Dad’s Army: A walking tour of the TV series’ filming sites in Thetford, Norfolk

Back in 1968, Thetford in Norfolk was chosen to be the fictional town of Walmington-on-Sea for a brand new BBC Sitcom, Dad’s Army, created by the legendary duo, David Croft and Jimmy Perry. The cast and crew returned to Thetford every year from 1968 to 1977, staying at the Bell Hotel, to complete all the outdoor filming for Dad’s Army, before returning to the studios in London.

This walking tour, created by Dad’s Army Museum Thetford, will take you to the iconic filming locations around the town, share insider information about the world famous Dad’s Army television series, and also give you a flavour of the history of Thetford.

Famous locations that you’ll have a chance to visit during this tour include:

• Thetford Guildhall, which doubled as Walmington On Sea’s Town Hall in two episodes: The Captain’s Car and Time On My Hands
• The Clock Tower from Time On My Hands in which a German paratrooper can be seen dangling (or can he..?) We’ll tell you more on the tour!
• Mill Lane, where Lance Corporal Jones is seen marching with a hand grenade down the back of his trousers in the episode The Deadly Attachment
• Old Bury Road, the site of The Free Polish Club, where Lance Corporal Jones is mistaken for a Prisoner of War in the episode The Face On The Poster
• One of the most iconic filming sites in the history of Dad’s Army, Nether Row, where four episodes of the series were filmed: The Armoured Might Of Lance Corporal Jones, Man Hunt, The Big Parade and Time On My Hands.
• The Bell Hotel, where the cast and crew of Dad’s Army used to stay while filming
• Murals of various Dad’s Army characters around Thetford
• The life-size Captain Mainwaring statue, unveiled in 2010 and sitting proudly next to the river
• The J Jones Family Butchers Thetford, selling the delicious Walmington Bangers
• The statue of Political Writer Thomas Payne, who attended Thetford Grammar School
• The statue of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Maharaja of the Punjab, who nearly moved to Elvedon when his land was exiled by the British

This one-hour walking tour is a must for any Dad’s Army fans, and will recreate memories from the television series, and hopefully leave you keen to learn more about Dad’s Army and the town of Thetford.

The tour can be taken any time between dawn and dusk, but please be aware that the Dad’s Army Museum has limited opening times, so please check our (website)[www.dadsarmymuseum.co.uk] for opening hours, where you’ll also find a list if alternative ways to experience Dad’s Army sites. So take a trip back in time with this walking tour, and revive your memories of Dad’s Army.