SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE LOCATIONS
Tour Trail of the Detective’s Great Britain Movie Settings
Director
Guy Ritchie, stars Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, writer Simon
Kinsberg (and a
few hundred others to be thanked later) have created
a fresh vision of the world’s most famous fictional detective in
the new movie version of “Sherlock Holmes” re-envisioning
the duo as action heroes in Victorian era England. The film was shot
in London, Manchester and Liverpool to evoke an atmospheric heightened
view of the foggy and steam streets of Holmes’ world. As an excuse
for getting out your own deerstalker cap, why not follow the trail of
the detective to the film locations and fascinating settings of the new
movie as well as some other evocative backdrops for the Sherlock Holmes
and Conan Doyle stories around the British Isle.
LONDON
St
Paul’s Cathedral One
of the most striking and iconic buildings on the London skyline, St Paul's
Cathedral with
its dome having miraculously
survived London Blitz bombs of WWII and is one of London's top attractions
on
any sightseeing
tour. St Paul’s has starred in many films from the Battle of
Britain to Mary Poppins and serves as an atmospheric location for the
new Sherlock
Holmes film. St Paul's
London
Freemason’s
Hall - The Freemasons’ Hall in the center of London
is one of England’s
finest art deco buildings, built in 1927 as a monument to Masons killed
in World War I, actually after the period of the Conan Doyle Holmes stories,
but its dazzling interiors were used in the Sherlock Holmes film as well
as many others, including “The Da Vinci Code”. Freemanson's
Hall
Brompton
Cemetery - The historic cemetery near Earl’s Court in southwest
London well represents the Victorian age in London with shady walks and
fascinating
monuments
with a chapel designed to reflect St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican
in Rome. The cemetery provides and haunting gothic backdrop for Sherloock
Holmes movie where the tomb of “Lord Blackmore” provides
an important clew. If you investigate a little further, you’ll
find the grave of suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst as well as markers with
names Beatrix Potter borrowed for her animal characters (see Beatrix
Potter Touring) look for Peter Rabbett and Mr. MacGregor. Brompton
Cemetery
Sherlock Holmes Museum - 221b Baker Street is one of
London’s most famous addresses as
the location of the “rooms of 221b” shared by Sherlock Holmes
and Dr. Watson. The address is now the home of the London Sherlock Holmes
Museum, with a set of apartments recreated as described in the classic
Sherlock Holmes books. The apartments in the movie were filmed on a sound
stage, but any Holmes tour wouldn’t miss a stop here (see Sherlock
Holmes Museum London).
Sherlock Holmes Pub - Also not in the film, but for
a good old English meal and a pint, The Sherlock Holmes Pub on Northumberland
Street near Whitehall has another recreation
of the 221b Baker Street apartments and is directly across the street
from Old Scotland Yard, where Inspectors Lestrade or Gregson would have
called Holmes in for a consult on a troubled case (see Sherlock
Holmes Pub London).
Tower
Bridge - Used as a backdrop and fo a fight scene,
visit the Victorian era bridge with its catwalks and steam hydraulic
engines (see Tower Bridge Exhibition).
KENT
Historic Dockyard Chatham
The Dockyard at Chatham in Kent, southeast of London where the Thames
River flows out toward the channel has been a part of British maritime
history for 400 years, from the days of the Spanish Armada to World
War II. With its authentic cobble stone streets and atmospheric Georgian
and Victorian buildings, the docks have been seen in countless movies
and TV shows including “Sherlock Holmes”. With its museum
and three historic warships, the Chatham Dockyard makes for a good
day out. Also nearby is the Dickens World amusement center for more
Victorian
life (see Dickens World Chatham) Chatham
Dockyard
MANCHESTER
Manchester Town Hall
Manchester's
beautiful Victorian era Neo-Gothic Town Hall in Albert Square in the
heart the norths great city built by Alfred Waterhouse from 1867-1877
provides a suitably grand location in the new Sherlock Holmes film,
standing in
for London’s
Houses of Parliament. Don’t miss the Great Hall with its 12 large
murals by the pre-rafaelite style painter Ford Madox Brown, the magnificent
tile mosaic walls, vaulted corridors
and stone spiral staircases. Town
Hall
LIVERPOOL
Stanley Docks
A
major action sequence in the Sherlock Holmes film took place at the
Liverpool’s Stanley Dock on the Mersey River, home to 19th Century
period warehouses and wharves a prime example of industrial architecture
from the time located in Liverpool's historic Conservation Area including
the Albert Dock, the Maritime Museum (see Albert
Dock Museums) and Beatles
Experience (see Beatles
Touring Liverpool).
EDINBURGH
Surgeon’s Hall Museum
Arthur Conan Doyle was born in Edinburgh in 1859 and studied medicine
at the Royal College, where his observations of the remarkable
Dr. Joseph Bell’s use of deduction in solving medical problems
inspired the author to turn those powers to the solving of crime. Visit
the Surgeons’ Hall Museum where Conan Doyle sat for his anatomy
exams. Afterwards, stop for a drink at the Conan Doyle Pub. Surgeons
Hall
WEST ENGLAND
Clivedon House - Berkshire
The Cliveden House hotel set in the heart of the Berkshire countryside,
surrounded by 376 acres of magnificent formal gardens and parkland.
The chalk cliffs that give the estate its name have panoramic views
over
the beautiful Berkshire countryside and an idyllic bend in the River
Thames. Parts of the new Sherlock Holmes film were shot at Cliveden,
both in the National Trust hotel and around the grounds. Clivedon
House
Peckforton Castle, Cheshire
Built in 1851 as a revival medieval castle manor house, the neo-gothic
Peckforton Castle in the hills of Cheshire has been the setting for
many episodes of “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” television
series, including the basement which doubled as 19th-century prison cells.
As well as having luxury hotels accommodation Peckforton Castle offers
falconry experiences, medieval banqueting and archery. The ruins of the
real medieval Beeston Castle are a mile away and nearby Tatton Park has
seen many films come to visit from Holmes to “Patton”. Peckforton
Castle Hotel
SWITZERLAND
This is an update from the new Sherlock Holmes movie "A Game of Shadows". A lot of folks seem to be looking for the impressive mountainside castle, with Reichenbach Falls flowing under it, which Holmes and Moriarty tumble over at the end of the film. I'm sorry to report this impressive ediface only exists in special effects, a bit of movie magic. Though you can visit the natural Reichenbach Falls and the Sherlock Holmes Museum in Meiringen. © Bargain Travel Europe
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See Also:
SHERLOCK HOLMES HOTEL - BAKER STREET
DAYS
OUT FROM LONDON
MARY
SHELLEY TOURING SIGHTS IN LONDON
