The Belstone Fox

[derekchoochoo]

I wonder if anyone can help me please....I am trying to research the various filming locations of the 1973 British film (by the Rank organisation) called "The Belstone Fox". The film is rarely seen now, although had a 2006 dvd reissue, albeit slightly cut. It starred Eric Porter and proved to be the inspiration for Disney's "The Fox & the Hound". It would appear the novel from which it was taken was based in Leics/Notts. I believe however there is a Belstone near Okehampton in Devon (which would tie in with the closing scenes of the film, which appears to be set on a Dartmoor Tor). The bulk of the film appears to be set in the Quantocks however...there is a clear view across Bridgwater Bay in one scene, plus a still from the film shows a 3 finger sign post pointing to North Petherton/Bridgwater/Bishops Lydeard. I have heard it said the church used was Over Stowey and the 'big house' was Barford. Does anyone remember the filming? I believe many locals were used as extras. Can anyone assist with the various main filming locations please, such as the main farmhouse/kennels, the railway scene (when the fox leads the hounds onto the track) etc etc.

[opportunist]

Hi
Both I and my (now ex-) wife took part in filming as extras. I remember much of the process quite clearly. The hunt kennels were at Bartlett's farm near North Petherton. The church was Over Stowey. The pub was the Traveller's Rest. It was the only time I have ever been paid to sit in a pub and drink beer. I knew many of the people involved with the local hunt who took part. My white TR4A sports car (reg. no FFH 420C) was used by one of the youngsters arriving for the Hunt Ball. I believe the book was set in the Peak District but that the filming of the mountain scenes (cave etc) took place further north in the Lake District. The filming of the hunting scenes took place at several locations incuding Broomfield, Customs Common, Cothelstone, Triscombe Stone, Holford and on the West Somerset Railway near Crowcombe.
I hope this is of some help.

[derekchoochoo]

Many thanks for the information. Do you remember which hunts were involved in the filming? And was the Minehead railway still owned by British Railways then, or had the West Somerset Railway preservation people taken it over by then (the diesel engine in the film is in the BR colours of the time)? Where is The Travellers Rest please? Sorry to ask all these questions.

[opportunist]

Hi
The West Somerset Vale Hunt was featured in the film. The Taunton-Minehead Railway was closed by Dr Beeching in the 1960's. I'm not sure if the West Somerset Railway had been constituted by 1973 when the film was made. The Travellers Rest is at Higher Merridge, Spaxton.

Opportunist

[derekchoochoo]

Cheers Opportunist...all very interesting

[winston]

I've come to this forum a little late, but here goes. I used to ride with Miss Gooding in Holford and she told me that in the Belstone Fox there is a sweeping shot of her sitting on a pony on Holford Bowling Green (I think it is now blocked with posts to stop traffic parking on the verges), as the camera goes round towards the old Dog Pound. You have to know where to look and you can see her. I remember the pony, Tom Thumb, a small grey about 12hh. I also remember when the WSR reopened in about 1975 and going on the train taking the dog with us. I can't remember exactly where we went to and from but I was only about 12/13. I'll speak to my Mum about the film, she remembers quite a bit about it and I tried location spotting. I live in Oxford now so do it on Inspector Morse!

[yungphil]

Hi
I lived in Taunton when this was made. One of my Uncles was an extra in the scene where a funeral procession was interupted by the hunt. He was one of the coffin pall bearers and recruited from Hatchers.

I worked in an estate agents in Hammet Street at the time and Eric Porter looked in on a few occasion looking for property in the area. Don't know if he found anything.