Having lived in Suffolk for most of my life, it was very exciting for me to see some familiar locations in the TV series The Detectorists when it first aired in 2014.
I was living just outside Framlingham at the time, which is where the majority of the scenes were filmed, including the hall where the Danebury Metal Detecting Club meets, Maggie’s shop and Andy’s mother-in-law’s house.
I even got to see some filming taking place, so if you’re looking for all those iconic locations, here’s what you need to know…
Crystal Encounters shop
Let’s start with a location you can easily find and get your bearings – Maggie’s shop, ‘Crystal Encounters’. It’s on Market Hill in the centre of Framlingham and is called ‘Panorama‘. It really IS a shop, filled with gorgeous gifts, cards and trinkets, so grab yourself a souvenir from the shop while you’re there!
You can see the shop in the very centre of the photo I took of the market square from the very top of the church. Of course, if you’ve found the shop, you’ve also found the exterior locations for many scenes where Lance is walking through the town, and if you head up Castle Street, you’ll find a few more key locations.
The Restaurants
The first location you’ll arrive at on this street is the restaurant where Lance meets his long-lost daughter. Originally called The Lemon Tree when the filming took place, the restaurant is now named Watson and Walpole, co-owned by The Hotel Inspector presenter Ruth Watson.
Opposite this restaurant is The Church of St Michael, which can also be seen during those scenes with Andy spying on Lance as he meets his daughter Kate. A little further down Church Street is Mr Chan’s Chinese Restaurant, which would be Lance’s most local takeaway as it’s super-close to…
Lance’s Flat
I was lucky enough to spot some of the filming taking place at Lance’s flat, and it was so interesting to see how the crew set up and filmed at each location. The flat can be found on Double Street, a quaint, curving road just off Castle Street, which is the main one-way route through the town.
You can see the curved street in the photo above and can just make out the exterior staircase on the building in the centre of the image. Lance’s bachelor pad is at the top of the exterior staircase, but this building is private property, so please don’t intrude if you ever visit the location!
Danebury Metal Detecting Club
Back on Church Street and before you reach the castle, you’ll find the Castle Community Rooms beside the church. This is where St Michael’s Rooms was originally located, which was the village hall where the Danebury Metal Detecting Club meetings were held.
The original community centre was built in 1898 and was replaced with the new structure in 2023. The building faces the road in the same orientation as the original building, with double doors at the front so you can get an idea where the scenes were filmed.
The Two Brewers pub
The pub used in The Detectorists is actually two pubs. The exterior can be found at The Castle Inn, just a couple of steps away from the community rooms and just before you reach Framlingham Castle on the one-way road.
However, the interior shots, including the pub quiz and open mic night, were filmed a few miles away at The Crown Inn on Chapel Lane, Great Glemham. It was called the “Two Brewers” pub in the TV series, and it’s worth popping in for a drink because the pub now has a Detectorists room!
Electrical shop
While you’re at The Castle Inn, you might as well have a wander around Framlingham Castle – it’s free to stroll around the exterior paths and you can spot the historic Framlingham College across the Framlingham Mere nature reserve.
Follow the one-way road past the castle and turn right Fore Street. At number 10, you’ll find the location of the electrical store where Andy sells his detector. John Bradlaugh Electrical Services is now permanently closed but the exterior of the shop can still be seen.
Veronica’s house
Veronica’s house (Andy’s mother-in-law, played by Diana Rigg) is a private property, but I’ve previously worked with the owners when I was writing about iconic mid-century design for Reclaim magazine. So I can share this snapshot of the house’s real interior from the photoshoot.
The props team used most of the owner’s own furniture and belongings in the scenes because the whole home is like a time capsule full of retro classics. You might recognise the exterior of the house too, which is located in Norfolk Crescent, just off College Road. A trip to the owner’s shop Design20C at Marlesford Mill is recommended for all things retro!
Other outdoor locations
Of course, lots of the filming took place on fields and farms around Suffolk and Essex, so those are out of bounds without permission, but there are other locations you can spot in nearby towns and villages:
Orford – the primary school where Becky works and the Kings Head pub was in the first series.
Wantisden – the tumble-down cottage Andy wants to buy is now a wedding venue – the Shepherd’s Cottage at Wantisden Valley and Lance works at Wantisden Hall Farms.
Aldham – St Mary’s Church has a round tower and can be spotted at the start of the first episode in series two.
Sutton Hoo – if you’re interested in archaeology, why not head to Sutton Hoo for a day out too? See the locations from the film The Dig and find out more about the Anglo-Saxon burial hoard.
Southwold – You can often spot local detectorists scanning the beach at Southwold, it seems like a popular spot for the hobby.
I hope this quick tour of the filming locations of the BBC TV series The Detectorists will help you if you’d like to find some of the iconic scenes from the show. Please let me know if you hunt out any more locations in the comments below, I’d love to hear what scenes you spotted!
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