Another filming location sojourn. Having previously visited sites connected to Moriarty in ‘Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows’ (2011) – his Cambridge college, his library, his lecture theatre, and Reichenbach Castle – it was time to visit the village of Watlington in Oxfordshire, and sites from the film relating to other important people in Holmes’ life.
Catching a train from Clapham Junction to Reading, I made my way to a nearby bus stop (making a brief detour to buy of copy of ‘Young Sherlock Holmes’ on Blu-Ray from a CeX) where I caught a bus for the forty minute trip into Watlington, alighting at the library. (The bus was a new route and had only been running for a few weeks, only two days per week. The only problem was that there would not be a bus back into Reading, but I had a plan).
My first intended location was nearby Shirburn Castle, which appeared in the film as the home of Mycroft Holmes (Stephen Fry), where he takes Mary (Kelly Reilly) after she jumps from the train, and where she stumbles on him naked. The castle was built in 1377 and became a centre of Recusancy throughout the Sixteenth and Seventeenth centuries, originally being the seat of the Earls of Macclesfield. Unfortunately, it is not open to the public, due to a long running and acrimonious dispute between the Parker family and Beechwood Estates, an argument which in 2004 resulted in the Ninth Earl being evicted from the family seat. However, I was hopeful that I might be able to get photos from nearby.
The castle had also been used in two episodes of ‘Agatha Christie’s Poirot’, namely "Third Girl" (2008) and "Curtain: Poirot's Last Case" (2013), where it appeared as Styles Court in the latter. It also appeared as the home of the dysfunctional Balcombe family (including James [Martin Clunes] and Lady Emily [Anna Massey]) in the 1992 ‘Inspector Morse’ episode "Happy Families", and as Midsomer Priory in two episodes of ‘Midsomer Murders’.
Walking along the side of the main road, I eventually reached Castle Road, which also had a sign pointing to the All Saints' Church, the redundant Church of England parish church near the Castle, which is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II listed building being in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust. The Church also appeared in ‘Midsomer Murders’ and the Inspector Morse prequel ‘Endeavour’. However, making my way down Castle Road towards what were clearly the Church and Castle, I found myself faced with large ‘Private’ signs, finding no way through a large gatehouse, with the Castle not visible from the road. I therefore wandered a little further along the main road, but the Castle seemed to be shielded by trees.
I therefore retraced my steps to a side road passed earlier, Pyrton Lane, making my way down it until it turned to become Church Lane, and I saw a familiar lych-gate, that of St. Mary’s Church, Watlington, which appeared as the church where Watson (Jude Law) married Mary, with Holmes (Robert Downey Jr) as Best Man. In fact, Holmes has to help the drunken Watson through the gate, and then dashes out of it himself after the wedding. St Mary's is the Church of England parish church of Pyrton, Oxfordshire, England. Its parish is part of the benefice of Icknield, in the deanery of Aston and Cuddesdon, the archdeaconry of Oxford and the diocese of Oxford.
Entering the churchyard, I took various photos attempting to match screenshots that I had brought with me, including the side of the church where all the guests line up as a guard of honour for the newly married couple.
I then tried the door to the porch of the church, finding that it was unlocked, and moving into the porch that the church was unlocked as well. I therefore made my way into the church itself, taking notice of the signs asking me to close the doors to stop pigeons getting in, to take some photos of where the marriage ceremony itself took place.
Exiting the church, I took several more photos, before sitting on a bench to eat my lunch. I then made my way back to the library where after a short wait I caught a bus, this time into central Oxford from which I made my way home.
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