Mr. Holmes

Two years after the end of the Second World War, a train makes its way along the south coast of England. This is the North Norfolk Railway, looking in the direction of Sheringham in Norfolk identified by Phil Bailey. The railway, along with two of it's stations can also be seen in 'A Warning to the Curious'.

Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) steps from the train at the film’s Cuckmere Haven station. Horsted Keynes station, Bluebell Railway, West Sussex. Other parts of the station are seen in 'Norbert Smith: A Life', 'The Beast in the Cellar', ‘Adolf Hitler, My Part in His Downfall’, 'Waltz of the Toreadors', ‘Savage Messiah’ and ‘The Naked Runner’.

Platform 5, looking towards Kingscote. PB.

A Driver meets the aged Holmes and carries his luggage to a waiting car. Horsted Keynes station on Station Approach, Horsted Keynes.

A view from a gloomy ticket hall to very bright sunshine. Many thanks to the gentleman in the ticket office who let me open the doors for this shot and helped to confirm some other Bluebell locations, PB.

The Morris Ten-Four carries the former consulting detective home after a visit to Japan. The corner of German Street and Back Lane in Winchelsea, East Sussex with Church of St. Thomas The Martyr filling the background.

This is New Gate on Wickham Rock Lane to the south of Winchelsea in East Sussex.

The car approaches Headly House where the long retired Holmes is cared for by his widowed housekeeper. Looking across to Wickham Manor Farm from Wickham Rock Lane near Winchelsea.

After settling back in to his rooms, Holmes dons protection and visits his apiary. Wickham Manor Farm to the south-west of Winchelsea.

Flashback to the year 1919 where sightseers and the curious knock at the door of 221B Baker Street. Bedford Row, London WC1. The street also features in ‘Layer Cake’.

XI Bedford Row on the east side. SJ

From the window of his sitting room in the building opposite 221B, Holmes watches the result of his friend Watson’s fabrication of the truth. The first floor windows of 34 Bedford Row.

35 Bedford Row, on the west side. SJ

Roger Munro (Milo Parker), the housekeeper’s son, is questioned about entering Holmes's room. Wickham Manor Farm in East Sussex.

Holmes recalls his recent visit to Japan. This is the Oigawa (Oi River) Railway crossing the Oi River to the south of Kawanecho Sasamado station in the Shizuoka Prefecture of Japan.

Travelling to Japan at the request of an admirer, Holmes reaches his destination. The concourse of Tilbury Riverside station in Essex.

Tamiki Umezaki (Hiroyuki Sanada) greets the famous detective. Tilbury Riverside station opened in 1854 and closed in 1992.

A Packard One-Twenty carries the pair through busy streets populated by locals and US troops. Looking north towards Anchor Wharf alongside Chatham Reach in Chatham Dockyard.

The American car turns into a courtyard. Anchor Wharf in the Dockyard at Chatham in Kent.

Holmes casts his mind back to 1919 and remembers his final case involving Ann Kelmot (Hattie Morahan) who was suspected of preparing to murder her husband Thomas. Barter Street, London WC1.

Still in business. SJ

Mrs. Kelmot enters the building where Madame Schirmer teaches the glass armonica in her upstairs rooms. The upper floor windows of 18A Barter Street.

Nothing changed here. SJ

In the present, Mrs. Munro (Laura Linney) approaches Holmes and her son as they tend to the bees. Wickham Manor Farm, Winchelsea.

Another recollection sees Holmes following Mrs. Kelmot again. The west side of New Square in WC2.

Here's half the picture. SJ

The detective watches the woman, pondering her actions. Barter Street with Chesterfield House in the left background.

Looking west. SJ

Holmes enters the shop on the ground floor of Madame Schirmer’s premises. Facing north-east on Barter Street in WC1. A similar view is seen in ‘Emil and the Detectives’.

The arch on the left leads to Southampton Place. SJ

Inside the building, Holmes searches for Mrs. Kelmot as Madame Schirmer protests that she is not there. Buildings to east of New Square in London WC2

Now with a window re-established. SJ

Through the window, Holmes seen Mrs. Kelmot sitting on a lawn. Looking out towards New Square in Lincoln’s Inn.

Hastening from Madame Schirmer’s rooms, Holmes reaches the square beyond the lawn. Facing north on New Square. Various parts of the square appear in 'Rogue Male', ‘Tom Jones’, ‘A Pair of Briefs’, ‘The Limehouse Golem’, ‘A Fish Called Wanda’ and 1969’s ‘David Copperfield’.

