Friday 7 November 2014

Grantchester - As Seen On TV!


The village of Grantchester, where I grew up and where my mother still lives, has recently been featured in a TV series called....."Grantchester". It's based on the series of books known as "The Grantchester Mysteries" by James Runcie. It concerns a young vicar who goes around solving crimes and murders in the 1950s and 60s. 


During my time in Grantchester there were few crimes other than the odd tractor being illegally parked in the vicinity of one of the village's four pubs. And the only mystery the vicar had to solve was to occasionally locate the missing keys to the vestry. 



So when the parish magazine announced that TV cameras were about to be trundled into the streets there was much excitement throughout the community. The road had to be closed during filming as it clearly would not do to have modern four-wheel-drive vehicles speeding through the streets of the 1950s. Residents had to park their cars out of sight and several plants and small trees were imported to hide other eyesores and anachronisms. 



Many local people were dressed in styles of the day and spent hours being ushered hither and thither as extras. All this was for a few milliseconds of fame lurking in the shadows of the church as part of the congregation.


As you would expect in a series about a vicar, much of the action takes place in the village church. Having grown up with this building as part of the background scenery to more important adventures, it was many years before I could appreciate the church as the fine structure it is. It certainly looks grand in the film.


I'd never even noticed the cover to the font till this visit when the light was striking it just so. I don't think it played a significant part in the TV series!


I don't intend to review the programmes here - particularly as I only caught one episode myself. I will observe though that it's particularly jarring when locations you know well are suddenly interspersed with bits of studio footage. I know it's how these things have to be filmed but when they say they are going over to the Red Lion pub I expect to see the local pub, not one that's in another village.


I intended to take a few more photos for you but I spent too long chatting with the lady who cleans the church; her husband has not been at all well lately. Then a man whom I haven't seen for several years engaged me in a long conversation about the work the council intend to do to one of the bridges over the river. 

That's the kind of drama we usually have around here.


Take care.



22 comments:

  1. A lovely post, John--it felt like a ramble through a familiar village. I would enjoy seeing the church in person--or on film, but probably not a program that will be aired here.

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  2. It must be odd seeing familiar sights from your home town fixed up for television. The font cover and the thatched building are very nice.

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  3. Excellent post, John. The village is scenic, the church beautiful, and the mysteries sound intriguing. I'll have to track them down.

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  4. What a wonderful house. And church - its lovely.
    I think it's interesting to see home village in TV.
    Have a ahappy weekend.

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  5. A very interesting post, both about how TV-dramas are made and how life in a village really is. I don't think we have had that series in Norway, but I'll look out for it. At least I would be able to compare the filming of the church with the fine impression your photos make of it.

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  6. I've read two of the three books and am enjoying the televion series so it was lovely to see your photos of the village and church - it is strange when they film in an area you are familiar with. I like the sound of those everyday happenings and mysteries you describe:)

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  7. John - your posts are always a mine of interesting information.

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  8. Beautiful little church. It does seem odd to see "our" town in a movie or tv show. They're filming a movie down in Savannah right now--Magic Mike II.
    I've seen the DVD for the Grantchester series and wondered if we'd like it.

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  9. How exciting to have a film crew in your mother's town! Your photos of the church are lovely. Thanks for the blog visit. :)

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  10. You grew up in such a wonderful village. Beautiful photos. What a lovely place.

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  11. A lovely village with a friendly atmosphere.

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  12. Love the cover on the Font - beautiful church..... I don't suppose this series will reach Canada, but I will watch for it, and check the library.

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  13. What a lovely place Grantchester is! The thatched roof architecture with a brick chimney is so impressive and is different from Japanese ones with which roof is not drooping (?) and have smoke duct made of wood. I wonder how such a style of thatched roof can last without sliding down…, amazing! Isn’t it nice to play a personal life drama of pleasures and pains in such a nice place? I like a detective story. If “Grantchester” makes a hit in England, then may be it could be aired on cable channel some months later in my country.

    Yoko

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  14. It sounds like a lovely place. I haven't seen any of the series though.

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  15. The white building has such a beautifully thatched roof. It looks like a nice place to live and I'm not surprised it was chosen for a film.

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  16. I will now add you to my list of famous people whose name is evoked by the mention of Grantchester - Rupert Brooke, Dave Gilmour, Jeffrey Archer - and John By Stargoose And Hanglands!

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  17. Always kind of fun to have a familiar place made into a movie or show. So much of what is available to us is American that there is lots of interest when something is shot in Toronto or Montreal. A few years ago I watched a movie based on a novel by Canadian writer Louise Penny. It was set in a small town south of Montreal, and it was quite exciting to watch because they really did get the tone and atmosphere of the place. Grantchester looks like a perfect setting for mysteries with twisting plots - very Agatha Christie-ish.

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  18. What a pretty place you come from John. Those thatched cottages are picture postcard perfect. The church is magnificent. Very interesting about the filming. I will have to keep watch for the series. I hope it makes it over here.

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  19. A lovely post which I enjoyed reading. Enjoying the TV series too...

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  20. The series will show here. Can't wait to see if I recognize anything.

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  21. Haha! I wonder why they called the TV series 'Grantchester'??!! I've always found the rural areas full of more intrigue than the cities downunder, but not sure if that's a good thing :D

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  22. What a great little place. Maybe I'll get to see it someday!

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