Where is Shipton Abbott in the story?
Devon. It is a fictional small town in South Devon in England's West Country, Martha's home town, set a little back from the coast so stories can use both the sea and the countryside.
A close-knit small market town with a quay and a fishing community, where everyone knows everyone. Its police station is a modest, slightly old-fashioned outpost of the regional force, under constant threat of closure, yet the town has an unusually high crime rate for its size. No population figure is given on screen.
Shipton Abbott landmarks
- Shipton Abbott Police Station, Humphrey's base, with a blue police lamp over the door.
- Ten Mile Kitchen, Martha's café-restaurant, co-owned with Archie Hughes.
- The Lily Bond, Humphrey's houseboat, moored on the river until it drifts off early in Series 4.
- Anne Lloyd's cottage, the family's on-and-off home.
- The quay and fish market, a market square, a fire station, Shipton Abbott Primary (Rosie's school) and the nearby Abbott Moor.
- South West Police Headquarters, where senior officers such as Charlie Woods and James Smith are based.
Where is Shipton Abbott filmed?
Looe, a fishing and harbour town in south-east Cornwall, provides most of Shipton Abbott's street scenes. Fans of the show visit despite it being set across the border in Devon.
| In Shipton Abbott | Real filming location |
|---|---|
| Shipton Abbott Police Station | The Guildhall, East Looe |
| Opening-titles view | Looe Bridge |
| Quayside chases and town scenes | East Looe Quay and Fish Market |
| Shipton Abbott market | Behind the Rose Garden, Looe |
| Waterfront benches where Martha and Anne talk | Banjo Pier and the end of the Fish Market, Looe |
| Ten Mile Kitchen | Series 1–2: The Stables Cafe, Port Eliot estate, St Germans. Series 3 onwards: the Old Sardine Factory, West Looe quay |
| Anne's house, the houseboat and its quay | Pentillie Castle and Estate, on the River Tamar north of Plymouth |
| South West Police Headquarters | University of Plymouth, Portland Square and Nancy Astor buildings |
| Fire station | West Looe, across the river |
| Town-centre scenes (some series) | Launceston, Cornwall |
See all 32 Beyond Paradise filming locations on the map →
Shipton Abbott on a map
You will not find Shipton Abbott on Google Maps or an Ordnance Survey sheet. To stand where the cast stand, search for Looe, Cornwall PL13. Looe sits on the south Cornish coast about 20 miles west of Plymouth, just across the River Tamar from Devon, where the story places the town.
How to visit Shipton Abbott (Looe)
Looe’s screen locations are close together: from the Old Sardine Factory in West Looe (Ten Mile Kitchen from Series 3) cross Looe Bridge to East Looe, walk along Buller Quay and the fish market to Banjo Pier and the beach, then turn into Fore Street for the Guildhall — the Shipton Abbott police station. Allow about two hours at a relaxed pace, or join a guided tour.
Get there
Train to Liskeard, then the scenic Looe Valley Line (about 30 minutes). By car, follow the A38 then A387. Getting to Looe →
Park
Millpool car park in West Looe (PL13 2AF) is the big long-stay option; East Looe parking is small and fills early. Parking in Looe →
Walk the locations
Follow our trail builder or book a Beyond Paradise walking tour.
Stay over
East Looe for pubs and the beach, West Looe and Hannafore for sea views and easy parking. Where to stay in Looe →
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Shipton Abbott: questions fans ask
Where is Shipton Abbott?
Shipton Abbott is a fictional town. In the story it lies in South Devon, a short way inland from the coast and within the regional South West police force. The scenes you see are mostly filmed in Looe, a harbour town just over the border in south-east Cornwall, about 20 miles west of Plymouth.
Is Shipton Abbott a real place?
No. Shipton Abbott was created for Beyond Paradise and does not exist in the UK. The name sounds like a real West Country market town, but the on-screen town is pieced together from Looe in Cornwall, the Port Eliot and Pentillie estates near the Tamar, Plymouth and other West Country locations.
Is Shipton Abbott in Devon or Cornwall?
Both, in a sense. The fictional town is in Devon, and Series 3 opens with a case on the Devon-Cornwall border that puts Humphrey alongside Cornish officers. The real streets, harbour and police station used for filming are in Looe, Cornwall, with some scenes shot in Devon.
Where is Shipton Abbott police station filmed?
The police station exterior is Looe's historic Guildhall in East Looe, dressed with a blue police lamp above the door during filming. Some location trails also point visitors to the nearby Pier Cafe, where the team's patrol car was often parked during Series 1.
Can I find Shipton Abbott on a map?
Not as Shipton Abbott, since there is no such town on any real map. To visit the places you see on screen, search for Looe in Cornwall. Its Guildhall, Fish Market, Banjo Pier and quayside are all within an easy walk of each other, and a local visitor trail links them.
Where is Ten Mile Kitchen filmed?
In Series 1 and 2, Ten Mile Kitchen's interior and terrace were filmed at The Stables Cafe on the Port Eliot estate at St Germans, roughly ten miles from Looe. From Series 3 the restaurant moved on screen to the Old Sardine Factory on West Looe quay, which is now a real restaurant you can visit.
Where is Humphrey's houseboat moored?
The Lily Bond's riverside mooring, along with Anne's house, was filmed at Pentillie Castle and Estate, a private estate on the River Tamar north of Plymouth. It is private land, so check what access is offered before planning a visit.
Why is Beyond Paradise filmed in Cornwall if it's set in Devon?
The producers wanted a West Country setting because Devon had rarely been used in TV drama, and Looe offered a picturesque working harbour with a fishing community, close to the other estates and Plymouth locations they needed. Filming has continued across south-east Cornwall and parts of Devon through Series 5.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org — Beyond Paradise (TV series)
- visitlooe.co.uk — Shipton Abbott Trail CF.pdf
- britbrief.co.uk — beyond paradise series 5 filming in devon cornwall
- tellyspotting.kera.org — the devon coast is beyond paradise for di humphrey goodman and fiancee
- whattowatch.com — beyond paradise review paradise found in witty spin off
- heraldextra.com — brokaw beyond paradise returns for a third season
- tvmaze.com — episodeguide