Walmington-on-Sea

Map of the fictional 'Walmington-on-Sea

Walmington-on-Sea is a fictional seaside resort where the BBC Television sitcom, BBC radio series and film Dad's Army was based.

Located on the channel coast of England in Kent, the national "front line" following the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk during the Second World War.

The series followed the adventures and misadventures of members of a platoon of the Home Guard, a volunteer army formed from those ineligible for conscription through age or occupation to defend the United Kingdom from German invasion following the defeat of France.

Amenities and filming locations

Thetford railway station stood in for the station at Walmington-on-Sea

Over the nine series, the action was set in various locations in Walmington-on-Sea, the interiors of which were built in the television studios, while the exteriors were filmed at various locations.^[1] These included a pleasure pier (filmed in Great Yarmouth)^[2] with a 20-foot-wide gap (6.1 m) blown in the middle to prevent it from being used as a landing stage by invading forces. The beach is lined with barbed wire and other defences including mines, pill boxes and anti-tank blocks.

Other locations, typical of a seaside town during the Second World War included a sweet shop, The Novelty Rock Emporium, at least one bank (the fictional Swallows Bank, which appeared in early episodes, and the real Martins Bank), the Marigold tea-rooms, Anne's Pantry, the Dutch Oven, Corporal Jones's butcher's shop, Hodges's greengrocers, Frazer's undertakers, a cinema and numerous pubs including the Red Lion, which all suggest it was a reasonably sized place. There is also a Free Polish Club for Polish servicemen. In common with most real British towns, Walmington-on-Sea is given a church, Saint Aldhelm's, with a hall next door which is the setting for various community acts in the episodes such as the Christmas pantomime and a place for the Sea Scouts to parade. It is also where the Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon muster on parade nights.

At some points the real location Dymchurch is mentioned as being close to Walmington-on-Sea. Dover is described as being 20 miles away, and London is also mentioned.

In reality, many outdoor TV scenes were filmed at Thetford, an inland town in Norfolk, thus giving no clue as to the scriptwriters' preferences.^[1] The 1971 film moved location to Chalfont St Giles, even further from the coast.

Thetford's Guildhall became Walmington-on-Sea's Town Hall. The Guildhall featured in the 1972 episode Time On My Hands, in which a German Luftwaffe pilot dangled from the clock tower when his parachute became caught in the clock's hands. The Guildhall was also used in the 1974 episode The Captain's Car. The distinctive flint cottages in Thetford's 'Nether Row' appeared in four episodes: Man Hunt, The Armoured Might of Lance Corporal Jones, The Big Parade and Time on My Hands. Thetford's real-life 'Palace Cinema' doubled as Walmington-on-Sea's 'Empire Cinema' in two episodes - The Big Parade (1970) and A Soldier's Farewell (1972).^[1]

Thetford railway station was used for exterior shots of Walmington-on-Sea railway station, while the platforms of Weybourne Station on the preserved North Norfolk Railway (a popular heritage steam railway) stood in for the platforms at Walmington-on-Sea station in the episode The Royal Train.

Residents

Pubs

• The Red Lion
• The Six Bells
• The Anchor
• The Black Lion
• The Dog & Partridge
• The King's Head
• The Feathers
• The Fox
• The Hare & Hounds
• The Horse & Groom
• The Horse & Hounds
• The Fox & Pheasant
• The Goat & Compasses
• The Marquis of Granby

Tea shops

• The Marigold Tea Rooms
• Anne's Pantry
• The Dutch Oven

References

External links

• Description of Walmington-on-Sea
• Location of Walmington-on-Sea