Midsomer Murders is back! The first episode of series 21 aired on 21 January, and after a break from broadcasting for the NTAs, the second episode returns to ITV on Tuesday night. The detective drama first aired in 1997 and has been loved ever since. And it's not just the gripping plot and talented cast of actors that make the show so popular; the picturesque backdrop to the show is what provides the show its charm. The show is filmed in a number of towns across the British countryside and if you've ever wondered where specifically, then look no further. Here's all you need to know about the filming locations of Midsomer Murders.
Oxfordshire provides a lot of the backdrop for Midsomer Murders
Where is Midsomer?
The ITV murder mystery programme is set in the fictional town Causton, located in fictional county Midsomer. The town provides the home for DCI Barnaby (played Neil Dudgeon) and his wife Sarah, and the Criminal Investigation Department in the show. Although Causton isn't a real place, the idyllic towns used for the filming can still be enjoyed by visiting the different countryside towns if you're wanting to see the memorable places in real life.
Where is Midsomer Murders filmed?
The town of Causton, Midsomer, is created in the show by combining filming footage of different countryside towns located in Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire. The Oxfordshire towns of Thame and Wallingford are mostly used to represent Causton. Wallingford is a riverside town which is drenched in history. The town boasts narrow ninth century streets and an Elizabethan town hall. In the show, Causton theatre is represented by the Wallingford corn exchange theatre and home of the Sinodun theatre company, who often provide actors to feature as extras in the show.
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Bulstrode Estate in Buckinghamshire has been used in the past
Thame is located in the heart of Oxfordshire and is a thriving town, providing the perfect backdrop to represent Causton in the show. The Thame town hall is often used to portray Causton Town Hall in the show, and other parts of Thame are used also including the Swan and Black Horse hotels, and Rumsey's Chocolaterie. In Buckinghamshire, the Bulstrode Estate in Gerrard's Cross was used in an episode where a school headmaster is murdered.
Where else is the show filmed?
For scenes that take place in Causton's Criminal Investigation Unit, the show heads to Berkshire to film. The police station is replicated by Ramslade House, the former RAF Staff College, in Bracknell. The show has also headed to Sussex to film a murder scene that took place in Brighton. For the episode, The Ghost of Causton Abbey, the cast and crew went to Surrey to film scenes. Waverley Abbey was used as the location Causton Abbey, where a murder took place in the drama.
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Waverley Abbey in Surrey was also used to film scenes
The popular drama has also flown overseas to film scenes for the show. For episode five of series sixteen (Midsomer Murder's 100th episode overall) the team headed to central Copenhagen to film at Rådhuspladsen (the city hall square), Nyhavn (New Port) and at the circular courtyard inside the Copenhagen Police Headquarters.
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