Difficult to reproduce the camera lens' effect. SJ

Looking around, Holmes sees Ann Kelmot standing in front of a taxidermists shop. Looking south on New Square WC2 with Carey Street visible through the passage.

I think Holmes must have turned around and taken several steps forward. SJ

The village chemist drives away from Headly House after delivering medicines. Wickham Manor Farm near Winchelsea.

Returning to his memory of Japan, Holmes hears how Umezaki’s Father had travelled to England years before and wrote that he was not returning home after meeting the brilliant detective. The Tilbury Terminal of the Tilbury and Gravesend Ferry on the River Thames in Tilbury, Essex.

Searching for medicinal Prickly Ash, Holmes discovers where they are when the two men make their way past the railway station. Looking towards the former Tilbury Riverside station from the ferry pontoon.

On the day that Holmes promised to take the boy swimming, Roger waits in the garden before returning to the house to remind the increasingly forgetful old man. Wickham Manor Farm in East Sussex.

At the beach, Roger has more question about Holmes work and life. Cuckmere Haven in East Sussex where the River Cuckmere flows into the English Channel.

Hope Gap beach, where sadly, the large rock has now broken apart. SD

Film goers wait outside a cinema to watch ‘The Lady in Grey’ featuring Sherlock Homes. Conway Hall on Red Lion Square, London WC1.

The real Sherlock Holmes remains undetected in the queue. Conway Hall on Red Lion Square which appears in ‘Hereafter’.

Holmes tells Roger about the last, unsolved case that led to his retirement. Seaford Head with Cuckmere Haven and the Seven Sisters in the background. The location is also seen in 'La Course à l’échalote', 'On the Double', 'Corruption', 'Half a Sixpence', 'Atonement', 'Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves' and 'Mr Turner'.

A much-photographed view of the Seven Sisters. SD

Holmes again calls Mrs. Kelmot to mind. Beneath Lincoln’s Inn Chapel on Old Square in WC2.

This is looking west. SJ

The great detective easily pursues the subject of his investigation. The undercroft of Lincoln’s Inn Chapel is also seen in ‘Tom Jones’, 'The Third Secret' and 'Oxford'.

Panning right. SJ

The recollection continues as with Holmes sitting on the platform at a railway station. Sheffield Park station on the Bluebell Railway in West Sussex confirmed by Phil Bailey . . .

. . . who provides this comparison. "Even the same advertisement." PB.

On the opposite platform, the depressed wife asks a member of the station Staff (Oliver Devoti) about train times.

Regrettably, from the small shot on my 'crib sheet' it wasn't clear that I should have been on the inside of the platform signal box. (RL)

Mrs. Kelmot is seen to walk along the platform before handing an envelope to a Stranger (Sam Exley). Sheffield Park station again located by Phil B.

Sheffield Park platform 1 viewed from platform 2. PB.

Walking through tranquil gardens, Mrs. Kelmot ensures that Shelock Holmes is following. The East Garden of Hatfield House in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

Ann Kelmot finds a bench and sits down. The gardens of Hatfield House.

Holmes approaches and confronts Mrs. Kelmot. The East Gardens at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire.

Mrs. Munro and her son watch Dr. Barrie drive away after tending to Holmes following a fall. Wickham Manor Farm near Winchelsea, East Sussex.

In a restaurant in Japan, Umezaki listens as Holmes tells him that he has never met his father.

Holmes describes how Mrs. Kelmot cashed forged cheques, purchased poison and checked her husband’s will to make it appear that she was about to kill him. Horsted Keynes station in West Sussex... where John Harwood went to investigate. However a staff member said that the shot is from Sheffield Park and pointed out the small canopied building behind the actress' head. This is actually the on-platform signal box, which is unique to Sheffield Park station.

Following up on his received tip, John provides a shot of the on-platform signal box. (SJ)

The final piece of an almost thirty year old puzzle falls into place. The East Gardens at Hatfield House.

Holmes visits the grave of Ann Kelmot, buried between the headstones of her deceased young children.

An ambulance rushes Roger to hospital after he is stung by a swarm of wasps at Headly House. Wickham Manor Farm, Winchelsea in East Sussex.

Now at ease after solving the mystery that had vexed him, Holmes writes his first work of fiction in a letter to Umezaki explaining that he has now remembered his father Masuo Umezaki (Zak Shukor) and that he was an honourable man who worked for the British Empire.