Runaway hit period drama series, Downton Abbey, shot much of its Christmas Day special show at Inveraray Castle.
John Patrick of Argyll Adventure is also making an appearance and one of his horses, the beautiful Lewis is, he says, starring.
To whet the appetite of the hordes of Downton fans, here are some stills of the action scheduled for Tuesday. These will also let you see the cut of John Patrick’s jib in the show.
The top shot is of Lewis and John, after make up and before shooting.
This shows some of the stars of the show shooting a scene.
Here is John Patrick again, this time with a Highland called Alice of Caimbe – from the Newtonmore riding centre.
And this is a shot of the stag on a shoot supplied by the Argyll Estates, The stag was shot the day before the shoot, so to speak.
The shooting of the episode was described as being ‘… very chilled shoot - long day – everyone was very nice. No tantrums and we were fed well.’
Lewis was a star and should feature for more than a few seconds. John was fattened up and spent over an hour in makeup to produce the character seen above. He says it was great fun having make up artists chasing you around the set, checking you look just right.
As a perfectionist himself, he was impressed with the considerable attention to detail, with several period experts on site at all times.
And on Christmas Day – Tuesday – you can check it all out – as can John, who – ssshhhhh – is new to the show.
I am a Downton Abbey fan (sad I know) but even if I wasnt, I can see how we at Argyll and the Isles Tourism will be leveraging publicity for the area from Inveraray Castle’s involvement in the show. We may even include a Downton theme somewhere in this years Best of the West Festival.
There are entire travel companies built around helping people to visit thier favourite movie locations, and we are talking to a few of them already.
If anyone has knowledge of what areas of Argyll and the Isles have been used as movie sets in the past, please let me know.
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It’s quite a while ago, but the ‘Para Handy’ series with Gregor Fisher used quite a few bits of Argyll as locations. I think the other ones are fairly well kent; ‘Hamish Macbeth’ in Plockton and ‘Balamory’ in Tobermory.
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What better marketing opportunity can there ever have been for the area than Sir Paul McCartney’s No1 song around the world , Mull Of Kintyre
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Hi Mike;
Ring of Bright Water
Catch Me A Spy
The Bridal Path
Eye of the Needle
There was a series ‘Sutherlands Law’ starring Ian Cuthbertson depicting the life (i think) about a highland Procurator fiscal?
I think their was also a film which re-enacted Culloden shot partly in Oban area?
Not sure of exact locations but with some research …..
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I didn’t think to go back quite that far; there are lots to choose from, off the top of my head:
The Maggie
When Eight Bells Toll
From Russia With Love
Floodtide
I was googling for inspiration and found this website, which is entirely about what bits of Scotland have appeared in films and TV programmes.
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Luss was home to Take the High Road and Dumbarton is home to River City. My house sits on the fault line between the two: a tcheuchter in the Lounge and weegie in the bathroom
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A subtle acknowledgement to Neil Munro and Para Handy in the last tune played for the dancing scenes.
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A truly horrendous CGI stag in the first glimpse of the breed; and why did they have to go for such a cringe-making cliched renaming of the estate – Duneagle,
But – wonderful scenic shots, in some number, of the uniquely lovely Inveraray Castle, its gardens, grounds, river, bridges and the landmark folly of Dun na Cuaiche. This has to be a major marketing coup.
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One of the few great shows available on TV. Canada and the USA are totally outclassed by this production. The USA would only dwell on violence as they usually do; the producers are of the opinion that viewers must have their “bloodwork”.
Great show producers and thanks.
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