ITV drama The Larkins is returning to screens this October and continues to be a slice of sun-dappled escapism set in 1950s rural Kent.

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Bradley Walsh and Joanna Scanlan return to star in the series, which is based on HE Bates's novel The Darling Buds of May, while Joelle Rae takes on the role of their daughter Mariette following the departure of Sabrina Bartlett.

Just like in the first season, the new episodes feature some stunning, idylic locations, including fields, market squares and cobbled streets. But where is the series filmed?

Read on for everything you need to know about filming locations for ITV's The Larkins.

Where is The Larkins filmed?

Lydia Page as Primrose Larkin, Joanna Scanlan as Ma Larkin, Bradley Walsh as Pop Larkin, Amelia Bulmore as Miss Pilchester and Kriss Dosanjh as Brigadier.
The cast of The Larkins. Objective Fiction / Genial Productions / ITV

Given the rural Kent backdrop was just as much a key part of the show as the Larkins themselves, the show could hardly neglect the Southern county, known affectionately as The Garden of England. So most of the show, for both seasons 1 and 2, was filmed in Kent, true to its setting in the books.

However, the show did not reuse Buss Farm in Pluckley, which was of course the iconic home farm used in the original Darling Buds of May adaptation - instead the series was filmed on a different Kent farm, which has not been identified by ITV or the producers.

Production on season 1 then moved to the surrounding areas of Kent for scenes that were not farm-related, including the villages of Underriver, Eynsford and West Peckham.

Filming received quite a bit of attention in Faversham, where the shops in the town's Market Place were given a retro 1950s makeover, while Walsh was also spotted in costume at Walpole Bay Hotel in Broadstairs.

Executive producer Sophie Clarke-Jervoise said: "We wanted it to be in Kent because the novels are set in Kent. We wanted these lovely rolling hills, farms in the background, it’s just gorgeous, we’ve been so lucky."

She added: "We did look at other locations options but we just kept coming back to Kent because it has that authenticity of the novels."

Star Bradley Walsh agreed, saying: "The joy of shooting here in Kent is the fact that this is where the books took place, so you get an infinity with it and you get a real feel for it. I think the farm we’re working on has a good couple of hundred, three hundred acres maybe, it’s beautiful.

"The interiors are the true inside of the farmhouse, it’s so lovely."

However while filming did mostly take place in Kent, production did also occur in London and Surrey. Film crews spotted at Flanchford Farm in Reigate in April 2021 were widely thought to be for the Darling Buds of May reboot, while filming also took place at a nearby primary school in Betchworth.

The Larkins season 2 will air from 16th October on ITV. You can buy The Darling Buds of May on Amazon.

If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Drama hub for all the latest news.

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Daniel FurnJournalist
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