''Father Brown'' is a

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads the ...

period Period may refer to: Common uses * Era, a length or span of time * Full stop (or period), a punctuation mark Arts, entertainment, and media * Period (music), a concept in musical composition * Periodic sentence (or rhetorical period), a concept ...

comedy drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typi ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed ...

loosely based on the

Father Brown Father Brown is a fictional Roman Catholic priest and amateur detective who is featured in 53 short stories published between 1910 and 1936 written by English author G. K. Chesterton. Father Brown solves mysteries and crimes using his intuiti ...

short stories by

G. K. Chesterton Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was an English writer, philosopher, Christian apologist, and literary and art critic. He has been referred to as the "prince of paradox". Of his writing style, '' Time'' observed: " ...

, starring Mark Williams as the crime-solving

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

. Broadcast began on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's Flagship (broadcasting), flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News ...

on 14 January 2013. The ninth series premiered on BBC One on 3 January 2022. The show has been renewed for a 10th season which will premiere January 2023.

Synopsis

The series is set in England during the early 1950s. Father Brown is the priest at St Mary's Catholic Church in the fictional village of Kembleford, located in

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a Counties of England, county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town ...

in the

Cotswolds The Cotswolds (, ) is a region in central-southwest England, along a range of rolling hills that rise from the meadows of the upper Thames to an escarpment above the Severn Valley and Evesham Vale. The area is defined by the bedrock of Jur ...

. Britain is struggling with the aftermath of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and

rationing Rationing is the controlled distribution of scarce resources, goods, services, or an artificial restriction of demand. Rationing controls the size of the ration, which is one's allowed portion of the resources being distributed on a particular ...

is still in effect. An empathetic man of keen intelligence, Father Brown solves murder cases when members of his parish are involved, when circumstances are strange enough to gain his interest, or when he is directly asked for help. During his investigations, Father Brown occasionally neglects his more mundane parish duties. He is often helped by the parish secretary, Bridgette McCarthy (all series), and his housekeeper, Susie Jasinski (Series 1 only). He is also sometimes aided by socialite Lady Felicia Montague; her driver, Sid Carter (a former criminal); and her niece, Bunty Windermere. Father Brown's interest in local cases and his habit of offering advice and pointing out clues often annoy the local

police inspector Inspector, also police inspector or inspector of police, is a police rank. The rank or position varies in seniority depending on the organization that uses it. Australia In Australian police forces, the rank of inspector is generally the ne ...

. Father Brown holds no animosity towards the police, but he often embarrasses them with his investigations. During

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fight ...

, Father Brown served in the

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gur ...

. His experiences as a veteran, along with his

vocation A vocation () is an occupation to which a person is especially drawn or for which they are suited, trained or qualified. People can be given information about a new occupation through student orientation. Though now often used in non-religious ...

as a priest, give him great insight into human nature as well as a desire to offer forgiveness and redemption, wishing to serve his concept of justice rather than strictly following the letter of the law and condemning the guilty. Father Brown is obedient to the Seal of confession in the Catholic Church. When confronting criminals, he sometimes offers to hear their explanations and confessions without judgment. While he then urges them to admit their crimes to the authorities and accept responsibility, he also promises he won't reveal their actions or prevent their escape if they choose otherwise.

Characters

– Mark Williams (2013–present): a slightly rumpled, shambolic, and mild-mannered Roman Catholic priest who, by appearance, is easily forgotten. His apparent innocence belies a playful wit and a razor-sharp intellect. His greatest strength, both as a priest and as a detective of crime, is his love and understanding of other people. He's not there to judge but to save souls. He is a veteran of both

and

, having served with the

Gloucestershire Regiment The Gloucestershire Regiment, commonly referred to as the Glosters, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 until 1994. It traced its origins to Colonel Gibson's Regiment of Foot, which was raised in 1694 and later became the ...

in both wars (as an infantryman in the first war and as a Catholic chaplain in the second). * Mrs. Bridgette McCarthy ''née Maguire'' –

Sorcha Cusack Sorcha Cusack (; born 9 April 1949) is an Irish television and stage actress. Her numerous television credits include playing the title role in ''Jane Eyre'' (1973), ''Casualty'' (1994–1997), ''Coronation Street'' (2008) and '' Father Brown'' ...

