As Fanderson’s Special Assignment event took place in
Maidenhead once again, I thought I’d
check out some of the real life locations used by the Century 21 team that are
nearby, and in particular those that featured in Gerry Anderson’s favourite,
but not altogether successful series, The Secret Service.
This is Father Unwin’s parish church that featured in the series.
In real life its The Church of St Michael and All Angels, set in the picturesque
Hugheddon Valley, Buckinghamshire.
Very little has changed since the Century 21 team
filmed there.
This charming building was used as Father Unwin’s Vicarage. In real life it’s Foxlea Manor in leafy Dorney
Wood Road, Buckinghamshire. It is a
private residence, and very little can be seen from the road, apart from a pair
of imposing wooden gates.
However, I was
allowed access to the court yard following a chance meeting with the current
owners, so my grateful thanks goes to them.
The window that Father Unwin appears in the titles has hardly changed, and the main
building, which was built in 1910 is much the same.
The building at the far end of the courtyard is a new
addition, and was completed in 2006, while part of the original building to the
side was altered during the seventies.
Another location which does feature briefly in the series
episode, School For Spies, is Wexham
Park Hospital, Stoke Green, Slough. The full size Gabriel is seen parking in
the car park and then driving away. The Century 21 team reuse this location for
the UFO episode, The Long Sleep.
One of the buildings at the Century 21 Studios did feature
as Healy Automations offices in A Case
For The Bishop. The photo above shows what it looked like in 2015.
Sadly,but not unexpectedly all the buildings that made up the Century 21 Studio have recently
been demolished.
And here’s the original puppets of Father Stanley Unwin and
Matthew Harding, on display at Special Assignment.
I must admit I’m quite fond of The Secret Service. I was fortunate
enough to live in one of the three TV regions that showed it, and can still
remember watching that first episode, A
Case For The Bishop one Sunday in 1969. I don’t know how I’d stumbled
across it, probably spotted it listed in the TV Times. I didn’t have much info
on it, but I recognised Stanley Unwin, and the Minimiser gimmick held my attention.
These days, a lot has been written about this largely
forgotten Anderson series, analysing its appeal, or lack of it, usually by
people who watched it as analytical adults, describing it as either a’ flop’ or
a ‘lost gem’ .
As a kid of nine, I
enjoyed it if that counts for anything, as an adult I can understand why Lew
Grade cancelled it. It was too quirky, too British, and too late. The TV spy
genre was waning, and a puppet priest driving a 1917 Model T Ford, and spouting
gobbledegook wasn’t about to save it.
But nearly fifty years later whatever it’s shortfalls, I
certainly remember it with affection.
great report Scoop. You really do make the most of your convention trips! It was superb how you got into the courtyard of Father Unwin's Vicarage! Mission accomplished!
ReplyDeleteConventions are great Woodsy as you know, and it's always good meeting up with like-minded people , and folk who actually worked on the series . The location stuff gives things an extra dimension for me.
ReplyDeleteIt’s on TVX now. I thought it was great aged 12. Even better now at 65. Lee Grade was an idiot cancelling it.
ReplyDeleteITVX. And Lew Grade. Was meant.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely loved this series as a kid of 8ish? And honestly still do at the age of 59. I would really love to visit this location one day. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
ReplyDelete