The Prisoner tv locations tour at Portmeirion Village, Wales, starring Patrick McGoohan.

The Prisoner television series filming locations at Portmeirion in North Wales. The Prisoner is the cult 1960s spy-fi ITC action series which starred Patrick McGoohan, who also wrote and directed a number of the episodes. My film takes you on a tour of the filming locations in the village and tells you everything you wanted to know about The Prisoner - number 6, in 6 minutes!
The Prisoner, first screened in 1967, one of the most influential and thought-provoking television series of all time, ran for 17 episodes. An allegorical series, a mixture of 1984, kafka and sixties cold war paranoia. Patrick McGoohan was the creative driving force behind The Prisoner, he was the star, co-creator and he wrote 3 and directed 5 episodes. In The Prisoner Patrick McGoohan played Number 6, who resigns from a top secret job, is kidnapped and taken to the village, where his captors stop at nothing to find out what information he has, if he was about to sell out and to whom.
Filming took place at Portmeirion between 5-30/9/1966 on Arrival, Free For All, Checkmate ,Dance of the Dead and Chimes of Big Ben. The second-unit returned in March 1967 for 2 weeks to film some exterior shots. Frank Maher largely doubled as number 6, although Patrick McGoohan did travel up for some filming during the weekends for Hammer into Anvil It's YourFuneral and Many Happy Returns. The last location filming here was in September 1967.
My film takes you on a tour around Portmeirion village and links shots from the episodes to the locations. It also provides interesting facts about the series and mixes sound clips and music to provide my tribute to The Prisoner. Some key locations featured in the film include:
0:28 Battery Square
1:41 The Chess Lawn
2:50 The Piazza
4:48 The Old Peoples’ Home
5:32 Green Dome
Battery Square is a key location in the series, the properties here include number 6’s house and the general store. The battery took it’s name from a couple of Napoleonic cannons that used to be located here when the battery was built in 1927. The Gothic Pavilion is seen in the opening sequence and in several episodes. The pavilion features a a trifoliate archway originally it was part of Nerquis Hall. Bristol Colonnade dates back to 1760 and was originally the front of a Bristol bathhouse, before it was moved here in the 1950s. In the Prisoner the colonnade is the venue for brass band concerts for the villagers. The Piazza is at the centre of the village and this is where the villagers congregate, parade or relax. The piazza was built in 1925. The pool was added later in 1965 and replaced a tennis court.
Portmeirion in Penrhyndeudraeth, Wales, was used as the location for “The Village” in The Prisoner. Patrick McGoohan first discovered the location while filming his hit tv series, Danger man. Sir Clough William-Ellis an architect purchased Portmeirion in 1925 and proceeded to realise his dream of creating an “ideal village”, which became his life-long passion project, to develop the site into a unique Mediterranean style village that you can still visit today.
Visiting Portmeirion
Address: Minffordd, Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, LL48 6ER
A beautiful scenic village with buildings offering a unique mixture of different architecture.
Much to see and explore and offers a selection of cafes, shops and restaurants (sometimes bookings required). Portmeirion has two hotels, village rooms and self-catering apartments.
Open 7 days a week. Some winter closure so check the website for opening times and dates.
Summer opening 9:30am - 6:30am. You are advised to buy your tickets online in advance at peak visiting times. Children under 5 are free. Only guide dogs and registered assistance dogs allowed.
Travel directions by train, bus or helicopter!
portmeirion.wales/visit/plan-...
By car for Sat Nav use LL48 6ER
Website: portmeirion.wales/
Each year, fans of the series hold The Prisoner Convention at Portmeirion with public events including the Election Parade, Tally-Ho Theatre, and Human Chess. Portmeirion Village is also home to the permanent The Prisoner Shop, which sells merchandise, books and clothing.
Music Credits
Courtesy of Epidemic Sounds:
If you can’t beat em by Epoch
Nemesis in Franklin Park by DJ Williams
Other music credit
The Oakeley Brass Band Perform The Prisoner at festival no 6
courtesy of The Prisoner VirtualCon 2020 and Ant Brierley
• The Oakeley Brass Band...
• Oakeley Brass Band - '...
Google maps courtesy of Google c 2023
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[@harrybenford]

Amazing Video :)