(2013–2022): the Irish

parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one o ...

secretary at St Mary's. She checks the facts for Father Brown, acts as his confidante on official Church business and everything else, is steadfastly loyal to Father Brown, and defends him from the ire of the congregation; she also makes sure he eats. She has a tendency to brag about her award-winning strawberry scones. Mrs. McCarthy is a frequent gossip – though claims she is not – and shares a love/hate relationship with Lady Felicia, although both women eventually admit to being close friends. She is married but leaves her husband after he returns from having lived with another woman following the war. * Felicia, Lady Montague ''née Windermere'' –

Nancy Carroll Nancy Carroll (born Ann Veronica Lahiff; November 19, 1903 – August 6, 1965) was an American actress. She started her career in Broadway musicals and then became an actress in sound films and was in many films from 1927 to 1938. She was t ...

(2013–2016 as a lead character): a bored

socialite A socialite is a person from a wealthy and (possibly) aristocratic background, who is prominent in high society. A socialite generally spends a significant amount of time attending various fashionable social gatherings, instead of having traditi ...

and

Countess Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, apparently from an old

recusant Recusancy (from la, recusare, translation=to refuse) was the state of those who remained loyal to the Catholic Church and refused to attend Church of England services after the English Reformation. The 1558 Recusancy Acts passed in the reign ...

family, with a roving eye when her husband, Monty, is away. She is a staunch supporter of Father Brown and frequent

nemesis In ancient Greek religion, Nemesis, also called Rhamnousia or Rhamnusia ( grc, Ῥαμνουσία, Rhamnousía, the goddess of Rhamnous), was the goddess who personifies retribution, a central concept in the Greek world view. Etymology The n ...

of Mrs. McCarthy, despite grudging respect between the women. She left at the start of series 5 after her husband was appointed

Governor of Northern Rhodesia The Governor of Northern Rhodesia was the representative of the Monarchy of the United Kingdom, British Monarch in the self-governing colony of Northern Rhodesia from 1924 to 1964. The Governor was appointed by The Crown and acted as the local he ...

, but made a guest appearance in series 6, ''The Face of the Enemy'', in series 7 in two episodes (''The Great Train Robbery'' and ''The Honourable Thief''), and in series 8, ''The Celestial Choir''. * Sidney "Sid" Carter – Alex Price (2013–2016, 2022 as a lead character): An artful dodger, Sid is an occasional

black market A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the ...

eer, part-time crook and informant who becomes Lady Felicia's chauffeur. Father Brown makes him the church

handyman A handyman, also known as a fixer, handyperson or handyworker, is a person skilled at a wide range of repairs, typically around the home. These tasks include trade skills, repair work, maintenance work, are both interior and exterior, and are so ...

while trying to keep him on the straight and narrow. He has a unique talent for being able to talk his way into any situation in order to help Father Brown search for the truth. During his time in Kembleford, he manages to gain the trust and respect of both Father Brown and Mrs. McCarthy, who come to value him as a close friend. Indeed, in series 5 episode ''The Sins of Others'', Father Brown says that he is the closest thing he has ever had to a son. He is also known to share a close bond with The Honourable Penelope "Bunty" Windermere. Father Brown often relies on Sid's skills and links to the criminal underworld of Kembleford to help him solve a case. Originally a regular character, he often makes guest appearances notably in series 5, ''The Sins of Others'', 2016 Christmas Special, ''The Tree of Truth'', series 6, ''The Face of the Enemy'' and series 8, ''The River Corrupted''. In series 9. he returned as a lead character. * Zuzanna "Susie" Jasinski – Kasia Koleczek (2013): Father Brown's part-time housekeeper, who lives in a nearby post-war Polish resettlement camp. Her true first name was revealed in the episode ''The Eye of Apollo''. * The Honourable Penelope "Bunty" Windermere –

Emer Kenny Emer Gwynne Morganna Kenny (born 10 October 1989) is a British actress and screenwriter. Career Kenny made her professional debut in the 2007 BBC television drama '' Coming Down the Mountain'', and, in 2009, she made her film debut in Phil Cla ...

