Bredon School - 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' Location

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It is 4.30am on a Tuesday morning in mid-November, and I have a drive of several hundred miles ahead of me. Rather appropriately, Geoffrey Burgon’s beautiful Nunc Dimitis plays on Classic FM during the first hour of my journey.

I am heading to Tewkesbury in Worcestershire to spend a couple of enjoyable days in the television world of John le Carré, with fellow Lamplighter, John Rundle. We have been given permission to visit two hugely important Tinker Tailor locations that appear towards the end of the series. First up is Bredon School, which doubles as Thursgood Preparatory School for boys in episodes 5-7.

We will also be visiting Ann Smiley’s residence at Overbury Court on our trip, but that is for another day and another article.

The beauty of doing a trip like this with John is that, as a former camera grip, he can instinctively work out the exact camera positions at all these locations. All I have to do is hold an iPad with the episode on and watch him line up the shots precisely. It’s a great feeling to be standing exactly where John Irvin, Tony Pierce-Roberts, and the rest of the crew stood. 

Bredon School, formerly Pull Court, was built between 1834-1839. It originally became a school in 1962, and today, it is an independent day and boarding school offering specialist dyslexic teaching for children aged 8 to 18 years old.

Visiting a school requires the goodwill and help of a number of people. We are so grateful to the Head of Marketing and Communications, Emily Wood, and the Marketing and Communications Officer, Jessica Saunders, for making our visit possible. Jess was also our chaperone for the morning and showed us endless patience on a cold day as we matched every shot that appeared on screen. The school also treated us to an excellent lunch and put us in touch with Bredon ‘old boy’ Graham Jelfs, who was at the school when filming took place. Although Graham does not appear on screen, he was kind enough to share his memories about the week the BBC took over his school in 1979.

(left to right) John Rundle, Graham Jelfs and Jonathan Moran outside Pull Court at Bredon School

With Graham’s recollections, our ‘then and now’ photos, and access to Production Assistant Tony Virgo’s paperwork, we have been able to create a production diary for the filming that took place at the school each day between Monday 26th February, and Saturday 3rd March, 1979. 

As we often remind readers in these articles, it is important to note that the use of a long focal length lens in the series makes things in the background of a shot look much closer to the camera than they actually are.

You will find a satellite photo identifying all the filming locations around the school at the end of the article.

 Sunday 25th February 1979 

Although this was a day off for the unit, Tony Virgo had a number of things on his ‘to-do’ list for the filming that was to take place that week. He had teachers and parents to call about availability and the uniform choices for pupils. One issue marked as important was whether filming was likely to be disrupted by plane noise. 

 Monday 26th February 1979 

The production team arrived at Bredon school for lunch at 13:00. The cast and crew were staying at The White Lion Hotel in Upton-Upon-Severn. Wardrobe and make-up were also based at the hotel, but Sir Alec Guinness travelled directly to the school that day, so his wardrobe and make-up were done on location.

Filming Schedule:

Ext: Thursgood School (Day)

Episode 5 Scene 22 - Smiley Watches School 

Episode 5 Scene 23 - Prideaux walking

Episode 5 Scene 24 - Prideaux/Smiley meet 

The first scene to be shot was scene 22, which ironically, does not appear on screen! We have no information on this scene, but it is likely this might have been Guinness sitting in his car or standing by it, prior to Prideaux’s arrival.

Scene 23 is the shot of Prideaux walking across the playing fields on his way to meet Smiley. 

John Rundle and I had a little difficulty locating this shot as the large tree on the right is no longer present. A pupil who had watched the series with his dad, and was between lessons, kindly helped us out!

Smiley and Prideaux meet in scene 24. This was filmed on a private road on the approach to the school. Firstly, we see Prideaux walking down the road with the school behind him...

As the camera pans around, Smiley is waiting by his car. He is driving a 1972 Rover 2000 SC MkII [P6]. The original production notes indicate that Smiley’s car was to be a Red Granada.

It looks as though one of the original gate posts is still in place, now acting as a fence post.

 Tuesday 27th February 1979 

Filming Schedule:

Ext: West Country Road (Day)

Episode 5 Scene 26 - Smiley/Prideaux - Parked Car

Ext: West Country Hill Top (Day) 

Episode 5 Scene 27- Smiley/Prideaux walking

Ext: Thursgood School (Day)

Episode 5 Scene 28 - Smiley/Prideaux

Episode 6 Reprise - Smiley/Prideaux

Only one of the locations covered in this article is accessible to the general public and that is the 'West Country Road and Hilltop' where scenes 26 and 27 of episode 5 were filmed. Near Windmill Tump Hill,  there is a narrow public road not far from the school where Smiley and Prideaux park and then stretch their legs. We were originally contacted by a visitor to our website, Chris, who had found this location. 

As the camera pans around, we can see Smiley's parked car with the school in the background...

Unfortunately, the grassy area that Smiley and Prideaux walk on is now a ploughed field and, if you compare the above two photos, you can see the gate in the field is no longer there. 

