Sherlockian Sojourns #70: As Seen On Screen – ‘The Second Sign’

It was time to tour some more Central London filming locations, this time the locations used in the Granada dramatisations of ‘The Second Stain’ and ‘The Sign of Four’.

Catching the Northern Line from Morden, it was a twenty-five minute journey to Charing Cross and then a ten minute walk to Carlton Gardens (passing the little door in the Duke of York steps that is mentioned in ‘His Last Bow’). Number 2, Carlton Gardens was used as the exterior of the home of the Foreign Secretary (Stuart Wilson) and Lady Hilda Trelawney Hope (Patricia Hodge) in Granada’s ‘The Second Stain’.

  

 

The property also appears in ‘Murder By Decree’ (1979) in a scene where medium Robert Lees (Donald Sutherland) points the home of the killer out to Inspector Foxborough (David Hemmings). Field-Marshal Kitchener also lived here from 1914-15

From here I retraced my steps back to The Mall, and turned right onto Horse Guards Road, walking almost all its length until I reached the Clive Steps leading up to the Foreign Office, with John Tweed’s statue of Robert Clive (of India) at the top. Holmes (Jeremy Brett) and Watson (Edward Hardwicke) walk past this statue on the way to see Lady Hilda Trelawney-Hope  [Granada SECO].

A short walk to Westminster Abbey, then cutting through Dean’s Yard, I made my way to Barton Street (previously visited for being Baker Street in both ‘Murder By Decree’ and ‘Without A Clue’ (1988)), and at its end, Cowley Street. Number 17, Cowley Street appeared as the home of Eduardo Lucas (Yves Beneyton), and is where Lestrade (Colin Jeavons) finds the titular ‘second stain’.  [Granada - SECO]

  

Two doors down, at Number 15, there is a plaque to Radio Holmes, John Gielgud.

  

Returning to Horse Guards Road, I reached 1 Horse Guards Road, a building I desperately want to get inside as its courtyard features at the end of ‘Enola Holmes’ (2020), where Enola manages to avoid her two brothers. However, the side gates were walked past by Holmes and Watson on their way to see Lady Hilda.  [Granada – SECO] 

   

Making my way across Parliament Square, I reached Westminster Bridge, and ‘Boadicea and Her Daughters’/’Bouddican Rebellion’, a bronze statue located near Portcullis House and Westminster Pier, facing Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster across the road. The statue was sponsored by Prince Albert and placed in 1902. It was here that Holmes, Watson and Inspector Atheleny Jones (Emrys James) board the Police vessel, just before the boat chase in Granada’s ‘The Sign of Four’. There was also a photo shoot done with Jeremy Brett at this site, with Big Ben in the background.

      

 

Crossing the bridge, I reached the South Bank Lion, an 1837 sculpture which started life sitting on top of James Goding's Lion Brewery building, and the steps leading down from the bridge to the South Bank, which is where Watson collects a newspaper.  [Granada - SECO]

 

Walking back across the bridge, I caught the Jubilee Line to Tower Hill, and the Tower of London, which is seen in the background whilst Holmes is waiting on the Police barge for the start of the boat chase.  [Granada – SIGN]

It was then time for a twenty-five minute walk along the Thames, following the route of the SIGN boat chase, until I reached Wapping Station and Wapping High Street. Here a short distance along was Phoenix Wharf, which was used in the scenes with Toby, Holmes and Watson running around London.   [Granada - SIGN]

    

Further along Wapping High Street was King Henry's Wharf, which was also used in the scenes where Toby is following the scent around London. Specifically, the Wapping Old Stairs were used when Watson walks down to the waters edge. It was also used in the background when the Police boat is travelling into position.   [Granada - SIGN]

Returning to Wapping Station, I continued on, reaching New Crane Wharf, which was used in some of the scenes where the Baker Street Irregulars are hunting down the whereabouts of the Aurora.   [Granada - SIGN]

Back at Wapping Station, I caught an Overground train to Hoxton, where directly outside the station is Museum of the Home. This includes a ‘Rooms Through Time’ exhibition exploring how ways of living, furniture, textiles and decor have adapted through the ages, from the wooden interiors of the 1630s and Victorian floral motifs to mid-twentieth-century geometric designs and speculative visions of a future home. My main focus was on a recreation of a Townhouse from 1878.

 

  

I then caught a #243 bus to Old Street Station, had a brief detour to the Museum of Methodism for a Probation-themed exhibition, and then Northern Line back to Morden.