Geraldine McEwan

Geraldine McEwan and James D'Arcy staring into the camera in front of a period style house

Geraldine McEwan and James D’Arcy as Miss Marple and Jerry Burton © ITV

Director: Tom Shankland

Writer: Kevin Elyot

Starring: Geraldine McEwan, James D’Arcy, Emilia Fox, Jessica Hynes, Kelly Brook, Sean Pertwee, Ken Russell , Harry Enfield .

Production Company: Granada, WGBH Boston, Agatha Christie

Kent Filming Locations: Chilham village, Chilham Castle, St Mary’s Church

Miss Marple is the popular ITV series adapted from Agatha Christie’s murder mystery novels. The Moving Finger is a feature length episode about a delightful countryside village named “Lymstock” where Jerry Burton (James D’Arcy) comes to recuperate after an accident, accompanied by his sister Joanna (Emilia Fox). Beneath the beautiful exterior of Lymstock lies an ugly web of deceit and evil unleashed by a poison pen writer and gruesome murders. Along with Miss Marple (Geraldine McEwan), Jerry Burton (James D’Arcy) look for clues to try and stop the killer in their tracks.

Kelly Brook and Harry Enfield along with other cast members looking down to the floor at a funeral, film crew are to the left filming them

Filming of Miss Marple with Kelly Brook and Harry Enfield © ITV

Emilia Fox sat on a chair in costume signing autographs

Emilia Fox signing autographs © Ashford Borough Council

Directed by Tom Shankland (Ripper Street, The Children) and starring many familiar faces including Geraldine McEwan (Vanity Fair, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves), James D’Arcy (Cloud Atlas, Age of Heroes), Emilia Fox (Merlin, Randall & Hopkirk), Jessica Hynes (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Shaun of the Dead), Kelly Brook (The Italian Job, Piranha 3D), Sean Pertwee (Equilibrium, Event Horizon), Ken Russell (Waking the Dead, Zero) and Harry Enfield (Bad Education, Kevin & Perry Go Large).

The beautiful village of Chilham was chosen to represent the fictitious hamlet of Lymstock and the production also made use of other locations in the area including Chilham Castle which was used as Mr. Pye’s House and St Mary’s Church which doubled as Lymstock church and graveyard.

Chilham has a remarkable fifteenth century square of black and white timbered buildings and is no stranger to filming, having been used for other projects such as for a variety of filming projects including Channel 4 comedy Chickens (2011), BBC’s Emma (2009), and Hercule Poirots Christmas (1995).

The programme was shown on ITV in 2005 and is now available to buy on DVD.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Mapp and Lucia DVD cover- three characters in a triangle on a purple patterned background. Mapp & Lucia written in pink on top

Mapp and Lucia DVD © London Weekend Television (LWT)

Director: Donald McWhinnie
Writer: E.F. Benson (novel), Gerald Savory (screenplay)
Starring: Prunella Scales, Geraldine McEwan, Nigel Hawthorne, Denis Lill, James Greene
Production Company: London Weekend Television (LWT)
Kent Locations Used: Chilham including Cumberland Lodge, Hever Castle

Mapp and Lucia (1985-1986) is a Channel 4 series, based on three 1930’s novels by E. F. Benson. Set in the fictional Sussex coastal town of Tilling-on-Sea, the show centres around social schemers Mapp (Prunella Scales) and Lucia (Geraldine McEwan) who will stop at nothing to bolster their position amongst their community’s elite.

Mapp and Lucia aired in two series of five episodes and was directed by Donald McWhinnie (Moll Flanders, Much Ado About Nothing), with the screenplay adapted by Gerald Savory (Young and Innocent).

The series stars Prunella Scales (Howards End, Fawlty Towers), Geraldine McEwan (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Magdalene Sisters), Nigel Hawthorne (The Madness of King George, Demolition Man) Denis Lill (Batman, The Royal) and James Greene (Sherlock Holmes, Johnny English (2003)).

Chilham village with lots of cast members walking around in front of a tudor style house

Mapp and Lucia screenshot at Hever Castle London Weekend Television (LWT)

The production was largely filmed in Rye and Winchelsea with Kent also featuring – Chilham is seen in episodes 1, 2 and 10, doubling as Risholme, with Lucia’s home in the Cumberland Lodge on The Street, Olga Braceley’s Home in the Old Rectory and the Tudor Lodge in the square doubling as the Ambermere Arms.

In episode 10, Hever Castle features as the residence of Poppy (Irene Handl), Duchess of Sheffield.

Chilham is a delightfully preserved Tudor village in the Ashford borough of Kent. It is a popular film location due to its stunning fifteenth century square with black and white timbered buildings, Jacobean castle, church, pub and school. Chilham has been chosen as a film location by many filming projects including Emma (2009) and Miss Marple – The Moving Finger (2005).

The thirteenth century double moated Hever Castle boasts formal Italian Gardens, ornamental lake, adventure playground and maze. The castle was once the childhood home of Anne Boleyn and has featured in a variety of productions including Inkheart (2008) and Anne of a Thousand Days (1969).

Mapp & Lucia aired in 1985–1986 and is now available on DVD.

For more information about Kent’s Filming History please visit our Movie Map.

Kent's Premier Film Commission

Miss Marple – The Moving Finger (2006)

Mapp & Lucia (1985–1986)