YORKSHIRE will star on the small and big screen once more in a new adaptation of The Secret Garden.

Family favourite, The Secret Garden, set in1940s rural Yorkshire, comes to cinemas and Sky Cinema across the UK on Friday and features a wealth of local locations including Fountains Abbey, Helmsley Walled Garden and Duncombe Park.

Scenes were filmed across Yorkshire including in Farndale and Allerton Castle.

Movie stars Colin Firth and Julie Walters have leading roles in this adaptation of the classic children’s novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

The Secret Garden movie tells the story of Mary Lennox (Dixie Egerickx), a ten-year-old girl sent to live with her uncle Archibald Craven (Colin Firth), under the watchful eye of Mrs Medlock (Julie Walters) with only the household maid, Martha (Isis Davis) for company.

Many of the locations in the film are on our doorstep, and holiday company, Gorgeous Cottages has rounded up five in our neck of the woods (they also suggest handy places to stay nearby if you fancy a break away this autumn).

Should you choose to visit these locations, please check online for latest opening times and travel within Covid guidelines, which are at risk of changing with little notice.

Yorkshire's own Secret Garden

From pretty walled gardens to UNESCO World Heritage Sites and wonderful historic houses, here are The Secret Garden filming locations on our doorstep:

Allerton Castle

York Press:

This 19th-century gothic revival castle has been featured in various film and TV shows over the years including Sherlock Holmes - The Sign of Four and Lost in Austen. It’s set within 200 acres of grounds between York and Harrogate and the grand building and garden were used for several exterior shots of the fictional Misselthwaite Manor.

Stay nearby: Moat Hall Cottage, a cosy 2-bedroom cottage located in the nearby hamlet of Little Ouseburn.

Fountains Abbey

York Press:

The magnificent Fountains Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s nestled in the rolling hills of Nidderdale.

In the 1993 version of The Secret Garden, Fountain Hall was used as the exterior of Misselthwaite Manor, however this time the ancient abbey ruins are the star of the show. They were transformed into a garden temple complete with vine-covered walls and you’ll see Mary run around them with her trusty canine companion Jemima in the latest The Secret Garden film.

Stay nearby: Skell Garden Cottage, a 2-bedroom cottage on the edge of Ripon with a secret garden that makes the most of its secluded spot.

Helmsley Walled Garden

York Press:

The glorious Helmsley Walled Garden was first built in 1758 to provide fruit, vegetables and flowers to the Feversham family who lived at the nearby Duncombe Park estate. After falling into disrepair, the garden was restored in the 1990s with an ethos of the restorative power of horticulture that matches perfectly with the message of The Secret Garden.

The beautiful borders here were shot for a number of different scenes and the riot of colourful plants really do capture the magic of protagonist Mary’s secret garden.

Stay nearby: Coco, a vibrant and contemporary dog-friendly holiday home in the heart of Helmsley for up to 4 people and a dog.

Duncombe Park

York Press:

The Duncombe Park estate is one of Yorkshire’s finest historic houses, nestled in around 450 acres of North York Moors parkland near Helmsley. The majestic building dates back to the early 18th century and has been previously featured in ITV’s Victoria and the 2016 Dad’s Army film.

In the 2020 version of The Secret Garden, Duncombe Park is featured as the imposing Misselthwaite Manor during a number of scenes. Other sections of the grounds that can be seen in the film include a Father Time Sundial sculpture and an impressive tunnel of trees.

Stay nearby: St Aidans, a dog-friendly converted church with original features located in a sleepy North York Moors hamlet near Helmsley.

Farndale

York Press:

Located right in the centre of the North York Moors, Farndale is known for its peaceful heather-clad moorland and a swathe of native wild daffodils which flower along the length of the valley each spring.

Farndale was used to film the North York Moors landscape for The Secret Garden and the moorland here is a popular choice for walkers with scenic trails, unspoilt views, sleepy hamlets and the odd sheep wandering across the road. Follow the path of the ‘Daffodil Dale’ to the nearby village of Hutton-le-Hole. It’s one of the prettiest places around with a stream running right through the village green.

Stay nearby: West View Cottage, a dog-friendly 3-bedroom farmhouse that’s located in the Farndale hamlet of Church Houses with a country pub close by.

To find out more about the locations featured, please visit: https://www.gorgeouscottages.com/blog/secret-garden-yorkshire-locations