Little is known of Sherlock Holmes' foreign exploits. As Dr. Watson points out, for example, the Pope once requested his services to investigate the death of Cardinal Tosca. It is also known that he posed as a criminal in the United States to attract the attention of a German agent. And in the Reichenbach Falls, in Switzerland, he almost died along with his archenemy, Professor Moriarty... But, in reality, Holmes was capable of solving crimes whose origins went back to destinations as remote as India or Australia with hardly any effort. move from his London office at 221b Baker Street.
On the other hand, he did travel often through England. Especially between 1894 and 1901, the period of his greatest professional activity. Fans of the famous detective can today follow in his footsteps throughout the entire English geography. Here we have collected in alphabetical order his real destinations – because there are also fictitious ones – beyond London (with the corresponding cases in parentheses).
Colonel Barclay has been found dead in a pool of blood in his villa, on the outskirts of this town in Hampshire. Suspicions focus on his wife, but Holmes does not trust the evidence... Today Aldershot is known as "the home of the British Army", since its first training camp was established there in 1854. Among its main claims, There are several military museums.
This case, exceptionally narrated by Holmes himself, revolves around the mysterious disappearance of a colonel's son. It is not his family who is looking for him, but a comrade in arms. To discover his whereabouts, the detective must travel to the county town of Berforshire... Currently the name of Bedford is associated with that of the illustrious writer John Bunyan, author of the novel Pilgrim's Progress (1678). Guided tours are offered through some of the key scenes in his life.
Holmes and Watson go to the Shoscombe Old Place mansion, located in Berkshire County, to investigate the possible kidnapping and murder of a wealthy widow. Posing as fishermen, they manage to pull the thread... The county has among its greatest attractions the Windsor Castle and Eton College, which precisely hosted the filming of the film Young Sherlock Holmes.
A stockbroker goes to Holmes to investigate the company where he works, in Birmingham, whose practices seem unprofessional... The second most populated city in England today combines a rich industrial heritage with numerous green areas (the botanical garden, the Sutton Park, Cannon Hill Park, etc.). Peaky Blinders fans will find information about the band that inspired the series at the Black Country Living Museum. And in turn, lovers of The Lord of the Rings can discover scenarios from the life of J.R.R. Tolkien.
On the eve of an important rugby match against Oxford University, the best player on the Cambridge team has disappeared. The investigation will take an unexpected turn thanks to the genius of Holmes... A visit to this city must include, of course, the university where Newton, Darwin and Hawking passed through. But there is also King's College, which bears the names of Keynes, Turing and even a dozen Nobel Prize winners.
This area of the south Devon uplands was the scene of the disappearance of a racehorse called Silver Star and the possible murder of its trainer – one of the favorite stories of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the father of Sherlock Holmes. , in addition to suffering attacks from a huge devilish dog. This second is probably the detective's most famous case. In fact, Dartmoor is known for The Hound of the Baskervilles. Today converted into a 954 km2 national park, it boasts its natural attractions: vast granite mountains, rolling hills, green valleys and granite towers such as Haytor and Hound Tor.
In Hampshire County, Holmes comes to the aid of Violet Hunter, a governess to whom the detective - according to Watson's impression - is attracted. The young woman works at Copper Beeches, a farm where she experiences strange events. Also in Hampshire, Holmes and Watson investigate the murder of a woman, the wife of a mining businessman known as the King of Gold... This county boasts of being the birthplace of great writers such as Charles Dickens and Jane Austen. Among its natural spaces, the New Forest and South Downs parks stand out. It is also the region where fans of the Downton Abbey series will find the Crawley family castle.
A retired Holmes re-enters the scene. The Prime Minister himself has requested his help to collaborate with the country in an espionage plot... Harwich, in the county of Essex, was an important naval base from the 14th-15th centuries where navigators of the stature of John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake. It is also believed that it was this city where the Mayflower, the ship that transported the first pilgrims to North America, was built. A visit to the Maritime Museum, located in the lighthouse, is essential.