(2017–2020 as a lead character): the wayward niece of Lady Felicia (the daughter of her brother Viscount Windermere) seeking refuge after being photographed leaving a sleazy nightclub with a married man and cited in divorce proceedings. She has had to adapt to life in Kembleford and has become a close friend of both Father Brown and Mrs McCarthy, who she often refers to as simply 'Mrs. M'. It becomes apparent throughout the series that both women share a mutual respect for one another despite often being at odds with each other. * Inspector Valentine –

Hugo Speer Hugo Alexander Speer (born 17 March 1968) is an English actor and director. Early life and education Hugo Speer was born in Harrogate in the then West Riding of Yorkshire and educated at Harrogate Grammar School. He studied acting at the Arts ...

(2013–2014): head of the local police force who finds himself constantly torn between secret admiration for Father Brown and deep frustration with him. He would like to collaborate but has been burnt once too often by Brown's unorthodox moral code. Nevertheless, he comes to respect his methods and even admits when he is promoted to Detective Chief Inspector and moved to London that he might miss Father Brown. Valentine returns in the final episode of series 8, ''The Tower of Lost Souls'' * Inspector Sullivan – Tom Chambers (2014–2015): replaced Inspector Valentine at the start of the second series. Sullivan too is exasperated by Father Brown's meddling but is eventually won over. He made a guest appearance as a Special Branch officer in series 7, ''The Sacrifice of Tantalus'' under the alias of Inspector Truman. He also appears in the final episode of series 8, ''The Tower of Lost Souls'' * Inspector Mallory – Jack Deam (2016–present): replaces Inspector Sullivan. Like his predecessors, he is often exasperated by Father Brown, whom he sarcastically refers to as "Padre". However, he is a far more open-minded, and occasionally resourceful, detective, and chases after leads with great enthusiasm, even when they lead him to the wrong conclusion. * Sergeant Albright – Keith Osborn (2013–2014): played

dogsbody A dogsbody, dog's body, or less commonly dog robber is someone who does menial or drudge work.''Oxford English Dictionary'', 3rd edition, 2010''s.v.''/ref> Originally, in the British Royal Navy, a dogsbody was a semi-sarcastic colloquialism for a ...

to Inspectors Valentine and Sullivan. * Sergeant Goodfellow – John Burton (2014–present): continued playing the

for the Inspector with increasing involvement. Credited in the opening beginning in series 5. * M. Hercule Flambeau – John Light (2013–present): nemesis of Father Brown; jewel and art thief, seems to be without conscience. He and Father Brown have encountered each other at least once in every series; in series four he reveals he has a daughter, Marianne Delacroix, whom he had never met.

Recurring roles

* Bishop Talbot –

Malcolm Storry Malcolm Storry (born 13 January 1948) is an English actor with extensive experience on stage, television, and film. Amongst many roles, he is perhaps best known for 'Yellin' in '' The Princess Bride'', HM Customs Chief Bill Adams on ''The Knock' ...

(2013–2015): he appeared in three episodes. Talbot is Father Brown's superior and doesn't like his sleuthing, but respects him for solving the mysteries. In ''The Daughter of Autolycus'', his death was mentioned. He is succeeded by Bishop Reynard ( Michael Pennington). * Harold "Blind 'Arry" Slow – Alan Williams (2017–present): he appeared in four episodes. 'Arry is the rag and bone man for Kembleford and also a drunk. In ''The Darkest Noon'' he mentioned that he got the name "Blind 'Arry" after being gassed in

and he also mentions he was a

Sapper A sapper, also called a pioneer or combat engineer, is a combatant or soldier who performs a variety of military engineering duties, such as breaching fortifications, demolitions, bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, preparing ...

