The BBC has been spotted filming Shane Meadows’ new drama The Gallows Pole in a quiet Yorkshire village.
Film crews from the BBC have descended upon the quiet West Yorkshire village of Heptonstall, near Hebden Bridge, transforming its tiny cobbled streets into that of an 18th-century town as they shoot new drama The Gallows Pole.
Inspired by a real-life story about a gang of counterfeiters who lived in the area hundreds of years ago, the new BBC drama is based on Benjamin Myers’ award-winning novel of the same name.
Its heroes, the Cragg Vale Coiners, came to the area in the 1700s to produce fake gold coins that supplemented their income from weaving and were responsible for what became known as the biggest fraud in English history.
The new BBC drama will feature This Is England star Michael Socha alongside actors Thomas Turgoose, 1917’s George MacKay, Sophie McShera, Tom Burke, Cara Theobold, Yusra Warsama, and Eve Burley.
Documenting a fascinating period of Yorkshire history, The Gallows Pole will dramatise how the pursuits of the counterfeiters, also sometimes known as the Yorkshire Coiners, ultimately damaged the British economy and set the men up as rebels against the state.
Images shared on Twitter by Angela Jarrett show actors dressed up in full 17th-century costume, with the women in full skirts and shawls, whilst the male actors donned loose shirts, thick work boots, and dirty-looking waistcoats.
Sharing the discovery to Twitter, Angela wrote: “went to visit son in Calder Valley for a bit of walking and visit to picturesque olde worlde Heptonstall – happened upon filming taking place for new BBC period drama coming soon called The Gallows Pole”.
She also posted the image of a grave of one of the chief coiners, which is also located in Heptonstall.
A portion of the headstone reads: “Here was interr’d the body of Grace Hartley of Lodge in Erringden who departed this life Sept 2nd 1802 in the 61 year of her life.
“Also of David Hartley her Grandson who departed this life Feb 23rd 1845 aged 25 years.”
Feature image – Dawn France via the Afghan Rug Shop on Twitter
