Foyle's War
Year: 2006
Director: Created by Anthony Horowitz
Cast: Michael Kitchen, Anthony Howell, Honeysuckle Weeks, Julian Ovenden
Set Locations:
Series 5 - Shot entirely in Midhurst .
Foyle's is a highly successful TV series that was commissioned by ITV in 2000 after the last episode of Inspector Morse was shown. The series generally tells self contained stories of the exploits of Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle (played by Michael Kitchen). Foyle spends his time chasing criminals in the Hastings area who are attempting to take advantage during World War II .
The calm and methodical figure of Foyle is often taken too lightly by his adversaries, who are not all petty spivs and other small-time gangsters. Indeed, his work often brings him into conflict with high ranking intelligence officials and military leaders, who feel he should keep his nose out of certain things.
The series took its name from a bookshop Foyles in Charing Cross Road, London. This bookshop was known particularly for its old fashioned approached which invoked the wartime image that the writer Anthony Horowitz was looking for. Thus, the inspector was named after the owner Christina Foyle. Unfortunately, she died in 1999 when, coincidentally, the ownership passed to her nephew Christopher Foyle. The real-life Christopher Foyle was even given a cameo role in one episode!
Despite its huge popularity, the series was axed in 2008 on the grounds of escalating costs. However, fans of the series can take heart. The series was originally cut by the former Director of Programming, Simon Shaps, who has now been replaced. ITV are believed to be strongly considering a reversal of that decision.
The town of Hastings, where Foyle goes about his work, lies in East Sussex in the South Eastern corner of England. This area, which includes the garden county of Kent, bore the brunt of aerial assaults during World War II. Much of the famous Battle of Britain , the pivotal World War II aerial encounter, took place in the skies over this part of the country.
Its location by the shortest English Channel crossings has always meant that this part of the country has been susceptible to invading forces. Hastings is best known for The Battle of Hastings in 1066, when William the Conqueror landed in England and defeated Anglo Saxon King Harold for the right to the throne of England. The battle actually took place at nearby Pevensey Bay and resulted in the death of King Harold and the beginning of Norman rule in England.
Another famous collection of landmarks on this corner of England, also strongly connected with World War II, are the White Cliffs of Dover which were immortalised by Vera Lynn's morale-boosting wartime classic song.
Places to stay nearby:
Great places to stay in Midhurst include The Angel Hotel and The Spread Eagle Hotel & Health Spa
Recommended Books:
Recommended Books:
A Picture of Britain |
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Coast |
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