Great Haseley has featured as a shooting location in Midsomer Murders more times than Detective Inspector Barnaby’s wife Joyce has started new hobbies. And as fans of the show should know, that’s a lot of times!
With viewers bracing themselves for a few upcoming changes to the cast in the new series, it was reassuring to see the familiar presence of Great Haseley in the latest episode: Not in my Backyard.
The South Oxfordshire village’s hall – did you notice its mossy roof and the rusty horseshoe nailed above its door? – hosted the acrimonious public meeting where residents discussed a planning application.
A photo exhibition (Picture of Innocence) a recital (The Silent Land) and a book signing session (The Fisher King) were also filmed there.
Within walking distance of the hall is the beautifully-maintained Church of St Peter, which dates back to 1200. It was here that the wedding in Midsomer Rhapsody was staged.
According to the Domesday Book, the parish has a history going back to at least 1086. And yet it remains a well-kept secret; its beautiful thatched cottages and barns house a population which totals only 500.
This cosy community is served by the village’s only pub – The Plough. The oak panels of the pub’s interior will be familiar to those who watched the Dark Autumn investigation.
Less than four miles away is the town of Thame which in July stages The Oxfordshire County and Thame Show; the largest one-day agricultural show in Britain.
The hustle and bustle of the show makes Thame seem a world away from the sleepy country pace of picturesque Great Haseley.