TV locations for the Famous Five series

Discuss the television and film adaptations of Enid Blyton's stories.
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Thanks, Chcklist. I'll try my best to pin down the location of the end titles, but it won't be easy! I've already started to draw up possible target areas. I'll take notes & stills of certain locations from the series, then try to match them up to the places I visit in the NF. This has worked well in the past. :D

I could take photos of any location that I feel may fit the bill & e-mail them to Gary, assuming he doesn't mind receiving them, of course! He could then instantly tell me if I'm in the right area or barking up the wrong tree (or just plain barking!). Gary has said that he doesn't know where some locations are, but would recognise them if he saw them! Therefore, sending him a few photos may jog his memory! :D
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Gary Russell »

Ha! Me and my big mouth. I genuinely don't think you'll track down those end credits Ade. 40 years in the New Forest is a looooong time for that landscape to change beyond recognition. Some time you and I should get together, go through all your pics and research with what little paperwork I do have and synch it all up!
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Yeah, I suppose you're right, Gary! Me & my mad ideas, eh! :roll: As you say, 40 years is a long time! I'd certainly would like to have a meet up & go through the existing paperwork you have & compare notes. That'll be good, but there's one problem....I'm still looking for some of my own paperwork, etc. I misplaced a lot of it when I put it into storage when moving around from place to place & job to job. Photos, notes & other location stuff have been packed away somewhere in boxes, along with a few memory sticks full of info on them.

I've not seen a lot of stuff since I attended the Enid Blyton day in 2010! I must find the M/sticks, as I've got interior photos of Gatewood House stored on them & it would be a tragedy if they can't be found, especially as there's little chance of gaining entry into the House again! Also, I wouldn't dream of arranging a meeting with you if I can only supply less than half of my material. I wouldn't want to feel that I'd be wasting your time! :cry: However, I'll have a good look round & see what I can dig up! :D
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Five go off in a caravan. The 'Curve' at Gatewood Bridge seen in the height of Summer, with the Five's caravan site on the right of the bridge & the Elephant scene to the left of it. The Circus camp entrance is on the left as the road curves right. The trees have certainly grown since this particular episode was filmed! :D

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Last edited by number 6 on 13 Oct 2019, 21:20, edited 1 time in total.
Bam
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Bam »

Hello, new member here who used to race home on bicycle in the early 80's to watch FF on TV! :D Have wanted for a long time to visit FF 70's locations and have spent long hours browsing and gathering, especially from these posts. I hope to get over to the New Forest this year sometime, either on my own or with the family (wife and two small kids).

I notice you are looking for the end credits location at the moment, and that Gary Russell (Hello Gary! - great to see you here) has indicated it was near to where Mystery Moor was filmed. I did some watching of the Mystery Moor episode and had a look at stables in the New Forest. The first one I checked while watching the episode seems certain to be the location (I had an inkling it might be, so I checked it first). It's called Decoy Pond Farm (near Beaulieu Hotel) and if you check the image gallery of their website against the episode you will see they seem to match.

http://www.decoypondfarm.co.uk/page3.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interestingly, there are clumps of trees around this area, with flatland stretching out away from them. Maybe the end credit location is around here? Did anyone notice the photo posted as end credit from the German site here? Could this be it? (Scroll down near the bottom)

http://www.fuenffreundefanpage.at/de_a- ... 2004-2.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I see you are planning a get together in the summer. It would be nice to get over to it too, if it happens. I'll keep an eye on the thread that's been created for this.

Great to finally be posting here. God bless, and I look forward to feedback on the Mystery Moor location.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Good to meet you, Bam! I also have fond memories of watching the 1970s Famous Five series as a child. I haven't visited any of the locations but it's always interesting to see people's photos and links.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Hi Bam, & welcome to the forums! Great to hear of your thoughts regarding the F5 TV series filming locations. Unfortunately, you need an up to date flash plugin to view the link you provided (Decoy blue pond). I can't get an update for my I-pad, so is there another link I can look at instead? It would be interesting to see. :D

The bottom link I can get! The photo you refer to does indeed look pretty similar to end credit location. However, the trees would be about 30+ feet by now & therefore wouldn't look anywhere near they did nearly 40 years ago! Also, I've come across loads of similar locations, but none turn out to be the exact place. That's the trouble with the passage of time...things change! Some you can still recognise, though. For example, around Gatewood bridge where they filmed 'go off in a caravan', but see how much the trees have grown since filming took place! (See photo above).

It would be great to see you at the Exbury meet up either at the end of June , or early July....assuming it actually happens, that is! :D
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Bam »

Hello Anita and number 6, good to hear from you! :)
I can't get an update for my I-pad, so is there another link I can look at instead? It would be interesting to see.
How about the photos on their Facebook page? Seems no log-in is needed to view them. There are some pics there that should be recognizable from the episode.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/DecoyPondFa ... e_internal" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

(Not sure if I did that quote from number 6 properly, doesn't look right on the preview) :?
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

That's fine, Bam! It's good to hear from you, & thanks for the link! From the photos, the area seems familair. I'm not quite sure, but I think I visited the Decoy farm area sometime in 2010 as one of a number of possible location sites linked with the 78 series. I think the location is logged in my paperwork, which I've mislaid a while ago. I've got a vast amount of info regarding the series, which is presently being stored in several locations! I'm hoping to retrieve the info as soon as possible! :D
I'll keep you posted! :D
Last edited by number 6 on 28 Jan 2017, 12:50, edited 1 time in total.
Bam
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Bam »

Decoy Pond Farm certainly matches up with scenes in the Mystery Moor episode anyway. Happy hunting! :)

Not sure if anyone here has already found this next one, but I have come across the farm in Five Go Down To The Sea too... Rolf Park Farm near the coast, near where 'Kirrin Cottage' is. It doesn't have a website but the first photo on this link seems to match up with the aerial view on Google Maps...

http://beaulieuparish.co.uk/agriculture" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is fun, going through the episodes then trying to find more stuff on the maps. I'd better remember to feed the kids! :lol:
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Thanks for the links and information! I hope you find your paperwork soon, Number 6.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Thanks for the link, Bam! Again, this does look familiar. I'm just wondering whether I've been to this particular farm, as I've done quite a lot scouting around this particular area of the New Forest. I need my paperwork to be 100% sure..but this has gone walkabout, as you know, & I'm trying to locate it! Gary Russell may be able to recognise the buildings in the link. I've not seen the series for a while, so I may have to sit down one day to watch them & jog my memory! :D

Thanks, Anita. I hope the appropriate paperwork turns up soon. I've searched my loft/attic, but I've only found bits & bobs relating to the series. The more important stuff with all places/names/map references & possible location sites, etc, have gone AWOL! I'm hoping they've not been thrown away by mistake! :cry:
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Fancy a pint? The lovely building in Exbury village was used as the pub (The Plough!) in 'Five on Kirrin Island again'. The tree on the right (pic 2) is the one where the ice creams are consumed in Off in a Caravan. :D
This, & a few other locations, are only a few minutes walk from the Exbury gardens car park.
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Last edited by number 6 on 13 Oct 2019, 21:27, edited 2 times in total.
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number 6
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Another Exbury village location! Entrance to Richard Kent's Aunt's house in 'Five get into trouble'. :D

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Last edited by number 6 on 13 Oct 2019, 21:30, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Nice photos. :D
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.

"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.


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