TV locations for the Famous Five series

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

Post by timv »

One mystery that remains for the moment about the 1978 series is where the 'ruined cottage' in Secret Trail where the Five stay and are troubled by the villains with 'spooky' lights at night was filmed. I've been looking at this part of the programme in the YouTube download, and there are no clear landmarks in this part of the TV adaptation as at Exbury or Lepe; it is just an ordinary red-brick cottage (late Victorian or early C20th?) in flat farmland with fields and woods. The house used looks pretty derelict and may have been drastically 'done up' since with features altered, or pulled down. Possibly Gary might remember where the filming was done?

I do have a general idea, which we might be able to check at the Exbury meeting next year as my suspected site for this is close by. The rest of the programme is set around Exbury Gardens, and the Five get to the cottage by walking along a sandy track between two fields with open land surrounded by distant trees and more trees around the cottage. (The 'spy' who watches the 'countrywoman' in his gang tell the Five the cottage is haunted is lying down in a field watching them about 100 yards away through field glasses).There is a track between fields matching this one that runs East from opposite the main gates of Exbury Gardens public car park on the main road into Exbury, and it runs to a point on the Exbury - Blackwell Commons road to a spot just S of Gatewood Bridge (ie the site of the children's camp in Go Off In A Caravan). This track is my own usual summer walk route from Exbury to Gatewood Bridge, and there is one modernised red-brick cottage with sheds about 2/3 of the way along. It seems a bit smaller than the one in the film, so another building around there may have been pulled down, or else the cottage was filmed elsewhere and pictures of it run together with the film of the track. This is the likeliest setting I can come up with, given that it is the only matching scene around Exbury and most filming was done in a fairly small area.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by number 6 »

Hi Tim. Gary briefly recalled the location on this thread, about halfway down on page 50. His description should rule out a number of possibilities in your search. My own notes on this location were lost quite a number of months ago, so I'm not 100% sure whether I was close to finding it or had a theory of its whereabouts! I've been to that many NF locations that I have to keep notes. If I don't, then they jumble up in my memory & one place merges into another. If the house is still standing, then I'm sure it'll be found one day. Like all locations, it'll come to light sooner or later! :D
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Chrissie777 »

Courtenay wrote:Burley, where Nigel and Eddie were talking about, was where the 1978 TV version of Five Go to Smuggler's Top was filmed. :wink:
I see. Thanks, Courtenay. 8)
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Another pic of Dancing Ledge in Dorset, Where Julian & Dick are seen with Yan, who is relating the story of the Wreckers to the two bewildered Boys, in Down to the Sea. The man-made pool, & the rock Yan is seen standing on, are below the ledge (on the right in the pic).

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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Gary Russell »

timv wrote:This is the likeliest setting I can come up with, given that it is the only matching scene around Exbury and most filming was done in a fairly small area.
That's a bit of a wild generalisation to make. Actaully we travelled quite some distances within Hampshire and occasionally Dorset) to make the show. Frequently two locations that looked part of the same one, in the same scene, could be tens of miles away - that's how TV is made.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Gary Russell wrote:Actually we travelled quite some distances within Hampshire and occasionally Dorset) to make the show. Frequently two locations that looked part of the same one, in the same scene, could be tens of miles away - that's how TV is made.
We recently had a good example of this whilst discussing the Trouble episode, where we naturally assumed the gates at Pylewell were located at Exbury...till Gary put us right! The gates were several miles away from Exbury gardens. Another good one is Down to the Sea, where the Wreckers tower is near Christchurch & the rock Yan stood on is at Dancing ledge near Swanage..some 20 odd miles apart!

Before I discovered the EBS forum, I used to visit the NF looking for F5 filming locations, armed with only a few 'still' photos from various episodes as a guide. I'd then show the pics to Locals, NF park staff, etc, & ask them if they recognised any of the places. If I was lucky, & one or two did recognise a place/building, etc, they would sometimes point to one or more locations from an episode that were miles apart from each other, which was a total surprise to me! It was a crude method, but a very effective way of discovering locations.
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Another pic has come to light! Hurst Lighthouse, Which doubled as Demons Rocks Lighthouse. I can't remember posting this before(?). :D

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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Daisy »

You posted it in February!
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Thanks Daisy! I tend to forget what photos I've posted! :roll: :D
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Three pics of the buildings at Lymington Quay, which were seen in the background when Richard escapes from the boot of Mr Pertons car, in the Trouble episode. :D

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timv
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by timv »

Thanks for the photos, Number Six. In the second one you can see the roof of a house uphill behind the second and third houses from the left; this is St Mary's Lodge where I think the garden chase scene in Get Into Trouble was filmed. The large garden runs downhill to behind these houses, and in the 1970s at the time of filming there was an open frontage to the left of them with a gate onto the quay (now partly blocked by a new house).
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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Quite interesting, timv. I've been all round Lymington over the years, but I'm not 100% sure whether I've been to the area you've mentioned. I can't remember doing so. I shall have a look when I'm next down there, if I get the chance. Thanks for the info. :D

* I may be starting a new project in the near future & may be giving this one up for a while, or altogether. I'm in talks with a member of my favourite band about doing a photo/history of the gig locations they used in their early days. Details are patchy are at the mo. :P
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Eddie Muir »

Your new project sounds interesting, Number 6. Are we allowed to know which group?
'Go down to the side-shows by the river this afternoon. I'll meet you somewhere in disguise. Bet you won't know me!' wrote Fatty.

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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

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The band are called The Stranglers, but I suspect they're not your cup of tea, Eddie! :D The idea has been in the pipeline for about a year & still in it's infancy stage at the moment! Nothing is certain & it's all about everyone finding time to co-operate. There's a slim chance of something going ahead in the near future, but it's all a bit complicated at present. It's not just a case of talking to the band & going out & taking photos of the venues, it's also about interviewing fans/venue owners, etc, who were around at that particular time & who attended the gigs. I'm already in contact with quite a few fans, but it's a huge undertaking! However, despite my optimism, I'm not holding my breath, as these projects have an uncanny way of fizzling out before they've even started! :roll:
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Re: TV locations for the Famous Five series

Post by Gary Russell »

Good choice, Adie :-D
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