. * Professor Hilary Ambrose –

James Laurenson James Laurenson (born 17 February 1940) is a New Zealand stage and screen actor. Early life Laurenson was born in Marton, North Island, New Zealand. He was a student at Canterbury University College in Christchurch (now University of Canter ...

(2014–present): he has appeared in two episodes. Ambrose is a theological scholar and friend of Father Brown. * Canon Damien Fox – Roger May (2016–present): he appeared in two episodes. Fox is part of the Diocese and reports to Bishop Reynard. * Katherine Corven –

Kate O'Flynn Kate O'Flynn is a British actress. She is known for her performance in National Theatre's production of ''Port'' for which she received a Critics' Circle Theatre Award in 2013, as well as starring roles in plays ''A Taste of Honey'' in 2014, an ...

(2017–2018): she appeared in two episodes. In ''The Eagle and the Daw'', she was in prison for murdering her husband. Father Brown had helped to convict her and was awaiting her execution. In ''The Jackdaw's Revenge'', she was cleared of the murder of her husband when someone else confessed: later in the episode she died from a gunshot. * Daniel Whittaker – Daniel Flynn (2015–present): he appeared in two episodes. Whittaker is a ruthless

MI5 The Security Service, also known as MI5 ( Military Intelligence, Section 5), is the United Kingdom's domestic counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), G ...

agent who blackmails Lady Felicia. In ''The Man in the Shadows'', he had Sid arrested on false charges after he entered an MI5 room. In ''The Face of the Enemy'', he compelled Lady Felicia to steal (by substitution) a roll of film from one of her lovers, an alleged Soviet spy, and had her arrested on false charges. Father Brown persuaded him to let her go. * Marianne Delacroix – Gina Bramhill (2016–present). Flambeau's daughter is equally adept at theft. Two episodes. * Gerald Firth/Kalon –

Michael Maloney Michael Maloney (born 19 June 1957) is an English actor. Life and career Born in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, Maloney's first television appearance was as Peter Barkworth's teenage son in the 1979 drama series '' Telford's Change''. He made his ...

(2013–present). Founder and leader of the cult-like Church of Apollo. Two episodes.

Cast

* Mark Williams as Father Brown *

as Mrs. Bridgette McCarthy *

as Inspector Valentine (series 1–series 2, episode 1; series 8, episode 10) *

as Lady Felicia Montague (series 1–series 5, episode 2; series 6, episode 1 and 5; series 7, episode 1 and 10; series 8, episode 1; series 9, episode 5 and 10) * Alex Price as Sid Carter (series 1–4; series 5, episode 11; series 6, episode 1 and 5; series 8, episode 7; series 9) * Kasia Koleczek as Susie Jasinski (series 1) * Keith Osborn as Sergeant Albright (series 1–2) * Tom Chambers as Inspector Sullivan (series 2–3; series 7, episode 6; series 8, episode 10) * John Burton as Sergeant Goodfellow (series 2–present) * Jack Deam as Inspector Mallory (series 4–present) *

as Penelope (Bunty) Windermere (series 5–8, series 9, episode 8 and 10) * John Light as M. Hercule Flambeau (recurring guest – appearing in one episode per series (two episodes in series 9)) ''For series 9, only Mark Williams and John Burton appear in all episodes. Nancy Carroll (2 episodes), Sorcha Cusack (8 episodes), Jack Deam (9 episodes), Emer Kenny (2 episodes) and Alex Price (6 episodes) only receive Main Cast credits in the opening credits for the episodes in which they appear.''

Guest stars

Barry Sloane, Fern Deacon,

Julian Wadham Julian Neil Rohan Wadham (born 7 August 1958) is an English actor of stage, film and television. He was educated at Ampleforth College and the Central School of Speech and Drama, third son of Rohan Nicholas Wadham DFC and Juliana Wadham, née ...

