By Spence Stanbrook
My quest begins one bright sunny September morning and, armed with a map, a full tank of petrol. The journey commences.
My destination is Hertfordshire and in particular, the area within a 30-mile radius of the word famous Elstree Film Studios where, nearly 50 years ago, Department S was created.
After an uncharacteristically carefree jaunt along the M25 motorway, I reach the turn-off at Watford and the treasure hunt begins.
Since ‘The Pied Piper of Hambledown’ is a huge favourite of mine, I set off in search of the first location discovery. The village of ‘Hambledown’ beckons deep in the Hertfordshire countryside in the guise of the picturesque rural hamlet of Latimer, which I’m reliably informed, was the actual location where the episode was filmed 50+ years ago.
So along the country lanes I travelled in anticipation and uncertainty as to whether the village actually did exist or indeed whether I’d find it. My questions were soon answered as I turned the corner into Latimer and with a gasp of sheer delight, I slowly drove into the deserted, tranquil village of ‘Hambledown’, which had remained unchanged all these years and peacefully sleeping.
Right: Scene from the Department S episode, The Pied Piper of Hambledown
I pulled up alongside what was the ‘Duke of Cumberland’ public house, and after several rounds of photographs, I imagined the arrival of Jason King’s maroon Bentley, as it did in the episode. My considerable excitement was to be prolonged as I travelled on the location of doctor Brogan’s house from the same episode, which was, once again, totally unchanged.
I couldn’t resist parking my car in the exact same spot as Jason had parked his Bentley just outside the house. Although the gate was missing, the house remained as it was back then… unbelievable!
Onward then to ‘Colonel Loring’s estate – again from the same episode, which appeared in the grand form of Aldenham Grange, and despite being greeted by two ferocious Labradors behind two newly erected gates, the stately presence of this elegant house could be seen along the short driveway.
A short wait for the Colonel to appear at the staircase window went in vain, and so after a brief photo’ opportunity, I continued on to Elstree Aerodrome, where Jason and Stewart had observed the mysterious Veronica Bray “looping-the-loop” in a scene from ‘The Trojan Tanker’.
Left: Elstree Aerodrome
I should add at this point, that in between my frenzied excitement of finding an unspoilt Department S locations, my companion was having similar success hot on the trail of Steed and Mrs Peel, within 26 planned locations between us, there was not a second to lose.
As we hurtled along country lanes visualising our favourite Sixties television episodes, it occurred to me what a great Hellfire Club treasure hunt this would be.
A draw-back to this new-found hobby was soon to be discovered as we stopped at the location of the episode ‘The Double Death of Charlie Crippen’, and namely the gates of the ‘Villa Fantell’.
Holding the gates open, and secretly hoping that Jason would pass through in hot pursuit of some international villain, and posing for a photo, it became apparent that the actual gates were the entrance to a cemetery, and after several disproving looks from passers-by, we thought we’d move on to our final location – that being the crossroads where Annabelle was pursued by Russian agents en-route to the ‘Lucy Williams Nursing Home’ in ‘The Duplicated Man’. Although there was a little more traffic these days , you could still envisage those cars racing along the misty English country roads. Many of these locations doubled up for exact locations in other top Sixties and Seventies classic programmes, and I could almost imagine the various camera crews bumping into each other as they jostled for positions.
Well, 26 locations later, and with camera packed full of photographic memories, it was hard to comprehend that, 50 years ago, Peter Wyngarde had tramped this very countryside filming our favourite episodes, much of it unchanged.
So home we went – tired but elated by our experiences. With a total of 42 Department S and Jason King episodes that I know of, there are plenty reserved for another day and another story.
Click below for more about locations used in Peter’s film and television work…
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