Where was Hot Fuzz filmed?
Edgar Wright's comedy remains one of the finest British films of the 21st century.
Since its release 15 years ago, Edgar Wright's Hot Fuzz has cemented its place as one of the most beloved comedy films of the 21st century.
The middle entry in Wright and Simon Pegg's so-called Cornetto Trilogy (sandwiched between the equally revered Shaun of the Dead and slightly less-appreciated The World's End), it contains perhaps more quotable lines of dialogue and memorable comic set pieces than any British film released since.
The story follows tough city cop Sergeant Nicholas Angel, who suddenly finds himself uprooted from his busy London job and sent to the tiny Gloucestershire village of Sandford – a multiple Village of the Year winner where it initially seems crime is rather scarce.
Of course, things turn out not to be quite what they seem, and with help from his hapless colleague Danny Butterman (Nick Frost), Angel sets about getting to the bottom of the dark secret at the heart of Sandford.
In many ways, Sandford resembles what you might call a stereotypical English town – albeit with significantly more murders – and so you might be wondering where in the UK the film was actually shot.
Read on for everything you need to know.
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Where was Hot Fuzz filmed?
Sandford is not actually a real place, and the vast majority of filming in fact took place in Wells, a cathedral city in Somerset that holds the distinction of being England's smallest city.
Wells also happens to be where Edgar Wright himself spent most of his childhood, and the director said of the chosen location at the time: "I love it but I also want to trash it."
In real life the city has a notable cathedral, but Wright made the decision to airbrush the building out of every shot so that the Church of St Cuthbert could instead serve as Sandford's centre point.
In addition to St Cuthbert's, Wells's locations that can be seen throughout the film include The Swan Hotel, where Nicholas Angel stays; local pub The Crown at Wells, where he first meets and arrests Danny; Little Theatre, where he watches a terrible amateur production of Romeo and Juliet; The Bishop's Palace, where he attends a meeting of the Neighbourhood Watch; and the local supermarket – then a Somerfield but now a Tesco Superstore.
If you're a Hot Fuzz fan hoping to visit some of these locations then it couldn't be easier – there are regular Hot Fuzz Film Location Tours in Wells that even let you in on some little-known secrets about the film.
Away from Wells, other locations used in the film include Hendon Police College, Wards Hurst Farm in Hertfordshire (where David Bradley's character Arthur Webley's farm is based), and the surviving ruins of Waverley Abbey where parts of the final chase were filmed.
Hot Fuzz is currently streaming on BritBox – you can sign up for a 7-day free BritBox trial here. Check out our Film hub for more news, interviews and features or find something to watch with our TV Guide.
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Authors
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
