In this week’s We’re Backing the SNJ looks at why Stroud is such a popular location.
STROUD has the best of both worlds. The district has picturesque market towns and villages and its own unique identity which makes you feel miles from anywhere else, but geographically it is just a short journey to London, Birmingham and Bristol.
This perfect location makes Stroud one of the most popular places for artists, musicians, actors, directors and, well, anyone to live – you can enjoy bustling market towns and stunning countryside without feeling cut off from big urban centres as London, Bristol and Birmingham are just a short journey away.
Art is a massive part of Stroud’s culture. Enthusiasts of a wide variety of disciplines visit the district during a range of events, including SITE Festival and the open studios.
On top of this, with the beautiful woodlands surrounding the Five Valleys and the stunning views across the Cotswolds, Stroud has become a popular filming location.
Down the years a number of big production companies have visited the area, creating popular films and television shows.
An adaptation of JK Rowling’s A Casual Vacancy was filmed predominantly in the towns around the Stroud district including Painswick, Bisley and Minchinhampton.
Just last week Peep Show stars David Mitchell and Robert Webb were visiting Stroud to film their new Channel 4 sitcom called Back. When asked about the choice of location, the producer mentioned the stunning scenery.
Sitting just outside of Stroud near the village of Uley, lies the hauntingly beautiful Owlpen Manor.
This phenomenal estate, which includes a Tudor Manor house and a number of equally impressive outhouses, has been used a number of times for high budget productions. The latest is reported to be a film starring Oscar-winning actor Daniel Day-Lewis.
There have been countless popular TV programmes filmed across the Five Valleys, including Cider With Rosie, based on Laurie Lee’s novel, and period drama Wolf Hall.
And later this year, Guy Davies, a Stroud-born filmmaker, will return from his base in New York to produce a movie titled Philophobia.
It will be released online and on Netflix next year, and filmed entirely in the Five Valleys in August.
With the whole of the USA at his disposal, Guy still decided to return to Gloucestershire to film his picture due to the stunning location.
To increase awareness of the district’s merits as a filming location, Stroud District Council’s tourism team recently commissioned award-winning local film-maker Nick Turner and production company Five
Films to produce a three- minute promotional film.
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