We decided not to go on to the ploughed field as we had already sufficiently matched the location. As they walk down to the gate (below)...

...this is a view from the same location today.

It is very likely that the establishing shot of the school, seen at the start of episode 5 and again in episode 7, (see the photo at the start of this article) was taken from here...

Trees in the foreground now partially obscure the school from this location. 

You can see the proximity of Windmill Tump Hill to the school in the satellite photo below.

Sir Alec Guinness and Ian Bannen were due on location at Windmill Tump Hill at 9:15am but the start time slipped to 1:30pm. This would account for the later scenes of them arriving back at the school being filmed in darkness - it was originally intended to film these scenes in the daytime.

Scene 28 seems to cover the conversation in the car, Prideaux walking away and Smiley driving off - the only prop required was a vodka bottle. 

Graham Jelfs recalls the crew setting up for this scene:
When they filmed the scene of Prideaux and Smiley parting company, where Prideaux throws a bottle, I remember going around and watching the crew at work. I was very interested at the time in science and they were using carbon arc lights. You had huge trucks with generators and thick cables running these lights. Of course, we were not allowed anywhere near the area when they were filming - there were whole areas of the school that you couldn't go to for days at the time as there were cables all over the ground.

The scenes between Guinness and Bannen in the car are beautifully played. In the shadows we catch Smiley’s almost imperceptible reaction to Toby's mention of ‘Tinker Tailor’. Guinness leaves a lengthy pause, letting the significance of that information sink in for the viewer, before confirming its importance with the line, “So Toby actually mentioned Tinker Tailor to you. However did he get hold of that.” 

When Prideaux leaves the car, he walks up the drive towards the entrance of Pull Court...

This is the location today...

In the next shot we see Smiley drive away...

If Smiley were attempting to leave the school by this road today, he probably wouldn't be able to. You will notice in the photo below that the road regularly floods.

 Wednesday 28th February 1979 

Filming Schedule:

Thursgood School (Night)
Episode 5 Scene 2 - Prideaux in caravan
Episode 5 Scene 3 - Roach walking
Episode 5 Scene 4 - Roach sees Prideaux in caravan
Episode 5 Scene 5 - Prideaux putting on lint
Episode 5 Scenes 6-8 - Prideaux and Roach

With Duncan Jones's arrival on location, tutorial sessions became a feature of the schedule for the next few days. If a child actor is required to work during a school day, they must have a suitable break for education to keep up with their academic studies. Lt-Colonel Tony Sharp OBE, ran Jones's first tutorial from 2pm-4.30pm. 

Graham Jelfs remembers Lt-Colonel Sharp:
I came here in September 1977. That was the year that the headmaster changed from Colonel Sharp to Brian Thomas. Colonel Sharp continued on at the school though and used to do little bits of teaching and odd things. 

Lt-Colonel and Mrs Tony Sharp (centre), Mr and Mrs Brian Thomas (right)

Lt-Colonel Tony Sharp was the Co-Founder and first Headmaster of Bredon School in 1962. At the time  he was also the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion South Wales Borders. During Bredon's first term he managed to split his time and resources between the school and a successful army career. Brian Thomas served alongside Tony Sharp in Malaya before going into teaching. He left Bredon in 1967 but returned a decade later as headmaster.

With a night shoot ahead of them the unit were on call from 3.30pm. They were due to wrap at 1am but were hoping to finish at midnight if possible. 

Prideaux’s Walther PPK was needed for these scenes, so an armourer was required on location. In addition to the Alvis and the caravan, other props required were: a violin case, a bowl of antiseptic solution, lint, a spade, and vodka.

In the photo below, we see Duncan Jones (Roach) making his way up the drive. He's in exactly the same spot as Ian Bannen the previous evening.

He leaves the drive to his right and walks in the direction of Prideaux's caravan...

The shot below matches the angle of the gate in the photo above.

Roach sees Prideaux's caravan in front of him...

The image below is taken from Roach's point of view...

We can be fairly confident that the caravan was in this general area. 

 Thursday 1st March 1979 

Filming Schedule:

Thursgood School - Interior (Day)
Episode 7 Scene 40 - Morning Assembly (Roach, Prideaux, Headmaster, Spikely, Mr Flemyng-Smith, 60 boys)

Despite the fact that the scene being filmed was a 'Morning Assembly', this was another night shoot for the cast and crew. A lighting rig was set outside the windows of Pull Court at 1.30pm and Colonel Sharp ran a tutorial for Daniel Beecher and Duncan Jones at 3pm. A complement of 60 Prep School boys were assembled in the school hall at 4pm. Filming began shortly after 4pm and was scheduled to run until 10pm, although the aim was to finish at 9pm if possible.

With many pupils as extras this evening, a decision was made by the production team to treat the rest of the school to a night out. Graham Jelfs takes up the story:

They filmed the assembly scene in the main hall. A number of boys were extras in that scene but you couldn't be an extra if you were over 5 feet tall - that meant there were a lot of boys who were too tall. If you look at the floor in the main hall it is all glazed, so you couldn't prevent noise from anyone wandering around, out of the shot. The BBC decided to send everyone who wasn’t in the scene to the cinema for the evening. A coach took us to the Odeon in Worcester to see Every Which Way But Loose.

