MovieChat Forums > All Creatures Great & Small (1978) Discussion > Has anyone else been to the James Herrio...

Has anyone else been to the James Herriott/Alf Wight house in Thirsk?


It's a great day out. Highly recommended!

They've done an excellent job keeping the large house of Alf Wight intact and as a museum. It's a big house.

But the piece de resistance is in the outbuildings behind and to the side of the house. There is a large barn like structure that shows a film. There is also a collection about Wight's life that is moving.

But a fun bit is another large area of the outbuilding where they salvaged the set from the TV show. And have set it up. The phone is there and you can picke it up with the number still on it "Darrowby XXX" (Gosh I can't remember the number). But it is the original phone from the set.

There is a tv camera mounted so as you move around the set you can watch yourself in a screen while you are on the set. The stairs are there. The chairs.

It's so very fun. And the museum with Wight's life as a vet is very well done.

It's just in a regular house on a side street in Thirsk, very unassuming but once inside there are alot of things to see sbout his life and how life was in the house, especially the period kitchen that takes up half the house! You can really get a sense of a working house of the period.

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I would love to see this but it's not so easy since I live in the States. They used to have a 3-day convention type event with tours of the local haunts and people like Alf's children would speak. Years ago, I think they had some of the actors from the series there. Don't know if I'll ever make it!

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Thank you for posting this. I didn't know that there was a museum. I live in the USA so I won't be going, but I hope it has a long run. James Herriot's books are among my favorites.

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I had the good fortune to spend a week in London a few years ago. We also decided to take the train to Yorkshire to visit Thirsk for a day trip. When we got off the train we walked about a mile to reach Thirsk. The walk took us past the racecourse. I didn't realize it was so close to town! The Market Square is just like he described, it hasn't changed much. We had fish and chips there and just walked around the Square. Then we went down a side street (Trengate) to the Herriot Museum. It was a great thrill for us, we're such big fans. Check out these websites: www.worldofjamesherriot.org and www.thirsk.org.uk

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I did not know of this, but I will make sure to visit if I ever find myself in northern England!

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I am planning to go 2016 summer will add this to my agenda.

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Been today, well worth the visit. Spend as little or as long as you like there, car park 2 minute walk. Highly recommend

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Yes and I had a wonderful day visiting. Entering the house was just like stepping back in time and it was fascinating to see where they worked. I also highly recommend it to fans of the series and books.


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