Young Willoughby Smith has died under strange circumstances. To solve the crime, there are two main clues: her last words – “The professor… it was her” – and the gold glasses he clutches in her right hand… This case takes Holmes and Watson to Kent. The city, which claims to be “the garden of England”, has among its attractions the oldest amusement park in Great Britain, Dreamland, and the Turner Gallery of contemporary art.
Sherlock Holmes visits the prestigious Priory school, where a teacher and a ten-year-old student have disappeared. The detective is upset because it took three days to notify him, which will make it difficult to discover clues... Priory is located in the Northern region of England, where visitors with an interest in history will be able to discover Hadrian's Wall, the that separated the Roman Empire from the “barbarians of the north”, and Bamburgh Castle, the setting for numerous films (such as Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny). Among its splendid natural spaces, it is worth highlighting the Lake District National Park, the North York Moors National Park or the North Pennines Geopark.
The victim in this case is an extravagant Spanish gentleman. The police strive to arrest his servant, but Holmes' nose points in another direction... his investigation takes him to the scene of the crime in Oxshott, in the county of Surrey. With barely 5,000 inhabitants and an area of 10 km2, until recently it held the title of the most expensive municipality in England. Its natural surroundings and luxurious mansions have attracted numerous sports and art stars.
After a grueling case in France, Sherlock Holmes retires to rest on an estate in Reigate, in the county of Surrey. His rest, however, is short-lived: the murder on a neighboring farm requires his ingenuity... The historic city has a fort built at the end of the 19th century. XIX to defend the country from a possible French invasion and with the large green area of Priory Park.
Holmes and Watson travel to Surrey on more than one occasion. For example, at the request of the young Helen Stoner, to solve the death under strange circumstances of her sister; and at the request of Miss Violet Smith, who is being chased by a suspicious black-bearded cyclist... In the county of Surrey you can visit Hampton Court, a key palace in the history of the Tudors, where Henry VIII and his six wives lived. Among the most charming towns is Betchworth, with its St. Michael's Church, which appears in Four Weddings and a Funeral. And nature lovers can enjoy Garden Wisley, the main historic garden of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain, and the British Wildlife Centre.
The enigma of a family ritual that dates back to the 17th century, the existence of a supposed vampire who sucks the blood of her own son and the death of a science teacher after exclaiming “The lion's mane!” These are three of the cases that attract Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson to the lands of Sussex.
The county treasures excellent Roman remains. Like the reconstructed town of Bignor, one of the most spectacular sites in the country; Fishbourne Palace, the largest Roman residence in Britain; and the mosaics of Chichester Cathedral. As for natural heritage, highlight the Devil's Dyke, a gorge – according to legend, dug by the devil to drown the region's parishioners – that provides magnificent views of the South Downs and the Weald; and the South Downs National Park, with its beautiful Iron Age villages and forts.
“The horrible Cornish case, the most extraordinary of those I have handled.” This is how Sherlock Holmes referred to the death of young Brenda Tregennis. His body was discovered along with his two brothers, who were laughing out of control... That village “where the houses of about two hundred inhabitants were crowded around an ancient church covered with moss”, according to Dr. Watson's description, seems to still be today a quiet place in the English countryside.
Watson urges Sherlock Holmes to help a former friend who now works at the Foreign Office. This is the nephew of a lord, who has been involved in the disappearance of an important treaty with Italy... This case takes the detective to Woking, a municipality today associated with H. G. Wells. The novelist not only lived in this city but also set the beginning of The War of the Worlds there. Woking is also known worldwide as the headquarters of the McLaren team.
The body of Captain Peter Carey, nicknamed the Black, is found nailed to the wall of his cabin with his own fishing harpoon. The violent murder, which has the authorities baffled, leads Holmes to a remote point in Woodman's Lee, near Forest Row... This town, in East Sussex, still retains its rural essence. Traditional cabins coexist with modern developments, among numerous green areas. Weir Wood Nature Reserve is worth a visit.
