History

Flog It! (2014)

Posted on by Kent Film Office

 

 

Presenter Paul Martin wear a blue suit and stands leaning on a wooden banister of a staircase

Paul Martin in Flog It! ©BBC

 

Production Company: BBC

Kent Locations: Chiddingstone Castle, Chartwell

Flog It! is a BBC One programme where members of the public bring their antiques to be examined and valued by a team of experts, with an option to sell at auction.

Chiddingstone Castle and grounds

Chiddingstone Castle

The popular show is now in its thirteenth series and in July 2014, presenter and antiques dealer Paul Martin and the Flog It! team visited Kent’s Chiddingstone Castle where experts Thomas Plant and Adam Partridge find some fascinating antiques and collectables for members of the public to take to auction. Paul also pays a visit to Chartwell, the former home of Sir Winston Churchill.

Chiddingstone Castle is a delightful historic house near Edenbridge, set in 30 acres of parkland and boasting breath-taking views of the North Downs, a rose garden, woodland and a beautiful fishing lake. Chiddingstone Castle has previously featured in Bargain Hunt (2012) and nearby one-street Tudor village Chiddingstone has been used as a film location by productions such as  A Room With A View (1986) and Elizabeth R (1971).

Chartwell is a National Trust property set in delightful gardens and was the home to Winston Churchill from 1924 until his death in 1965. The location has previously been used by feature film The Gathering Storm (2002).

Don’t miss the Kent episode of Flog It! Which will be shown on Tuesday 9th December 2014 at 16:30 on BBC One.

 

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

Coast (2014)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Richard Taylor-Jones on a sandy beach in Margate at dusk.

Richard Taylor-Jones in Margate © BBC

Production Company: BBC

Kent Locations: Margate

BBC Two series Coast sees presenters including Mark Horton, Neil Oliver and Nick Crane tour the British Isle where they uncover fascinating stories, wildlife and history behind our coastline.

The finale of the ninth series “Winter”, sets out to discover a secret season for Britain’s coast. Nick Crane explores the dramatic history of the Cornish coast, and its’ tolerance for storms, Neil Oliver experiences the Viking Fire Festival on Shetland and wildlife cameraman Richard Taylor-Jones visits Margate to see which creatures make the Kent town their home for winter.

The seaside town of Margate boasts a sandy beach, harbour, arcades, quirky shops, trendy cafes and gallery the Turner Contemporary. Margate has previously welcomed productions such as ITV comedy Edge of Heaven (2014) and BBC One’s drama True Love (2012).

Don’t miss the Margate feature of Coast which is shown on Tuesday 19th August 2014 on BBC Two at 20:00.

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

Battle of Britain (1969)

Posted on by Kent Film Office
Battle of Britain movie poster- montage of characters from the film in square boxes, Battle of Britain written in red on top with a sun set scene of a town skyline above

Battle of Britain © United Artists

Director: Guy Hamilton
Writer: James Kennaway, Wilfred Greatorex, Derek Dempster, Derek Wood.
Starring: Michael Caine, Trevor Howard , Harry Andrews, Christopher Plummer
Production Company: Spitfire Productions
Kent Locations Used: Denton, The Jackdaw Inn (Denton), Chilham, RAF Hawkinge

Set in 1940, Battle of Britain (1969) film tells the tale of the epic battle of Britain. Nazi Germany is attacking the airfields of the south east as part of Operation Sea Lion, and in order to stop the enemy from achieving their goals for invasion, the British Royal Air force must fight a desperate battle for control of the skies.

With death defying aerial acrobatics, this historical re-enactment takes the audience to the heart of World War II. With the Luftwaffe advancing onto London, the RAF must gather their destroyed resources and launch a critical attack.

Starring Michael Caine (The Dark Knight, The Prestige), this feature was not to be his last visit to the county: the actor returned in Is Anybody There? (2009), the touching story of the friendship between a young boy and a retired magician, which was filmed in Folkestone and Hythe.

Battle of Britain featured some of the best of Kent’s locations. The village of Chilham was mentioned on fictional signs at the control centre at the end of the film. A popular filming location in the county, Chilham is most famous for appearing in Agatha Christie adaptations. Miss Marple: The Moving Finger (2005) was filmed almost entirely in the village and it was also home for a special Christmas episode of Poirot (1995).

Another Kent Village, Denton, appeared in the film. The local pub, The Jackdaw Inn, had a cameo as the scene for Christopher Plummer (The Sound of Music, Beginners) and his on-screen wife, giving the audience an insight into the personal effects of war. The Jackdaw Inn has a room devoted to RAF World War II memorabilia and is a must see for any history buff.

RAF Hawkinge was the obvious choice as a location for the film. With a rich military history, the site is now a museum with the largest collection of Battle of Britain artefacts on show in the country.

Battle of Britain (1969) was released on Monday 15th September 1969 and is now available to buy on DVD.

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