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Louise Brealey Louise Brealey (born 27 March 1979), also credited as Loo Brealey, is an English actress, writer and journalist. She played Molly Hooper in '' Sherlock'', Cass in ''Back'', Scottish professor Jude McDermid in ''Clique'', Gillian Chamberlain in ...

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Susannah Fielding Susannah Glanville-Hearson"Drama: High profile OB actors"
...

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, Flora Spencer-Longhurst,

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, Sara Martins,

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, Ray Coulthard,

Dean Andrews Dean Andrews (born 6 August 1963) is an English actor. He is known for his role as DS Ray Carling in the BBC drama series ''Life on Mars''. He continued the role in the sequel series, '' Ashes to Ashes'', until 2010. As of April 2019, he has ...

Nicola Thorp Nicola Thorp, also known as Nicola Sian, (born 30 September 1988) is an English actress, columnist and activist. She is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Nicola Rubinstein in ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Early life Thorp was b ...

, Sam Cox,

Vicky Entwistle Victoria Entwistle (born 15 September 1968) is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Janice Battersby in the ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street''. Early life Entwistle grew up in Accrington; her father owned a newsagen ...

, David Yelland, Hannah Yelland, Mariah Gale, Alex Sawyer,

Emily Atack Emily Jane Atack (born 18 December 1989) is an English actress, comedian, and television personality. She is best known for playing Charlotte Hinchcliffe on the E4 comedy series ''The Inbetweeners'' (2008-2010), and for her roles in Keith Lem ...

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, Danny Webb, Simon Shepherd, Jon Glover,

John Henshaw John Joseph Henshaw (born August 1950) is a British actor, best known for his roles as Ken Dixon the landlord in '' Early Doors'', Wilf Bradshaw in '' Born and Bred'' and PC Roy Bramwell in '' The Cops.'' Often associated with characters who ar ...

, Gary Oliver, Nick Dunning,

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, Lucy Briers, Orlando Wells, John Bowler,

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, Wanda Ventham, Chris Larkin,

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, Jacqueline Defferary, Diana Kent, Holly Weston,

James Wilby James Jonathon Wilby (born 20 February 1958) is an English actor. Early life and education Wilby was born in Rangoon, Burma to a corporate executive father. He was educated at Terrington Hall School, North Yorkshire and Sedbergh School in C ...

, Ty Glaser, Cecilia Noble, Selina Griffiths, Maggie Steed, Jeff Rawle, Amanda Drew, Billy Postlethwaite, Samuel Anderson, Sean Gallagher, Amy Robbins, Jennifer Hennessy, Miranda Hennessy, Mark Umbers, Hugh Sachs,

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, Robert Portal, Paul Copley,

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, Emily Joyce,

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, Harriet Thorpe, George Webster,

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, Matthew Marsh, Lesley Nicol, Clare Lawrence Moody,

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, Ryan Gage,

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, Alexander Hanson.

is the only actor to appear in both the 1974 series and the 2013 series.

is the real-life husband of

. The pair did not share any scenes in the 2016 episode "The Daughter of Autolycus".

, who is the sister of

, played Mrs McCarthy's sister Roisin in the 2020 episode "The Numbers of the Beast".

Conception

BBC Daytime wanted a home-grown detective series for the weekday afternoons on BBC One. Original ideas from writers were pitched, but the BBC wanted something that was less risky and already well known. Father Brown had not been filmed for British television since the 1970s with

Kenneth More Kenneth Gilbert More, CBE (20 September 1914 – 12 July 1982) was an English film and stage actor. Initially achieving fame in the comedy ''Genevieve'' (1953), he appeared in many roles as a carefree, happy-go-lucky gent. Films from this peri ...

. Executive Producer John Yorke came up with the idea after hearing a radio documentary about G. K. Chesterton presented by

Ann Widdecombe Ann Noreen Widdecombe (born 4 October 1947) is a British politician, author and television personality. She was Member of Parliament (MP) for Maidstone and The Weald, and the former Maidstone constituency, from 1987 to 2010 and Member of the ...

