Lord Summerisle (Christopher Lee) and Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) in The Wicker Man (1973) © British Lion Film Corporation
Writer: Anthony Shaffer
Director: Robin Hardy
Starring: Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Britt Ekland
Production Company: British Lion Film Corporation
Kent Location Used: Hush Heath Estate
Cult classic The Wicker Man (1973) follows Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) from the West Highland Police force who travels to a village on the Scottish Island Summerisle in search of a girl who has gone missing. Upon arrival, he’s told by the Pagan villagers that the girl never existed.
Adapted for the screen by Anthony Shaffer (Sleuth, Frenzy) and directed by Robin Hardy (The Fantasist, The Bulldance), the film stars Edward Woodward (CI5: The New Professionals (1999), The Equalizer) as Sergeant Howie, Christopher Lee (The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones) as Lord Summerisle, Diane Cilento (Tom Jones, Hombre) as Miss Rose, and Britt Ekland (The Man with the Golden Gun, Get Carter) as Willow.
The gardens and orchard of the Hush Heath Estate in Staplehurst were used as the grove of Lord Summerisle’s Estate, where young, pregnant women wander through the blossom, and through which Sergeant Howie arrives on a carriage.
Hush Heath Estate is situated in the Tonbridge and Malling district. Other productions which shot in Tonbridge include Missing (2009-2010), Making Noise Quietly (2019) and The Larkins (2021).
The Wicker Man (1973) was first released in the UK on Thursday 6th December 1973 and has since become a cult classic.
For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.
