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We're on Midsomer Murders ITV1 Wed 28 Oct - 8pm!
A dreadful thing has happened - a body has been discovered in the model village of Little Worthy. Disaster! With the body count rising, Barnaby and Jones face a race against time to identify the perpetrator. (Thankfully, it’s all for TV: it’s not real…)
When a man is killed in the model village and tied down like Gulliver in Lilliput, DCI Tom Barnaby (John Nettles) and DS Ben Jones (Jason Hughes) discover a community full of traditions, tourist attractions and tea rooms. But behind the guide books and picture postcards, the residents of Little Worthy hide many secrets from one another.
Sisters Harriet and Hilary Compton, who own the miniature village, are stunned, but caretaker Bob Moss seems more upset about the blood on his figurines… Victim Richard Tanner was a man who didn’t want Little Worthy to move with the times. His sister Jackie reveals he recently jilted his lover, schoolteacher Rebecca Rix, and Barnaby finds her classroom is full of children’s paintings about Gulliver’s Travels.
Regular viewers of Midsomer Murders on ITV will know that many scenes are filmed in and around the Chilterns - and at last, Bekonscot Model Village features. Hurrah! We play the part of Little Worthy Model Village - where the body (played by a very much alive actor!) is discovered. Younger viewers may find some scenes in the light and entertaining detective drama a bit much, but we’re sure that our starring role will appeal to others…
There have been 41 comments. Add yours »
Helen Rolinson
24 October 2009 08:47
I am watching Midsomer Murders at the moment and just had to look up the model village with the prospect of visiting the village next April when I will be on holiday in London. Can't wait!
Murray Ginnane & Julene Kells
24 October 2009 09:44
This programme is on in New Zealand now; it is 9:43pm NZT Saturday OCT 24 '09
Lindsay
28 October 2009 20:29
Hi Helen Just like you I had to 'track down' the model village. I guessed it would be somewhere in the Chilterns, like the rest of 'Midommer Murders'. Having tracked down Bekonsot it certainly is worth a visit. It looks lovely - with or without a dead body!
Mark
28 October 2009 20:40
Just watching this now and it looks fantastic . Hope to visit in the future.
Nick
28 October 2009 20:48
Me too! It looks fantastic, dead body or no dead body! :)
Neil Challis
28 October 2009 20:54
Used to go to the village when my son's were much younger.Is the model railway still there ?
Also Adams Park, or has tghis been renamed ?
Rebecca Dickinson
28 October 2009 21:02
I just watching Midsommer too, the village looks lovely in the 'sunny weather' think I'll take my 19 month old little girl there next year...........she'll love it!
Stephen Hyde
28 October 2009 21:05
Great watching Midsommer Murders!!! Used to go to the model village several times a year when I lived in Warwick Road Beaconsfield, back in the 50s/60s, bringing back so many memories. Still have family in the area so will have to visit again when back we go back there.
vanpam
28 October 2009 21:24
Thought I recognised the village although its over 50 years since I've been as a child.Shall recommend it to the grandchildren.
captlunchblast
28 October 2009 21:37
I had to look this up Ithought it was babbacombe model village at first where i took my kids years ago . Looks fantastic
Tom Cunningham - Durham
28 October 2009 22:07
I've just watched Midsomer Murders and immediately recognised Bekonscot even though its probably over 35 years since I visited you. I was taken to Bekonscot with my parents, by our friends in Rickmansworth when we were visiting them and still remember the wonderful time we had.
Joanne
28 October 2009 22:08
Just watched Midsomer murders - and it has reignited my love of model villages... planning on going Saturday... hope Jones is there!!!!!
derek baxter
28 October 2009 22:46
Seeing the village on 'Midsomer' brought back many happy memories from a long, long time ago - I always remembered it a somewhere very special and, when I saw it in the TV movie I immediately thought it must be you! A quick search on the Web proved me right - congratulations on the quality of both dwellings and figures. We now live in Devon but I hope one day to pay another visit. I am in the tourist business down here with my wife and I wish we had an attraction of this quality nearby!