. Writers were given the choice of adapting an existing story or coming up with an original idea. The Chesterton stories were set all over the world and at different times. Although half of the episodes in the first series were loosely based on the Chesterton stories, a decision was made to restrict the programme's location and date. The Cotswolds was chosen because it had few modern buildings and was close to the production base in Birmingham. The 1950s were chosen because the detective could solve puzzles using his mind and knowledge of human nature instead of relying on modern technology. Despite this, the script sometimes includes anachronistic language (e.g., "secure the crime scene", "mojo"). The lead writers, Rachel Flowerday and Tahsin Guner, created the supporting characters. Other writers contributed stand-alone scripts that were not part of a story arc.

Production

The series is a

BBC Studios BBC Studios is a British content company. It is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC that was formed in April 2018 through the merger of the BBC's commercial production arm and the BBC's commercial international distribution arm, BBC Worldwide. ...

Birmingham Drama Village production and filming for the first series of ten episodes of ''Father Brown'' began in the

in summer 2012. The BBC renewed ''Father Brown'' for a second series of ten episodes in 2013. A third series of 15 episodes was commissioned in 2014. A fourth series of ten episodes was commissioned in 2015.

Filming

Filming takes place in the

village of

Blockley Blockley is a village, civil parish and ecclesiastical parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, England, about northwest of Moreton-in-Marsh. Until 1931 Blockley was an exclave of Worcestershire. The civil and ecclesiastical parish ...

using the Church of St Peter and St Paul, Blockley (

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church record ...

) as the St Mary

church of the series and the vicarage transformed into the presbytery for Father Brown's residence. Other villages used are

Winchcombe Winchcombe () is a market town and civil parish in the Borough of Tewkesbury in the county of Gloucestershire, England, it is 6 miles north-east of Cheltenham. The population was recorded as 4,538 in the 2011 census and estimated at 5,347 i ...

, Upper Slaughter, Kemerton and

Guiting Power Guiting Power is a village and civil parish in the Cotswolds, in Gloucestershire, England. The population of the parish at the 2011 census was 296. Guiting Power stands on the slopes of a small valley formed by a tributary of the River Windrus ...

. Filming also took place at Winchcombe railway station and

Toddington railway station Toddington railway station serves the village of Toddington in Gloucestershire, England. Since 1984 it has been the main base of operations for the heritage Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. The station is located on the Honeybourne Line ...

on the heritage

Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway The Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWR, GWSR or Gloucs-Warks Steam Railway) is a volunteer-run heritage railway which runs along the Gloucestershire/ Worcestershire border of the Cotswolds, England. The GWSR has restored and reop ...

Sudeley Castle Sudeley Castle is a Grade I listed castle in the parish of Sudeley, in the Cotswolds, near to the medieval market town of Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, England. The castle has 10 notable gardens covering some 15 acres within a 1,200-acre estate ne ...

was the main location for ''The Eye of Apollo''.

Princethorpe College Princethorpe College is a Catholic independent day school located in Princethorpe, near Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Princethorpe College opened in September 1966 after the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (MSCs), purchased the site to use a ...

, once a Catholic convent, now a secondary school, was used to film "St Agnes Convent" in Series One Episode 6. Filming for the second series included the Warwickshire village of Ilmington.

Chastleton House Chastleton House () is a Jacobean country house at Chastleton, Oxfordshire, England, close to Moreton-in-Marsh (). It has been owned by the National Trust since 1991 and is a Grade I listed building. History Chastleton House was built between ...

and

Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle ( ; historically sometimes spelled as ''Berkley Castle'' or ''Barkley Castle'') is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The castle's origins date back to the 11th century, and it has been des ...

were used to portray Pryde Castle in the episode broadcast on 8 January 2014.

