The Casual Vacancy Filming Locations

The Casual Vacancy (2015) was filmed mainly in the county of Gloucestershire, England, in the Cotswold towns of Bisley, Painswick, Minchinhampton, Burford, Northleach, Stroud and Stonehouse. Some scenes were also filmed in Bristol.

BISLEY

Church Hill – Barry and Mary’s house is the first house on the left looking down from the church.

Mollison & Fairbrother solicitors building – This was filmed in the old courthouse on the High Street of Bisley. Barry is seen crossing the road from Church Hill past the sign and up the stairs.

All Saints church – Pagford church. Bisley’s church was used to film many scenes, including the council meetings in a side room, shots of the church bells being rung, Barry’s funeral and burial, Krystal and Fats meeting up, and is also seen on Vikram’s morning runs.

Sukhvinder Jawanda sits on the grass leaning against these railings whilst her mother is in a council meeting. She sees Tessa Wall arrive late, running towards the side door to the church, and knocking over a sign.

Barry and Tessa talk outside the side entrance to the church. Barry tells her he’s got a thumping hangover.

The church bells are rung from this upper platform.

This stained glass window can be seen in one shot.

This small parking area is where people congregate before Barry’s funeral.

The coffin is carried up Church Hill, under the shelter/overhang and into the church yard, past a yew tree on the left.

Shortly before the funeral, Simon Price gets his family to put ‘Vote Price’ flyers into the funeral service pamphlets in the pews.

Krystal and Robbie arrive at the back of the church, late for the funeral.

Vikram Jawanda runs down the path along this church wall and down the steps.

In the final episode, Krystal and Robbie walk down these steps.

The Old Vicarage – The Jawanda’s house, next to the church.

On the day of Barry’s funeral, the Jawanda’s are seen crossing the garden and through a gap in the hedge that leads directly into the church yard.

Seven Wells – Seen in montage sequences in episodes 1 and 3.

PAINSWICK

Pagford Library – Painswick Town Hall/Community Library. This is where Krystal talks to Arf and then gives Fats a handjob in the Philosophy section.

Samantha’s Boudoir – Samantha’s lingerie shop was filmed in this building on the corner of Victoria Street and St Mary’s Street, Painswick.

Simon watches his sons from this corner as they pass Samantha’s Boudoir on their bikes. The large grate on the wall and the corner shop in the background can be seen in the shot.

Tibbiwell Street – This photogenic street in Painswick can be seen a couple of times in the series. The Golden Heart can be seen on the right.

Bisley Street – Looking down the street, the Walls’ house is on the left and is a building owned by the National Trust. The Pagford funeral directors was filmed in the building opposite.

The Wall family leave their house and cross the narrow street to the car on the morning of Barry’s funeral. Tessa confronts Fats about being the Ghost of Barry Fairbrother. “It better not be you. The Ghost.”

Painswick church – The church spire is seen in distant shots of Pagford.

NORTHLEACH

Northleach Market Place – Pagford square. For the TV show, the Northleach village sign in the market place was changed to read Pagford

Fats and Arf walk across the square towards the Mollison’s new wine bar. The Sherborne Arms pub can be seen in the background.

Black Cat cafe – The Mollison’s home and delicatessen.

The Ox House – The Mollison’s new wine bar where Arf and Gaia apply for jobs. The rear courtyard was used for filming the scene where Gaia and Arf talk, and where Arf pushes Fats over.

When Arf talks to Fats in the rear courtyard, Gaia stands in this hallway, listening in on their conversation.

MINCHINHAMPTON

Events building/town hall – This is the Pagford Guildhall which was used for the polling station and Howard’s birthday party.

During the local council election, Fats is seen leaning against one of the pillars outside the entrance of the Guildhall, wearing a Vote Wall t-shirt and smoking a spliff.

On the night of Howard’s party, Arf runs up the steps to the rear of the building after seeing Fats and Gaia kissing.

A great shot of a man herding sheep down this street by the Guildhall at dawn is seen on the morning after Howard’s party. During the filming of this, locals were excited about the sheep being lead through the village.

The Crown Inn – This is the pub where Samantha and Miles Mollison are having dinner when they see Barry and Mary pull up outside the Guildhall. Barry collapses in the street next to the war memorial.

Barry dies in the road next to the war memorial.

Minchinhampton Common – A lay-by on Golf Course Road was used as the bus stop where kids are picked up by the school bus.

BURFORD

Warwick Hall – This is where the Sweetlove House community hall was filmed.

In the TV show, many of the windows of the building were covered up by a mural, probably with CGI.

In episode 1, Simon Price parks his car next to this green after seeing his sons’ bikes outside Sweetlove House. He jumps on one of the bike wheels before driving off again.

The interior was also used, but the building has since been renovated and now looks quite different. In the main events room of Warwick Hall you can recognise the same fireplaces as in the TV scenes. Above the end fireplace is where the Sweetlove portrait hung.