Die-hard fans of Midsomer Murders can now tour the picturesque locations where the numerous deadly killings take place in the hugely popular detective drama series.
The fictional Midsomer County is made up of quaint villages and towns in Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire where Detective Chief Inspector Barnaby relentlessly solves his rustic crimes.
Now a new book, A Midsomer Day Out, by Tony Long, the organiser of Midsomer Tours of Thame, takes the visitor on a journey through Thame and some of the quintessentially English villages used for filming.
It provides a detailed itinerary for more than 60 filming locations and includes a map for a day-long tour, commentaries and photographs taken by the author.
The book also includes a history of Midsomer Murders, the TV phenomenon which has been running for nearly 25 years, and 128 episodes, at first starring John Nettles as DCI Tom Barnaby and following his retirement Neil Dudgeon as Chief Inspector John Barnaby, Tom’s younger cousin.
A Midsomer Day Out also offers fascinating insights into the history of churches, pubs and other buildings in the show.
It takes in Brill Windmill, the Lions of Bledlow pub and Worminghall village hall in Buckinghamshire.
In South Oxfordshire there is St Mary's Church, a simple Early English flint and stone church with a lovely churchyard in the centre of pretty Sydenham village and Thame Town Hall which acts as Causton Town Hall – the county town of Midsomer where CID is located.
There are also scenes on the Chinnor and Princes Risborough heritage railway.
Mr Long, whose guides run tours of Thame’s Midsomer locations weekly between April and October, said: “This has been a labour of love and I am delighted that the resulting book is now available so that Midsomer fans and visitors to our beautiful villages and towns can enjoy a day out with the book as their helpful guide.”
Mr Long, a director of Thame Players Theatre Company, added: “Although this summer there will be fewer overseas visitors due to the pandemic, there are still large numbers of people, both locally and farther afield, who are keen to explore the locations where Midsomer Murders was filmed and who will, perhaps, also be making a staycation amongst the beautiful towns and villages of Midsomer.”
For more information go to www.thamemidsomertours.co.uk The book is also available from local retailers including The Book House Thame, Thame Town Hall Information Centre, and Thame Museum.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here