The main hall at the time is now a reception area for visitors to the school. In the series, the camera pushes in between the centre arch below...

As the camera tracks in through the archway we can see Roach at the lectern on the left hand side and Prideaux just in front of the pillar on the right. 

The lectern that Roach stands at was in this corner...

In the other corner Prideaux and Mr Flemyng-Smith listen to Roach. 

Mr Flemyng-Smith is the second teacher from the right in the photo below. In a cameo performance, he is played by Guinness's stand in, Guy Standeven.

The morning assembly scene is not in the novel but we know that John le Carré liked this addition, as he specifically mentioned it in a letter he sent to screenwriter, Arthur Hopcraft. He wrote, "Just as we could not have had a better Smiley, so we could not have had a better writer than yourself. Thanks for your craft, & the ingenuity, and the beautifully done additions – Ann at the end, Roach in the chapel, etc."

The final shot of Prideaux is heartbreaking - he is completely bereft. The last page of the novel at least paints a more hopeful picture of his future. I love the fact that it is another Bill (Roach) who is slowly helping him to rehabilitate.

Both Marcia Wheeler and Tony Virgo recall that Ian Bannen was quite frail during the filming of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. There is nothing frail about his performance though. With a tinge of world weariness and melancholy to every look and line, Bannen shows us the very personal cost of Gerald's betrayal. 

 Friday 2nd March 1979 

Filming Schedule:

Thursgood School - Exterior (Day)
Episode 6 Scene 5A - The Rugby Match (Headmaster, Mother, Roach, Spikely, 60 boys)

A total of 60 boys were involved in filming these scenes and they were to be ready for a 9.30am start. Wardrobe and make-up were done on location. One of the rugby teams had to wear red and white tops and white shorts and the other wore white tops with blue shorts. 15 red and grey scarfs were required for spectators. 

This is a view of the playing field today...

The scenes featuring the Headmaster (John Wells) and his mother (Betty Hardy), are a bit of light relief in many ways. "Well done, that boy" is a particularly funny line.

There was another tutorial for Daniel Beecher (below left) and Duncan Jones (below right) that afternoon between 2pm and 4pm.

In addition to Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Duncan Jones and Daniel Beecher also both appeared in To Serve Them All My Days. After that, both appear to have dropped out of acting and have no further screen credits. 

Graham Jelfs was able to identify two teachers from the school who appear as extras in these scenes:

Peter Basten was the referee at the rugby match - he was a sport and English teacher. Mike Bull (circled below), was a maths teacher and is briefly in shot during the rugby match wearing a flat cap and glasses.

 Saturday 3rd March 1979 

Filming Schedule:

Thursgood School - Playing Fields (Day)
Episode 5 Scene 1 - The Alvis Course (Prideaux, Roach, Spikely, Mendel, 20 Prep School boys)

Ironically, the last scene to be filmed at Bredon School is the first time the school is seen in the series. 20 boys were required for filming and the production team had them from 9am until 12.30pm. Props required on this day included the Alvis, bales of straw for the obstacle course and a stopwatch. 

Graham Jelfs has been able to provide us with some interesting information about Prideaux's Alvis:

The Alvis was supplied by a Mr Cummins of Kidderminster. He was something to do with the motor trade in that area and his son was at the school. 

Graham's recollections matches the history of the car which was posted on the Bonhams website when it was sold privately at auction in 2017. It went for a cool half a million pounds. We didn't previously know about Mr Cummins connection to Bredon School, but it certainly explains how the car came to appear in the series. 

We were able to match the above shot exactly...

It must have been an odd day for George Sewell - his only scene involved standing way off on his own with no lines. 

You can see I did my very best Mendel impression in the photo below!

As Prideaux and Roach stand on the drive, take a look at the saplings on either side of them...

...and how they have grown in the intervening years!

Demonstrating impressive versatility, I am now standing in for Jim Prideaux in the above shot and Jessica Saunders is doubling Roach. You can also see Jess's lovely dog, Bertie, who spent the morning with us.

With filming complete, the unit enjoyed a well earned day off on Sunday 4th March.

The satellite view below shows the location of all the scenes filmed at Bredon School. This image highlights just how well the production team utilised the entire location.

John Rundle and I would like to thank Nick Oldham (Headmaster), Emily Wood (Head of Marketing and Communications) and Jessica Saunders (Marketing and Communications Officer) from Bredon School - this article would simply not have been possible without their help.

We are also very grateful to Graham Jelfs for sharing his recollections of these events.

My thanks to Chris for his invaluable contributions to this article.

If you were present at Bredon School when filming took place we would love to hear from you. Feel free to drop us a line at guinnessissmiley@icloud.com 

Location photos taken by John Rundle

Maps, satellite photos and some streetview images - Apple and Google

Screen captures from Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (c) BBC 1979