What Yorkshire Town Was Last Of The Summer Wine Filmed In?

Ever watched an old show on TV and wondered where it was actually filmed? One picture perfect town in West Yorkshire became the real life star of Britain’s longest running comedy series. For an amazing 37 years, the BBC sitcom Last of the Summer Wine followed the mischievous adventures of three elderly friends, all set in the very real, very charming town of Holmfirth.

The show ended in 2010, but the town’s connection to this much loved comedy remains strong. Fans still travel from all over the country to see the locations that helped bring the sitcom to life.

The famous town behind the sitcom

The place at the centre of it all is Holmfirth. It is a classic Yorkshire town filled with cobbled streets, old stone cottages, and surrounded by beautiful rolling hills. This made it the perfect backdrop for the gentle, funny stories of Last of the Summer Wine.

The show followed the antics of three unforgettable characters:

• Compo, scruffy and childlike
• Foggy, the pompous ex military man
• Clegg, the gentle and philosophical one

Their adventures made the Yorkshire countryside as much a character as any of them.

The organisation Welcome to Yorkshire summed it up perfectly, describing Holmfirth as a town that retains the quaint charm of bygone years, surrounded by impressive scenery. It looks like something straight off a postcard, which is exactly why this iconic BBC series felt so at home there.

Walking in the footsteps of Compo, Clegg and Foggy

One of the best things about Holmfirth is that fans can still visit many of the filming locations. Generations of viewers have made the trip to this scenic part of Yorkshire to see where the magic happened.

Some of the most famous spots include:

• Sid’s Cafe on Town Gate, where the trio often met for tea. It is a real cafe you can still visit today.
• Nora Batty’s house at No. 28 Huddersfield Road, one of the most recognisable front doors in British TV. It is now a holiday cottage.
• The Wrinkled Stocking Tea Room, used for exterior shots of Compo’s house and located right next to the steps Nora Batty famously swept.

Fans love visiting these locations. One recent visitor to Sid’s Cafe shared on Tripadvisor: “Had to come here for at least a drink as it is the famous cafe in LOTSW. Had a cream tea. The scone was soft, the tea was delicious, and the staff were friendly.” The series truly lives on through these places.

Remembering the cast of a British classic

The show would not have been the same without its incredible cast. The central trio were the heart of the sitcom.

• Bill Owen played Compo, famous for his wellies and his hopeless crush on Nora Batty.
• Brian Wilde played Foggy, the know it all who dreamed up ridiculous schemes.
• Peter Sallis played Clegg, the thoughtful one who got dragged into the chaos.

The supporting cast was equally memorable. Kathy Staff brought Nora Batty to life, and John Comer played Sid, the long suffering cafe owner.

Many of the cast members have since passed away, but their humour and warmth live on in the countless reruns watched across Britain every year.

The man who was Clegg and so much more

Among the cast, Peter Sallis holds a special place in television history. He was the longest serving actor in Last of the Summer Wine, appearing in every single episode from the first in 1973 to the last in 2010. An incredible 295 episodes.

But younger generations may know his voice even better than his face. Peter Sallis was also the voice of Wallace in the beloved Wallace and Gromit films. His warm Yorkshire accent brought the cheese loving inventor to life for millions around the world.

Peter Sallis passed away in 2017 at the age of 96. At the time, Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park paid a heartfelt tribute, saying he was always the first and only choice for Wallace.

A report from journalist Molly Court on 23 November helped bring those warm memories back into the spotlight, reminding everyone of Peter Sallis’s remarkable dual legacy. He was a key part of Britain’s longest running sitcom and the iconic voice behind one of its most adored animated characters.

What a career, and what a contribution to British television.