Beyond paradise: the charming illusion of a cornish village
Forget the Caribbean sun; the latest BBC detective drama, Beyond Paradise, trades turquoise waters for the rugged beauty of the West Country. But here's the twist: the idyllic town at its heart, Shipton Abbott, exists only in the realm of clever location scouting. While the show provides a welcome escape from the relentless churn of news, a closer look reveals a carefully constructed fiction built from multiple real-world locations.
The quest for a 'real' town
The series, a spin-off from the hugely popular Death in Paradise, follows DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) as he relocates to Shipton Abbott to be with his fiancée, Martha Lloyd. The producers weren't aiming for a generic coastal resort; they sought a place with genuine character, a feeling of community that transcended tourism. As executive writer and producer Tony Jordan explained, his childhood memories of holidays in Devon heavily influenced the decision to film in the West Country. “It is paradise in its own way,” he stated, “so was a perfect fit and gave me everything the show needed.”
But the pursuit of this 'paradise' led the production team across a surprising array of locations. Shipton Abbott's charming seafront, showcased in stunning aerial shots, is actually Looe, Cornwall. The decision to film there hinged on Looe’s unique blend of tourism and a thriving fishing industry, as executive producer Tim Key noted: “When we went to Looe. it was a beautiful tourist town, but also a thriving community with fishing businesses, so we felt we had found our home.”
The high street, with its quaint and characterful feel, owes its ambience to Launceston, another Cornish town steeped in history as an ancient market town. For a dose of historic charm, the Ten Mile Kitchen, Martha's cafe in the early seasons, was filmed at the Stables Cafe within the Grade-I listed Port Eliot House and Gardens – a location offering everything from camping to wedding venue hire. Later seasons saw the cafe relocate to Looe's Sardine Factory, a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant known for its modern take on Cornish cuisine.
Even Humphrey and Martha’s romantic houseboat isn’t quite as it seems. While it sits on the River Tamar, it's nestled within the grounds of Pentillie Castle and Estate in Saltash, Cornwall, offering picturesque views of the castle and a riverside cottage belonging to Martha’s mother. And the Shipton Abbott police station? That’s the Guildhall in Looe, a Grade II listed building dating back to 1877 and currently operating as a museum.
Ultimately, Beyond Paradise’s appeal lies not just in its gentle mysteries, but in the carefully curated illusion of a perfect English village. The production team has cleverly woven together disparate locations, creating a setting that feels both familiar and fantastical. The result is a visual feast, proving that sometimes, the most charming destinations are those that exist only on screen.