Stamford as film set/photos
   

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Thread Topic: Stamford as film set/photos
Topic Originator: Mike Laughton
Post Date May 11, 2011 @ 8:38 AM
 Stamford as film set/photos
 RE: Stamford as film set/photos
 : Stamford as film set/photos
 Stamford as film set/photos
  Stamford as film set/photos

Mike Laughton
May 11, 2011 @ 8:38 AM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Stamford's rise in popularity as a location for filming came about mainly after the opening of the Nene Valley Steam Railway. Film-makers would come to film at the Nene Valley Railway  because of its vintage engines and rolling stock and they also began looking for other locations nearby. This is how Stamford came to be discovered by location managers.
The first film I can remember being shot in Stamford was in 1983 when scenes for "Another Country" were filmed in Barn Hill. The film starred a very young Colin Firth and Rupert Everett as teenage Burgess and McLean characters. Most of the scenes were filmed in and around Oundle School.
Stamford's breakthrough as a major film location came the following year in 1984 when Paramount filmed the first episode of a mini-series called "Space".
The series told the story of the space race from the end of the Second World War to man landing on the moon in 1969.
The first episode filmed in and around Stamford told the story of how US agents snatched the German rocket scientists from under the noses of the Russians.
Stamford doubled for Wittenburg and the town hall became Gestapo Headquarters. St George's Square became a bomb site and other filming took place at Harlaxton Hall in Grantham and Wansford village as well as New Valley Steam Railway.
Scores of Stamford people were recruited to work on the film as extras. I played the part of Himmler's aide in a major scene with Michael York. I remember Liz Paige as a refugee,a young Charlie Cadman as a German schoolboy and James Kudinski's dad Bernard as a concentration camp inmate. His Mum Joan, a qualified hairdresser, was roped in to give all the men short back and sides haircuts.
But the biggest and longest filming session to take place in the town was when Stamford became MIDDLEMARCH in July and August 1993. Once again filming was centred in and around St George's Square and the Arts Centre although location also took place in Austin Street and King's Mill Lane, Barnack, Stibbingon, Burghley Park, All Saints' Place and Barn Hill. I was a passenger on top of the coach bringing Dr Lydgate to Middlemarch at the beginning of the story.
We filmed the first part of the journey at Stibbington and Wansford in March that year and the rest during peak summer. If you look closely you can see that during part of the journey the trees are bare and in other parts they are in full bloom.
This time hundreds of local people were involved in the filming and for some years afterwards Stamford went Middlemarch-mad with pubs serving Middlemarch ales, butchers selling Middlemarch sausages and Indian restaurants serving Middlemarch curries.
The following year the Stamford Mercury published a souvenir magazine called Stamford Middlemarch featuring photos taken by the people of the town.
Unfortunately Middlemarch turned out to be one or the most dull and boring costume dramas ever made by the BBC.

Filming of Middlemarch Stamford

Were you there for the filming?  If so write in with your "bit" to add. K

Filming of Middlemarch Stamford

susanna
April 19, 2012 @ 10:21 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

hello, I just found this : I found it fascinating, but it was your last comment, which made me laugh, which elicited a response.  I thought it was just me...Apart from the beautiful Rufus Sewell,  the town architecture was the best part of this dismal series that's for sure.
Thank you for this, anyhow. S.

TIM MUSGROVE
August 13, 2015 @ 8:32 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

re the filming of space  in Stamford
space is available to view on Youtube
just type in space 1985 mini series as stated part 1 Stamford is featured
have noticed one scene taken where Michael York is taking on the back of a truck and sitting next to him as extra dressed in German soldier uniform is  old school mate Robert Horton, who I think, with some others took time from school to be extras

Peter Leatherbarrow
September 11, 2015 @ 10:46 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

Whilst no longer living in St Georges Square during the filming I found this film of the filming on You Tube which some might find interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbb5nu4BTHo

Peter Leatherbarrow
September 11, 2015 @ 11:16 PM Reply  |  Email  |  Print  |  Top

In the film on you tube, when the actor arrives at RAE Signal Centre, you can here St Mary's Church chiming the quarter past hour! What a give away!