Victorian Sensations: Electric Dreams – Series 1 (2019)

Presenter Hannah Fry pictured in a black jumper smiling at the camera. Red theatre chairs are seen behind her with an electrical machine and spark.

Hannah Fry in Victorian Sensations ©BBC

Director: Andy Hall
Starring: Hannah Fry
Production Company: Academy 7 Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Victorian Sensations (2019) is a brand-new three-part series, which explores the thrilling era of the 1890s, a period of rapid discovery and change.

In the first episode, ‘Electric Dreams’, mathematician Dr Hannah Fry (Size Matters, Horizon) investigates how science and technology transformed Britain during this time, giving rise to the modern world, as well as many present-day anxieties.

For the filming of this particular episode, production visited the Ropery Complex at The Historic Dockyard Chatham.

The Historic Dockyard in Chatham is set over 80 acres and contains over 100 Georgian and Victorian buildings. It has previously been used as a film location for productions such as Call the Midwife (2012-2022) and The Crown (2016).

Victorian Sensations can be seen on BBC Four on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. The Kent episode, Electric Dreams, will be the first of the three episodes to air.

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


Summer of Rockets (2019)

Close up of actress from Summer of Rockets pictured inside a building, looking deep in thought off camera, wearing a blue coat and green scarf.

Summer of Rockets ©BBC Pictures

Writer: Stephen Poliakoff
Director: Stephen Poliakoff
Starring: Toby Woolf, Suanne Braun, Keeley Hawes, Linus Roache, Timothy Spall, Toby Stephens
Production Company: Little Island Productions
Kent Locations Used: The Historic Dockyards, Chatham

Set in London during the height of the Cold War, Summer of Rockets (2019) is a drama based on true events amid with growing tensions across Europe. At the time, the UK tested its first hydrogen bomb, the Soviets launched their first ballistic missile, and the space race between America and the Soviet Union had begun.

Written and directed by multi-award winning writer Stephen Poliakoff (Dancing on the Edge, Close to the Enemy), the series stars Toby Woolf (The Last Post), Suanne Braun (No Signal, Starhyke), Keeley Hawes (Line of Duty, Bodyguard) Linus Roache (Non-Stop, Vikings), Timothy Spall (Finding Your Feet, Hatton Gardens), Toby Stephens (And Then There Were None, Lost in Space).

The streets outside the Ropery in The Historic Dockyard Chatham were used to film the 1950s civil defence exercise in the series and the upper floors of the Ropery itself featured as civil defence training rooms.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham, with its Victorian and Georgian architecture continues to be a popular filming location. Previous productions which featured this location have been The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (2015), Our World War (2014) and Foyle’s War – A War of Nerves (2004).

Summer of Rockets can be seen on BBC Two on Wednesday 22nd May 2019 at 9pm. After this, episodes will then be shown every Wednesday for the next six weeks.

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


Holmes & Watson (2018)

Movie poster of Holmes and Watson (Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly). Both staring into the camera in front of a horse wearing period suits. John is wearing a hat.

Sherlock Holmes (Will Ferrell) and Watson (John C. Reilly) ©Columbia Pictures

Writer: Etan Cohen​
Director: ​Etan Cohen
Starring: ​Will Ferrell​, ​John C. Reilly​, Ralph Fiennes
Production Company​: Columbia Pictures Corporation, Gary Sanchez Productions, Mosaic Media Group, Mimran Schur Pictures
Kent Locations Used​: The Historic Dockyard Chatham

Holmes & Watson (2018) is a comedic revision of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic mysteries and his famed literary characters, detective Sherlock Holmes (Will Ferrell​) and his sidekick, Dr John Watson (John C. Reilly​). The pair join forces to investigate a murder at Buckingham Palace and learn that they have just four days to stop their arch enemy, Professor Moriarty (​Ralph Fiennes)​, or the queen will become his next victim.

The film was written and directed by Etan Cohen (Men in Black 3, Tropic Thunder), and stars Will Ferrell(Anchorman,​ Zoolander​), ​John C. Reilly​ (Step Brothers,Guardians of the Galaxy) and ​Ralph Fiennes​ (The Grand Budapest Hotel​, ​Schindler’s List).

Holmes & Watson​ features several locations around ​The Historic Dockyard Chatham​. The interior of the Tarred Yarn Store was transformed into a bar tavern, the interior of the Ropery played the role of a Boxing Club, while the streets around the Ropery and Anchor Wharf stood in as London streets and docks. Some external scenes were also filmed around Officers Terrace.

The Historic Dockyard Chatham​ has been used in an array of productions such as Mr. Holmes (2015), Partners in Crime (2015), and The Suspicions of Mr Whicher (2014).

Holmes & Watson​ will be released in UK cinemas on Wednesday 26​th​ December 2018.

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