Tim - Bekonscot
28 October 2009 22:58
Glad everyone enjoyed it - we love having film crews here and we're so pleased that it's jogged people's minds to visit us again. We close this coming Sunday for the winter period, but open again in Feb 2010 for Half Term. You've still got a few days though - forecast for this weekend is rather pleasant.
Incidentally, you can keep up to date with our over-winter rebuild by joining our Facebook Fan page:
green-n-black
29 October 2009 00:40
Haven't been before, but like others have already mentioned, intend to in the future! Looked great on midsomers and am looking forward to visiting!
Patricia Dennis
29 October 2009 07:22
What an enchanting place, watching on Midsummer Murders, took me right back in time.What a lovely place to work. Makes me wish I was a child again. But we can all dream whatever age we are.
Tim - Bekonscot
29 October 2009 08:49
Neil - yes the model railway is still here - all 500 metres of it! Usually at least eight trains running around through the day. There's also the ride-on-railway at weekends and school holidays. Adams Park is no more, but we've a fantastic model of Ascot Racecourse in its place. We do like to change things occasionally...
Claire Barrett
29 October 2009 09:39
We so enjoyed the programme last night we had to 'Google' to see where it was filmed - we'll certainly come and visit too.
Kevin Anderson
29 October 2009 11:37
I looked this up on Google as well as many others after watching Midsommer Murders last night. I thought is was Babbacombe near Torquay. The only other model villiage I have visited is that at Godshill on the Isle of Wight - there you have to see "the model villiage within a model villiage within a model villiage" - brilliant! Good shops down the road in Godshill also - cider, wine, beer, jams, honey, crafts, toy museum etc.
Tim - Bekonscot
29 October 2009 12:19
Thanks also to the great Terry Wogan this morning who mentioned us on the Radio 2 breakfast show. Or as we say, the Light Programme...
Pat Pollington
29 October 2009 12:47
I remember walking round here over 36 years ago with my new husband and a group of motorcyling mates. We got some funny looks as we strolled around with leathers, crash helmets and long hair but really enjoyed ourselves. I've been again since but still a long time ago. It's nice to see there are still traditional days out that don't change or dumb down to the technical age. May you carry on for many more years giving pleasure to young and old.
P.S. I see that cottage is still on fire!
mrs c harber
29 October 2009 18:48
i thought midsomer murders was absolutely brilliant . as an avid fan of midsomer it was a great idea to use the village. looking forward to more of the same as they are filming in our village at the moment. yours mrs christine harber.
ROBERT
29 October 2009 20:22
great tv show, showed model village in its full glory, been visiting since 1955 my children and now my grandchildren have visited and look forward for more visits.
David Scott
30 October 2009 09:51
I heard that the tv crew murdered a tramp for this scene to make it look real. Its a disgrace.
Joan Street
31 October 2009 22:00
Lovely to see Bekonscot on the small screen and I really enjoyed my visit to the village the other day.
If anyone wants to know more about the Midsomer Murders episode that was shot in the village, do take a look at my Midsomer website at: http://www.midsomermurders.org/smallmercies.htm
Richard Sellick
02 November 2009 17:49
I discovered the model village last year while on my way to see my daughter in London. Since then I've become a granddad and 2 weeks ago took my grandson there for what I hope was the first of many such outings. It's brilliant. I stumbled across Midsomer Murders while channel flicking and there was trhe village!
Anthony Green
12 November 2009 16:53
I discovered this wonderland by getting a download of the Midsomer Murders thro' Internet.
I then had to find out where it was filmed - and was astonished to find out that it wasn't too far away from where I lived till 1975 - in Crowthorne, Berkshire - which is infamous for the Wellington Public School & famous for Broadmoor Prison for "Nut-cases" --- Or is it the other way round?
I really regret not knowing of this gorgeous place before I left UK - the Cotswolds Model Village & the one at Babbacombe that I visited many years ago are but pale imitations.
