.Much of the filming takes place in the village of Slaithwaite,
south west of Huddersfield, which becomes the fictional 'Skelthwaite',
with other locations in nearby Meltham and Marsden.
Another notable location is The League of Gentlemen's
'Local Shop', which was constructed on the hills above Marsden.
Kirklees id featured on the big screen in the film 'Blow Dry' from
Simon Beaufoy (the writer of 'The Full Monty). Scenes in Batley, Dewsbury
and Marsden feature in this social comedy about hairdressing.
Holmfirth itself could easily have been the centre for English film-making.
Bamforths were pioneers of motion pictures in the early 1900's long
before the Hollywood era. Their moving moving pictures were mainly
comedies and were screened as far away as Russia, being silent, language
was no barrier. Shortages during the First World War halted production
and it never resumed. Instead Bamforths turned to saucy colour seaside
postcards and they never looked back!
TV
& Film location guide
Holmfirth the old English 'Hollywood'
- Last of the Summer Wine country
Holmfirth in the heart of the Holme Valley is home to the long running
TV series 'Last of the Summer Wine'. For over 28 years Compo, Cleggy
and Company roamed the streets and surrounding countryside of Holmfirth.
Filming in the Holme Valley has put the small market town firmly on
the map and many famous landmarks in Holmfirth are connected to 'Last
of the Summer Wine'.
In Holmfirth see if Nora's stockings really are wrinkled or call for
a cup of tea in the Wrinkled Stocking tearooms. Take in the sights
of the countryside with the location tours from Sid's Cafe or memorabilia
at the 'Last of the Summer Wine' exhibition.
The Bamforth's at Holmfirth were pioneers of early motion pictures
and showed many of their films, starring local people, at the Valley
Cinema. Now restored as the Picturedrome it hosts a wide variety of
film events and other entertainment for the public.
The Bamforths also made the 'magic lantern slides' before producing
saucy seaside postcards. Several of the earliest funny postcards can
be found in Bamforths Postcard Collection on the first floor of the
Picturedrome.
Join the characters and the locals in The White Horse Inn, Jackson
Bridge which features in the series as the famous 'Last of the Summer
Wine' pub.
Holmfirth was also used for location in 'Last of the Summer Wine',
which featured the trio in their youth.
'Wokenwell', a northern town
The popular police drama 'Wokenwell'used several familiar landmarks
in the Colne Valley. The Sair Inn, Linthwaite featured in 'Wokenwell'
along with various outdoor scene in Marsden and surrounding countryside.
Local shop for local people
'The League of Gentlemen'
The infamous local shop which featured in the comedy series' The League
of Gentlemen', was constructed as an artificial set on the hills above
Marsden. Based in a noerthern village, most of the filming was completed
in Hadfield, near Glossop, but several scenes featured the countryside
of Marsden, Colne Valley and Holme Moor near Holmfirth.
Blow Dry in Batley
'Blow Dry', the social comedy set in the 1970's about the highs and
lows of a regional hairdressing competition, uses several locations
in Dewsbury, Batley and Marsden in the Colne Valley.
The film is
- Written by Simon Beaufoy who is also famous for 'The Full Monty'.
- Directed by Paddy Breatnach
- Stars Alan Rickman (Robin Hood, Prince of Theives) and Natasha Richardson
(Nell).
- Dewsbury Town Hall, Dewsbury Town Centre, Station Road, Batley and
a private farm in
Marsden were all used in the film.
- Strange but true...........
Multi-coloured sheep roamed the hills and fields of Marsden for a
few days to complete a
scene for the film.
Clapperboards in the Colne Valley
Home of 'Where The Heart Is'
The fictional village of 'Skelthwaite' in 'Where The Heart Is' lies
between Huddersfiled and Marsden. In reality, Slaithwaite forms the
backdrop for the popular heart warming series about the lives and
loves of a small Yorkshire community. Several local landmarks in Slaithwaite,
Marsden, Milnsbridge and further a field have been used as locations
in the programme. Even when it is pouring down!!!!
Locations for 'Where The Heart Is' include
- The Silent Woman pub in Slaithwaite features as The Skelthwaite
Arms in the series and
nearly had a change of name in the process.
- Marsden Health Centre regularly appears in the programme as Skelthwaite
Health Centre,
the base for the team of district nurses.
- The Goddard's Paper Factory is a real working factory in Milnsbridge.
- The wedding of Cheryl and Dick Lampard took place at Huddersfield
Registry Office.
- On occasions the interior of wards in Huddersfield Royal Infirmary
have been used for
hospital shots in the series.
Love on the Net
Produced and directed by Huddersfield based Lee Chambers.
Starring Richard Lumsden and Hoyt Richards
Premiered at Edinburgh Film Festival in 1998, 'Distress Signals' was
entirely set in Huddersfield Town Centre. The fifteen minute comedy
about the perils of computer dating used Greenhead Park, Huddersfield
Job Centre, Collections Florist Shop and many more Huddersfield locations.
Duncan Wayne: World Number One
Duncan Wayne: World Number One tells the life story of an international
road racer's ambition. The comedy starring Gavin McDougall (Strike
Force), shot several scenes in North Kirklees including an actual
marathon in Dewsbury, which showed Duncan Wayne winning. The first
section of photography is complete and a release on the internet webcast
can be expected at a later date. |
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