Yorkshire

If like us you’ve been glued to the new Channel 4 crime drama Patience, you’re probably enjoying the lush images of York, where it is set, as much as the plot twists. The film-makers have used drones to make the most of the instantly recognisable skyline, dominated by historic gems such as <a href="https://yorkminster.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York Minster</a> and <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/cliffords-tower-york/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Clifford’s Tower</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/P-and-team-at-Clifford-Tower-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-2.jpg" alt="Patience by Clifford's Tower York" class="wp-image-1832" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/P-and-team-at-Clifford-Tower-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-2.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/P-and-team-at-Clifford-Tower-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/P-and-team-at-Clifford-Tower-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/P-and-team-at-Clifford-Tower-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-2-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Patience (Ella Maisy Purvis), DI Bea Metcalf (Laura Fraser), DC Will Akbain (Ali Ariaie) and DS Jake Hunter (Nathan Welsh) by Clifford&#8217;s Tower.</figcaption></figure>



The series is based on the Franco-Belgian show Astrid et Raphaelle. So how did it end up being relocated to North Yorkshire? Thankfully I didn&#8217;t need a forensic mind like the show&#8217;s lead, Patience, played by Ella Maisy Purvis, an archivist with austism and a super-analytical brain, to work it out.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Bea-and-Patience-backs-76899_S1_Ep5_Patience-Ep5-1.jpg" alt="Patience overlooking York Minster" class="wp-image-1833" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Bea-and-Patience-backs-76899_S1_Ep5_Patience-Ep5-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Bea-and-Patience-backs-76899_S1_Ep5_Patience-Ep5-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Bea-and-Patience-backs-76899_S1_Ep5_Patience-Ep5-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Bea-and-Patience-backs-76899_S1_Ep5_Patience-Ep5-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">DI Bea Metcalf and Patience surveying York.</figcaption></figure>



It turns out that writer Matt Baker, who adapted the script for a British audience, grew up in Pocklington on the city outskirts. His wife Jo McGrath, the executive producer for Patience and creative officer at Eagle Eye Drama, graduated from the <a href="https://www.york.ac.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">University of York</a>, where their son is currently a student. Nothing like keeping it in the family – or close to home!



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-wall-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-4.jpg" alt="Patience City Walls York" class="wp-image-1834" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-wall-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-4.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-wall-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-wall-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-wall-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-4-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Patience on York city walls.</figcaption></figure>



Viewers who know the city will enjoy spotting key landmarks such as the medieval and Insta-loving <a href="https://www.shamblesyork.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shambles</a>, renowned as the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter movies. <a href="https://www.yorkwalls.org.uk/?page_id=3697" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York City Walls</a> and its many bars (as in gates rather than pubs) are the most intact in England and can be walked following a downloadable trail. Then there are the lingering shots along the banks of the pretty <a href="https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/canals-and-rivers/river-ouse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">River Ouse</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-B-and-son-by-River-Ouse-76899_S1_Ep1_-Embargoed-0001-31st-December-2024-Patience.jpg" alt="Bea Metcalf patience River Ouse York" class="wp-image-1835" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-B-and-son-by-River-Ouse-76899_S1_Ep1_-Embargoed-0001-31st-December-2024-Patience.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-B-and-son-by-River-Ouse-76899_S1_Ep1_-Embargoed-0001-31st-December-2024-Patience-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-B-and-son-by-River-Ouse-76899_S1_Ep1_-Embargoed-0001-31st-December-2024-Patience-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-B-and-son-by-River-Ouse-76899_S1_Ep1_-Embargoed-0001-31st-December-2024-Patience-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">DI Bea Metcalf with son Alfie (Max Whitelock) by the River Ouse</figcaption></figure>



The luxury five-star <a href="https://www.thegrandyork.co.uk/">The Grand</a>, with its uniformed doormen, spa and penthouse suite, doubles as the fictional Railway Hotel. The gorgeous old building is the former headquarters of the North Eastern Railway.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-museum-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3.jpg" alt="Patience York Castle Museum" class="wp-image-1836" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-museum-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-museum-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-museum-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-P-in-front-of-museum-76899_S1_Ep3_Patience-Ep3-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Patience in front of York Castle Museum.</figcaption></figure>



But there are red herrings to throw us location sleuths off track! While in the third episode Patience is clearly standing in front of <a href="https://www.yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/visitor-information/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York Castle Museum</a>, the interior is somewhere else entirely – in fact it belongs to the Natural History Museum in Lille. 



In a plot twist worthy of Hercule Poirot, it turns out that many interiors were shot in Belgium or just over the border into France. These include the City of York police station, which is actually in Lier, Belgium, and Patience’s cosy attic bedroom, which belongs to a house in Antwerp.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="844" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-844-York-Minster-Visit-York.jpg" alt="Patience York Minster" class="wp-image-1837" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-844-York-Minster-Visit-York.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-844-York-Minster-Visit-York-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-844-York-Minster-Visit-York-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-844-York-Minster-Visit-York-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">York Minster. Image credit: Visit York</figcaption></figure>



York Minster and Clifford’s Tower are almost characters in the drama, and set jetters won’t be disappointed with the real thing. The Minster with its magnificent spires and ornate stained glass windows has stood proudly above York since the 7th century. Climb the 275 steps of the Central Tower for the best view of the city – this is the highest point in York.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Cliffords-Tower-York-Visit-York.jpg" alt="Patience Clifford's Tower York" class="wp-image-1838" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Cliffords-Tower-York-Visit-York.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Cliffords-Tower-York-Visit-York-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Cliffords-Tower-York-Visit-York-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/yorkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2025/01/1500-x-1000-Cliffords-Tower-York-Visit-York-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Clifford&#8217;s Tower. Image credit: Visit York</figcaption></figure>



Clifford’s Tower stands high on a grassy mound and was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1086 to subdue the rebellious north. It has been brought up to date for visitors with immersive soundscapes relating its gruesome history, new walkways and staircases leading to parts that have been off limits for centuries, and a roof deck with panoramic views of the city.



Be sure to catch the final two episodes of Patience on Channel 4 at 9pm on 22 and 23 Jan, or stream the six-part series on <a href="https://www.channel4.com/programmes/patience">More4</a>. 



One reason why York belongs in our <a href="https://yorkshire.muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live/yorkshire/york/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Best Places to Live</a> is the annual&nbsp;<a href="https://visityork.org/members/events/residents-festival-get-involved" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">York Residents’ Festival</a>,&nbsp;which will return on&nbsp;25–26 Jan.

Patience please: where this quirky crime series was filmed in Yorkshire

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