Living just a bus ride away from Oxford and enjoying the detective series of Morse, Lewis and Endeavour, I often find myself smiling as I pass a landmark from one of the cases so I thought I’d snap a few of the views I pass regularly and search out a few more to share some of the smiles with you.
My recent visit to Thrupp is what set this idea in motion. I mentioned to a friend or two that I’d been to The Boat Inn and they made the Morse connection for me. From there I just had to find out which episode the landmark was spotted in, and watch it again to check the references, a difficult chore I know, but its all in the name of art.
In the episode The Last Enemy, Morse has a toothache, I can really sympathise with him there, but hope I wasn’t quite so grumpy everytime I had mine.
The programme opens with a young couple navigating the Oxford canal near Thrupp, quite badly as it turns out, and after running into the reeds they find a body in the water. I won’t tell you the plot, but before long we spot the old faithful jaguar bringing morse around the corner of Canal Road as he heads to the canal at the far end of the road where the body is being examined.
Breakfast is hinted at as we see Morse and Lewis hammering on the door of The Boat Inn, but I believe it was liquid refreshment and painkillers for Morse’s toothache which were the order of the day while they interviewed the landlord.
Later we visit Canal Road again with Lewis as he’s making enquiries at number four. The residents of number five dissappear indoors to avoid awkward questions.
If I remember rightly, there’s just one more trip to Thrupp and here we find Morse sampling the beer in the company of a young lady in the beer garden of The Boat Inn.
I haven’t eaten in The Boat Inn, the menu was a little too rich for me, but next time I’m passing I’ll be sure to drop in for coffee and possibly even take it out into the beer garden to drink it.
I’d have enjoyed this expedition, too! I have fond memories of the Inspector Morse series starring John Thaw and am also an enthusiastic fan of the beauty of those stone cottages and pubs of the English countryside. Lovely way to combine those interests! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
It is a brilliant way to combine the two isn’t it.
I’m looking into the Wolvercote Tongue next and I can feel another visit to the Trout Inn coming up, purely in the name of research of course. 😀