Home
On the Set
E. F. Benson
Video
Cast & Credits
Locations
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8
Episode 9
Episode 10

LOCATIONS

horizontal rule

"Tilling-On-Sea" is, to all intents and purposes, the lovely small town of Rye in Sussex. Here it was that E.F.Benson lived for much of his life, and it was Rye's quaint streets and houses he used as his fictional town in the "Mapp & Lucia" books. His own home, Lamb House, was the model for "Mallards" (later "Mallards House"), and many other residences and shops are easily recognizable from the books as actual  houses in and around Rye.

The television series changed many of the fictional locations for more picturesque and/or easily filmable sites.

   

Thus the delicate pink Swan House in Watchbell Street becomes "Mallards" with the addition of some trellis to hide an obvious garage and two fake handrails outside the front door. 

 

The "real" Swan House, photographed in the 1990's.

horizontal rule

   

Georgie's home "Mallards Cottage", which in the books is a neighbour of Lamb House/"Mallards", is moved to 29 Watchbell Street, almost directly opposite Swan House.  

29 Watchbell Street in reality.

horizontal rule

Hever Castle stood in for Sheffield Castle. 

horizontal rule

The Landgate at Winchelsea was used in place of Rye's, as it was considered more attractive, with more period character. 

horizontal rule

  

 "Diva's" home -  "Wasters" -  is situated for the television series at 11 Watchbell Street

11 Watchbell Street as it is today.

horizontal rule

   

Major Benjy's house in the novels is just below Lamb House / "Mallards" on the same side, but for the television series a house at 12 Church Square was used instead. 

12 Church Square.

horizontal rule

   

Quaint Irene's residence "Taormina" in the television series uses a house next to the town reservoir (the Water Tower) just off Market Street, while in the books she lives just down the street from Lucia's house, "Mallards".

Quaint Irene's house in real life.

horizontal rule

   

Twistevant's shop, set in the High Street in the novels, is re-located to the corner of Mermaid Street/West Street for the television programmes.

Panorama of Mermaid Street.

horizontal rule

   

The "Tilling" Post Office is situated in a shop in Lion Street for the purposes of filming. The "real" Rye Post Office is located near the railway station.

Shops in Lion Street today.

horizontal rule

    

"Grebe" is an isolated house on the Rye/Camber road.

House on the Rye/Camber Road used as "Grebe", as it is today.

horizontal rule