Huntsham Court Farm
The very last scene in the very last episode of Merlin {sniff} was filmed in the road that runs past Huntsham Court Farm in the Wye Valley. It is a great choice for such an iconic scene.
I've gotten lost and found myself on that road twice (or thrice?) in the past, and I felt a frisson of recognition when I saw it in the show. (To borrow from Arthur: There's something about this area. I can't quite put my finger on it.) Added to which, as we left Reading this morning and entered the motorway, what should go tearing past…? A great dark-blue truck, exactly the same as we see in the scene. I am talking Destiny here, with a capital D.
how it's used in Merlin
Merlin has farewelled his beloved Arthur in the past, and sent him to the Isle of Avalon to heal. He has been promised by the Great Dragon that Arthur will one day return. As we gaze at the Isle, a modern-day truck tears by, and we suddenly find ourselves in the present. A much older Merlin is walking along the road, still waiting for Arthur to rise again, hundreds of years later. {sniff}
I love the fact they began and ended the show with a scene showing Merlin walking along a road, carrying his belongings with him. What a journey we have all been on in between!
the place itself
The road isn't much more than a narrow country lane, but it is very busy! It runs past Huntsham Court Farm, and the specific location can be easily identified by the farm's amazing statue of a stag on a corner of the farm wall. The road runs through a loop of the River Wye in Herefordshire, and then up past the Symonds Yat Rock lookout.
Huntsham Court Farm is a producer of top quality beef, pork and lamb, supplying the top chefs and also selling to private individuals. I phoned up to speak to Richard Vaughan, who owns and runs the farm, and he seemed particularly proud of Heston Blumenthal saying Huntsham's Longhorn Beef was his 'idea of perfection'. If you're interested in exploring the purchasing options with Huntsham, you'll need to check out the farm website, as there is no farm shop. You'll also need a spare freezer drawer, and possibly a friend to share the results with, as the meat is sold in bulk!
I asked Richard if any filming had been done for Merlin elsewhere on the farm, and he said no. He said that the location had been chosen partly because the fields on the other side of the road from the farm are very flat, which made it easier to superimpose Glastonbury Tor. Richard doesn't know the show well, but said his stepdaughter was thrilled that Merlin was being filmed there!
images
Here are a couple of photos to set the scene.
We skilfully - all right, luckily managed to park right where they must have placed the camera. My best guess is that the camera was in a driveway entrace, which is opposite a gate looking over the fields. You'll find below a photo looking directly at the gate. Prop up a half-height green screen here, and you get to keep the sky and superimpose Avalon on the lower part.
Panning to the left and looking down the road, you can see the shot used for Merlin walking. (Screen captures are courtesy of imaginary_lives.)
We are then on the opposite side of the road as Merlin draws closer.
Today was even bleaker and rainier than Merlin himelf had it, and the fields were doing their best to become a lake. I hope this gives you some idea of the location. I'll be sure to visit again on a brighter day!
details
Please be very careful of traffic if you visit this location! And of course I know I can rely on you to respect the fact that Huntsham Court Farm itself is private property and a working farm.
I can't find a name for the road itself, but it runs southwest from the B4229, and it's not far south of Goodrich. Here's an image from Google Maps. The 'A' on the map marks Symonds Yat Rock, and the red arrow indicates Merlin's general location.
rating
This is such a significant scene, and I am rather biased towards this location anyway, so I'm going to give it a strong four pointy hats, the same as Ivinghoe Beacon. Shouldn't we all visit the places where we first and last saw Merlin? ♥
I've gotten lost and found myself on that road twice (or thrice?) in the past, and I felt a frisson of recognition when I saw it in the show. (To borrow from Arthur: There's something about this area. I can't quite put my finger on it.) Added to which, as we left Reading this morning and entered the motorway, what should go tearing past…? A great dark-blue truck, exactly the same as we see in the scene. I am talking Destiny here, with a capital D.
how it's used in Merlin
Merlin has farewelled his beloved Arthur in the past, and sent him to the Isle of Avalon to heal. He has been promised by the Great Dragon that Arthur will one day return. As we gaze at the Isle, a modern-day truck tears by, and we suddenly find ourselves in the present. A much older Merlin is walking along the road, still waiting for Arthur to rise again, hundreds of years later. {sniff}
I love the fact they began and ended the show with a scene showing Merlin walking along a road, carrying his belongings with him. What a journey we have all been on in between!
the place itself
The road isn't much more than a narrow country lane, but it is very busy! It runs past Huntsham Court Farm, and the specific location can be easily identified by the farm's amazing statue of a stag on a corner of the farm wall. The road runs through a loop of the River Wye in Herefordshire, and then up past the Symonds Yat Rock lookout.
Huntsham Court Farm is a producer of top quality beef, pork and lamb, supplying the top chefs and also selling to private individuals. I phoned up to speak to Richard Vaughan, who owns and runs the farm, and he seemed particularly proud of Heston Blumenthal saying Huntsham's Longhorn Beef was his 'idea of perfection'. If you're interested in exploring the purchasing options with Huntsham, you'll need to check out the farm website, as there is no farm shop. You'll also need a spare freezer drawer, and possibly a friend to share the results with, as the meat is sold in bulk!
I asked Richard if any filming had been done for Merlin elsewhere on the farm, and he said no. He said that the location had been chosen partly because the fields on the other side of the road from the farm are very flat, which made it easier to superimpose Glastonbury Tor. Richard doesn't know the show well, but said his stepdaughter was thrilled that Merlin was being filmed there!
images
Here are a couple of photos to set the scene.
We skilfully - all right, luckily managed to park right where they must have placed the camera. My best guess is that the camera was in a driveway entrace, which is opposite a gate looking over the fields. You'll find below a photo looking directly at the gate. Prop up a half-height green screen here, and you get to keep the sky and superimpose Avalon on the lower part.
Panning to the left and looking down the road, you can see the shot used for Merlin walking. (Screen captures are courtesy of imaginary_lives.)
We are then on the opposite side of the road as Merlin draws closer.
Today was even bleaker and rainier than Merlin himelf had it, and the fields were doing their best to become a lake. I hope this gives you some idea of the location. I'll be sure to visit again on a brighter day!
details
Please be very careful of traffic if you visit this location! And of course I know I can rely on you to respect the fact that Huntsham Court Farm itself is private property and a working farm.
I can't find a name for the road itself, but it runs southwest from the B4229, and it's not far south of Goodrich. Here's an image from Google Maps. The 'A' on the map marks Symonds Yat Rock, and the red arrow indicates Merlin's general location.
rating
This is such a significant scene, and I am rather biased towards this location anyway, so I'm going to give it a strong four pointy hats, the same as Ivinghoe Beacon. Shouldn't we all visit the places where we first and last saw Merlin? ♥