Kenilworth Castle Kenilworth Castle is a castle in the town of Kenilworth in Warwickshire, England managed by English Heritage; much of it is still in ruins. The castle was founded during the Norman conquest of England; with development through to the Tudor ...

in Warwickshire provided the location for the final resting place of the famed rosary in the episode ''Mysteries of the Rosary'' airing 10 January 2014. The gardens at

Snowshill Manor Snowshill Manor is a National Trust property located in the village of Snowshill, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. It is a sixteenth-century country house, best known for its twentieth-century owner, Charles Paget Wade, an eccentric who amasse ...

featured in the same episode. ''The Time Machine'' episode, in series 3, was based around the Warwickshire estate of

Alscot Park Alscot Park is an English Grade I listed Georgian country house in Preston on Stour, some 3 miles (5 km) south of Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire. It was built in a Rococo Gothic style for James West in the early 18th century. The hous ...

. Filming has also taken place at Ashdown WW2 Camp, Evesham, Worcestershire where the TV series the '' Land Girls'' was also filmed. Laid out as a WW2 camp, Ashdown Camp is made up of 11

Nissen huts A Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure for military use, especially as barracks, made from a half-cylindrical skin of corrugated iron. Designed during the First World War by the American-born, Canadian-British engineer and inventor Majo ...

, air raid shelters, and outbuildings. Also used were the 1930s portion of

Shire Hall, Warwick Shire Hall is a building complex located in Northgate Street in Warwick, England. It is the main office and the meeting place of Warwickshire County Council. The complex is a Grade I listed building. History The first hall Although Warwick w ...

, headquarters of Warwickshire County Council,

Bloxham School Bloxham School, also called All Saints' School, is an Independent school (UK), independent co-educational day and boarding school of the public school (UK), British public school tradition, located in the village of Bloxham, three miles (5 ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the north west of South East England. It is a mainly rural county, with its largest settlement being the city of Oxford. The county is a centre of research and development, primarily ...

and Worcester Guildhall. The former hospital at

Moreton-in-Marsh Moreton-in-Marsh is a market town in the Evenlode Valley, within the Cotswolds district and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Gloucestershire, England. The town stands at the crossroads of the Fosse Way Roman road (now the A429) and t ...

was used for the new police station and for Father Brown's kitchen, study and presbytery.

Locations

File:Filming the Father Brown series in Blockley Churchyard.JPG, Filming in

Churchyard File:The Square, Blockley, with St Peter and St Paul Church, and the Riley RMA used for filming Father Brown.JPG, St Peter & St Paul Church, Blockley and the Riley RMA used for filming Father Brown File:Blockley Church dressed with artifical snow during the filming of the 2016 Father Brown Christmas Special.JPG, Blockley Church with artificial snow (2016 Christmas Special) File:Berkeley Castle 03.jpg, Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire File:Bench and picnic bench on platform 1, Winchcombe railway station-geograph-4583566-by-Jaggery.jpg, Winchcombe railway station File:St Peter's Church, Upper Slaughter - geograph.org.uk - 177942.jpg, St Peter's Church in Upper Slaughter doubled as the Anglican church in Kembleford File:Moreton in marsh Police station.jpg, The old

police station featured as Kembleford police station File:Moreton In Marsh hospital, Gloucestershire-geograph-2465395.jpg, The old

hospital was the new Kembleford police station File:Cornwell Village centre and Village Hall - geograph.org.uk - 253357.jpg, Village centre and village hall at Cornwell (Kembleford police station in series 5) File:Quaker Meeting House, Broad Campden.jpg, The Quaker Meeting House in Broad Campden featured as ''Kembleford Parish Hall'' File:Village Green, Guiting Power-9029368312.jpg,

doubled as part of Kembleford File:High Street, Blockley, Gloucestershire-geograph-4480493.jpg, High Street,

File:Princethorpe College Church (geograph 3501693).jpg,

File:Jeep outside Spetchley Hall-geograph-4626086-by-Philip-Halling.jpg, Spetchley Park was used for ''The Curse of Amenhotep'' (2015) File:Kenilworth Castle keep from north.jpg,

