You can’t just make people disappear, but you can make them believe that a charming English village with a shocking low murder rate is a real “Village of the Year” winner.
…at least if you’re Edgar Wright.
Filming locations for Hot Fuzz are in the English countryside, but just like in the film, not all is as it seems. Here’s where and how to see the Hot Fuzz movie locations by train in England.
Image Credit: Studio Canal
Hot Fuzz: The second of the Cornetto Trilogy
Do you want anything from the shop?
Who is in Hot Fuzz?
Simon Pegg is back as co-writer and star of Hot Fuzz, his second Cornetto Trilogy collaboration with writer and director Edgar Wright. Familiar faces from Shaun of the Dead are also in tow, including Nick Frost, Bill Nighy, and Martin Freeman (Love Actually). Timothy Dalton (The Crown), Paddy Considine (Peaky Blinders), Rory McCann (Game of Thrones), Jim Broadbent (Bridget Jones’s Diary), and Olivia Colman (Fleabag) are also in the cast.
Is Hot Fuzz a sequel to Shaun of the Dead?
Not in a literal sense, but in a spiritual sense, yes. Hot Fuzz is part of the Cornetto Trilogy alongside Shaun of the Dead and The World’s End. All three films were written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg, starred Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, and directed by Edgar Wright. Hot Fuzz may have familiar faces but is a separate story from Shaun of the Dead.
Where in England was Hot Fuzz set?
Sandford, England is where Hot Fuzz is set. Sandford is not a real town in Gloucestershire — it’s the name of a fake town that the UK police use for training purposes. So, even though all of those “Village of the Year” awards are for nothing, Hot Fuzz was still filmed very much in lovely English villages.
Where was Hot Fuzz filmed?
Wells, England is where Hot Fuzz was filmed, as well as Buckinghamshire, Essex, London, and Hertfordshire. Director Edgar Wright grew up in Wells, Somerset; star Simon Pegg also grew up close by in Gloucestershire.
Image Credit: Studio Canal
Wells, England Hot Fuzz filming locations
Swan!
The odds of seeing a swan in Wells are exponentially higher than seeing a train. Wells does not have a rail station and the closest is Castle Cary 12 miles away (or a 25-minute taxi ride). That’s okay, though; get familiar with Castle Cary ahead of time, as it’s the last train station en route to Glastonbury Festival.
Take the train to Castle Cary, hitch a ride to Wells, and enjoy roaming around this small village on your own two feet — it’s quite safe, save for a few “accidents” the Neighborhood Watch Alliance reported…
Market Place
Market Place gets loads of screen time in Hot Fuzz. You can see the Wells Market Cross & Fountain, The Crown at Wells, and The Swan from the square.
St. Cuthbert’s Church
St. Cuthbert’s Church is down High Street from Market Place. We would warn you to watch for falling steeples — as it happened in Hot Fuzz — but, ironically, St Thomas’ Church on the other side of town had one of its steeples fall during a storm.
The Swan Hotel
The Swan Hotel is a real three-star hotel that you can stay in. Don’t expect the same experience; only the exterior of The Swan was filmed.
The Crown Pub
The Crown at Wells and Anton’s Bistrot is a real pub in Wells, but, again, only the exterior was used in filming.
Bishop’s Palace
The NWA meeting space is the Bishop’s Palace in Wells. You’ll see swans here, which is no gimmick. Since the 1850s, generations of swans have lived on the grounds, pulling ropes that make the “swan bells” toll.
Image Credit: Studio Canal
Hot Fuzz filming locations outside of Wells, England
Yarp.
Hendon Police Training College
Closest station: Hendon | Colindale (Underground)
The police training scenes in Hot Fuzz were appropriately filmed at the Hendon Police Training College in London. It’s a bit off the tourist track, but you might come across it if you visit the Royal Air Force Museum.
Waverley Abbey
Closest station: Farnham
Waverley Abbey is what remains of a Cistercian abbey built in the 1120s and appears as one part of the finale’s chase scene.
Copped Hall
Closest station: Waltham Cross | Epping (Underground)
The NWA’s crypt is located at Copped Hall, north of London and quite far from “Sandford”, Waverley Abbey, and Bishop’s Palace.
The Royal Standard of England
Closest station: Beaconsfield
The Swan Pub’s interiors were filmed a few hours from Wells in Forty Green at The Royal Standard of England.
The Manor Hotel
Closest station: Elstree & Borehamwood
The Swan Hotel is real, but its interiors used in the film are not. The lobby and dining area of The Manor hotel in Elstree wereused instead.
Trains for the Greater Good
Trains allow more than one school child at any time, which really is for the common good of the community. Grab a cornetto and head out to the Hot Fuzz filming locations on your next visit to England.
Before you arrive, download the Trainline app so you can purchase your train tickets in advance. And don’t forget to watch these movies and shows filmed in and around London so you can visit their filming locations using the UK’s extensive train network.
Header Image Credit: Studio Canal
