I have been trying for years to discover the whereabouts of the public house used in the film. I would like to know its real name and where it is if it still exists. In the film, it is shown as Fremlin's house. As this is a Kent brewery and the castle is Leeds castle near Maidstone, Kent, the pub may have been close by. Any information welcome.
shareKind of related to thst I can tell you The Riviera Hotel in Maidenhead is Cruickshanks Hotel.
shareWell I have looked for you and I have found out that they filmed in Harrietsham which is near Leeds Castle. Dennis cycles past the almshouses in the village on his bike. Whether the pub was also there I dont yet know but they did have six pubs so it is possible.
Hope this helps.
Just seen your second message. Thanks, too, for that. I will investigate next time I'm in the area. Alan Reynolds.
shareI used to live in the pub featured in the film. I moved there at the age of 9 with my Mother and Father in 1954. Originally it was called the Bell however one evening following a political meeting which ended up at the pub they decided to paint the door blue and ever since around 1930 it was called the Blue Door. The pub as shown in the movie was as it was when I arrived there and the window above the door used to be my bedroom.
When we arrived there it was surrounded by woods however it was soon surrounded by houses and in 1960 a new larger pub was built and the old one demolished. The country house nearby is actually Gore Court in Otham which still exists but is a private residence. The castle is of course Leeds Castle which is now open to the public and is well worth a visit.
The site of the Blue Door is in Maidtone at the intersection of Sutton Road and Willington Street. The new Blue Door is still standing however closed. It was renamed the Broadway Bellle several years ago.
My Uncle and Aunt live 300 yards from the site and my mother still lives in Maidstone.
I now live in Dallas TX and have lived in the US since 1979.
Let me know if you have any questions.
David Hole
David,
Thank you so much for your reply. Naturally, I'm a bit sad that I wont be able to go and have a pint in The Blue Door; but I'm delighted, after so many years, to have finally found out where the pub was. I shall doubtless always recall your story when I see the film in future. Once again, many thanks. It must be a real pleasure for you to have such a timeless film contain a part of your life.
By the way, there was a very old-established ironmongery shop in Clacton, Essex (closed in about 1969) run by a Mr. G. Hole. I wonder if you might be related.
With all best wishes,
Alan Reynolds.
I think (pretty certain) that previous info was incorrect and the good news is the pub still exists and is called the Cock Inn which is at Boughton Monchelsea which is near to Leeds Castle. It has also been in the publicity materail for the pub that it was used in the film, and I think there are also some interior shots but have not managed to identify yet.
We know the current publicans and have just been printing out pictures of the pub from the film to show them, very little change to the extriour and now is owned by Youngs Brewery. You can usually catch us on a Sunday afternoon there and we are just about to leave and go for a pint.
I will double check the pictures against the exteriour, interested to hear from you.
Many thanks for your most encouraging message. Pleased that it's a Young's pub and hope you enjoyed your pint. I'm living in London at the moment, but will arrange to go via Boughton Monchelsea next time I head down to Kent. With best wishes.
shareSorry but I spent the first 27 years of my life in the area and the Cock at Boughton doesn't look a bit like it. It is still a good pub and worth a visit.
My mother still has photos of the old Blue Door and I will get some next time I visit her and send you a scanned copy.
Probably won't be til later in the year.
Would be glad to see your photographs as soon as they are available. My email address is available through my profile. Happy new year!
shareWe printed out from the original film stills of the pub and took them to the cock inn and compared, whilst there have been some changes as you would expect over the years the window size and arrangements are exactly the same and the door is exactly the same.
In addition the current landlady has met a local woman who saw the shoot take place and has a signed copy of a picture of Alec Guiness that she was given on the day as they were all given the day of school.
We will meet you and the other gentleman up there for a Sunday lunch drink when ever you wish.
Phil
Hi
The location of the Pub in the film is the Cock Inn Boughton Monchelsea Kent, my husband bought me the film for Xmas we took a copy of the photographer coming out of the pub it matches exactly, also if you go there they have a notice up saying it was the pub used in the film, good pub, if you go say that Linda sent you and mention the film, I have had many discussion with her about it.
Also, if you want to visit Leeds Castle, there is a way of getting in the grounds for free - legally. If you follow the A20 past the entrance you'll come to a pub on the right. Just by this pub is a little known public footpath the goes right through the grounds and it is against the law to charge anyone to use a public bridleway.
"It is better to die once, than to live in constant fear of death."