May I suggest that the Bekonscot Model Village seizes on the idea that the TV program introduced - that a "Gulliver" model - without blood - be staked out in the same place as the original "corpse' - with a plaque to commemorate the TV show?
Go on - I know you COULD do it - in time for your re-opening on 13th Feb 2010 - which will be my Anglo-Chinese daughter's 24 birthday!
Anyway, living in Hong Kong, it would be totally impossible to have such a wonderful land & stay in business - the grasping HK Government & their multi-millionaire buddies in the construction business have forced the land values up far too high to even think about such spacious tourist attractions.... and NO - Disneyland here does NOT cut it with me.
janet hoodless
20 November 2009 17:25
hi just watched episoide 44 house in the woods...is george baker who played the twins charlie and jack magwood ... barnabys dad as he does look like him,,,
Rolf Pieters
09 December 2009 22:08
Tonight this episode of Midsummer Murder was on National TV in The Netherlands. Good Story. Google brought me to your site.
If you are interested in an famous Dutch "Model Village", vistit our little city called "Madurodam" in The Hage. http://www.madurodam.nl/
Dick Hoefsloot
10 December 2009 07:15
We also watched this episode on Dutch TV yesterday. It brought back memories of our visit to Bekonscot in May this year. I made a video of Bekonscot in full high definition which is now on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWzMD1nt4HI
Christine from Sweden
05 February 2010 15:13
Me and husband and children are going to london in april on a holliday,and this is one of the places we are visiting, i really love midsomer murders.so there are more places we gonna visit where the films are made,and my kida gonna love this little small "town" i lovley.
Heather Smith
07 March 2010 06:52
I live in Victoria, BC, Canada, and just watched the Midsomer Murders episode with Bekonscot - I was sure I recognized it - I went there when I was 12 years old on a visit to England with my parents. That was 40 years ago - I'm amazed that I remembered some of the details! I hope to visit again some day - maybe with my grandson :)
natty noodle head
08 December 2010 16:20
hi i love midsomer murders! it is the best series i have ever seen. i cant wait for the new one to come out. i have watched nearly all of them!!
natty noodle head
08 December 2010 16:23
i first saw midsomer murders when i was on holiday in pembrokshire in a little barn like cottage! it was the golf one with barneby and jones i think. it was awsome.
ann wetering
04 January 2011 05:04
I live in Sarnia, Ontario Canada and just finished watching this episode, will try to visit the model village when we visit England in April
Rob E
05 May 2011 15:39
Absolutely too cool for school. What fun!! I live in California and would love to visit a model railroad of this quality. Murder mysteries aside.
Jeana
27 May 2011 06:32
With the bases loaded you struck us out with that awnesr!
Annelies Jonas
14 September 2011 20:48
Now on TV, 14th Sept. 2011, in Holland. Nice this model village, we also have such a model village in the Neth., named: Madurodam, in The Hague, but never a dead body in here! When we will visit Engalnd, I like to visit this model village (without a dead person)!
Anita
27 December 2011 04:48
My husband and I just watched this episode and loved it! We're from Texas, U.S.A. and are great fans of British mysteries - we're hooked on Netflix! The model village is fabulous and I, too, just had to "google" it to read up on its history.
r.a.hastings
29 December 2011 15:52
IN USA I VIEW THIS SERIES ON DVD, ENJOY IT ALL; WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE COMMERCIALS SO THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING FROM OUR LOCAL LIBRARY IN NATICK, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW ENGLAND OR FROM NETFLEX. THANK YOU FOR THE ON LOCATION SITES; A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR WHEELCHAIR BOUND TOURISTS. ALWAYS A WELCOMED ADDITION-BBC, PBS,/ DID I MENTION I LOVE LOVE LOVE PIE IN THE SKY
Thats amazing i luv Midsomer Murders!!! Weve always said they shud film at Bekonscot Model Village. Theyve filmed near us in Henley loads of times too. can't wait!!!