File:Sudeley Castle 2.jpg,

, Gloucestershire File:Chastleton House 04.jpg,

, Oxfordshire File:Moreton In Marsh hospital, Gloucestershire-geograph-2465395.jpg, The former Moreton in Marsh hospital, Gloucestershire-geograph-2465395 File:Snowshill Manor Garden - geograph.org.uk - 1008968.jpg, Snowshill Manor Garden File:Oak Apple Day in Worcester - geograph.org.uk - 822029.jpg, The Worcester Guildhall File:Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Railway (14541076084).jpg, Gloucestershire & Warwickshire Heritage Railway File:Alscot Park, Warwickshire-geograph-4881173-by-Philip-Halling.jpg, Alscot Park

Episodes

Broadcast

BBC Worldwide has sold ''Father Brown'' to 232 territories, including, Australia (ABC), Belgium ( VRT), the Netherlands (

KRO-NCRV KRO-NCRV is a Dutch public broadcasting company based in Hilversum established on January 1, 2014 from a merger of the broadcasters Catholic Radio Broadcasting (KRO) and the Dutch Christian Radio Association (NCRV), transmitting on NPO 1, NPO ...

), BBC First (Dutch TV channel), Spain (Paramount Network), Finland (YLE), Sweden (TV8), Denmark (DR), Norway (NRK), Estonia (ETV), Iceland (

RÚV Ríkisútvarpið (RÚV) (pronounced or ) ( en, 'The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service') is Iceland's national public-service broadcasting organization. Operating from studios in the country's capital, Reykjavík, as well as regional cent ...

), Italy (Paramount Network), Croatia (HRT), and Brazil (

TV Cultura TV Cultura or simply Cultura, is a free Brazilian public television network headquartered in São Paulo and a part of Father Anchieta Foundation, a non-profit foundation funded by the São Paulo State Government. It focuses on educational and cu ...

). In the United States, ''Father Brown'' has been sold to 40 public television stations with a reach of 30% of all U.S. television households. The first four series were added to the Netflix streaming service on 31 March 2017. Series five and six were added later in 2019.

Spin offs

In January 2020, it was announced that production had begun for a ten-episode series entitled '' Sister Boniface Mysteries'' for

BritBox BritBox is an online digital video subscription service, founded by BBC Studios and ITV plc, operating in nine countries across North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa.

, the streaming service. Lorna Watson returns as Sister Boniface. She played the character in 2013 in the ''Father Brown'' episode, ''The Bride of Christ''. It was confirmed this series would air in early 2022, with the ninth series of the parent. After debuting on BritBox, 'The Sister Boniface Mysteries' aired on

Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode ha ...

, with the DVD available from 16 May 2022. The spin-off has been renewed for a second series. Mark Williams guest stars, resuming his role of Father Brown in Series 1 episode 4.

Home media

The Region 2/Region B UK releases are published by Dazzler Media. * Series 1 released in March 2014 * Series 2 released in June 2014 * Series 3 released in March 2015 * Series 4 released in March 2016 * Series 5 released in February 2017 * Series 6 released in February 2018 * Series 7 released in February 2019 * Series 8 released in March 2020 * Series 9 released in February 2022 The series has also been released on DVD (but not Blu-ray) in the U.S., Australia, the Netherlands, and Germany. Since 2019, the series has been prominently featured on the

Britbox BritBox is an online digital video subscription service, founded by BBC Studios and ITV plc, operating in nine countries across North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa.

streaming service in North America.

References

External links

* * {{BBC Daytime television series 2010s British drama television series 2010s British mystery television series 2013 British television series debuts 2020s British drama television series 2020s British mystery television series 2010s British comedy-drama television series 2020s British comedy-drama television series Adaptations of works by G. K. Chesterton BBC Daytime television series BBC high definition shows BBC television dramas Television series about Christian religious leaders English-language television shows Catholic drama television series Television series set in the 1950s Television shows set in Gloucestershire British detective television series Television series by BBC Studios