Locations - Kirkcudbright

(Based on and used with permission from the wicker-man.com site which was written circa mid-2000s.)

They shot here on Nov 16 and from Nov 20 - 24, 1972.

See also Andy Taylor's location footage from 2000.And 2019.

The vast majority of The Wicker Man's location shooting was done in Dumfries and
Galloway. A number of key scenes were filmed here in Kirkcudbright (pronounced Kircoobry).

This bridge was supposed to have been where a scene was shot of a man jumping off it but that was cancelled beforehand.

Also of interest is 'The Steam Packet Inn' bar. This was the filming location of the mainland pub scene which never made it to any version of the film. (See these pics.)

   The interior (possibly in 2013)

It is likely that the scene with the prostitute was filmed in the alley to the left of the Steam Packet Inn. (See these pics.)

The interior of Greyfriars Episcopal Church served as the mainland church seen near the beginning of the film. Despite recent restoration work, the building is largely unchanged since the time of filming. The 'skull and crossbones' motif ( that can also be seen in the film's other kirk ) was not a prop and is a feature of churches of that period and geographical location. Thanks are due to Rev Peter Taylor for allowing us access to his parish church.

Some behind the scenes shots here.

Across the road from May Morrison's (the 'High Street Gallery') is the Kirkcudbright police station. Although this was the site of the mainland station seen in the opening scenes of the film (Director's Cut only), that particular building has since been destroyed and rebuilt.

Here's a pic that shows the old police station.

The current police station situated in the same spot can be seen below.

 The 'High Street Gallery' (84 High Street) is now situated in the building where interiors and exteriors of May Morrison's sweet shop were filmed.

    ​Here is a shot taken from inside May Morrison's living quarters and a comparison with the location as it appeared more recently. The stairs were constructed by the prop department for the movie presumably to enable some scenes shot upstairs (that were possibly shot in Whihorn) but those scenes never made the movie. It is more likely those scenes were not shot.

The 'Harbour Gallery' can be found near the town's seafront. The building served as the exterior of the Summerisle bakery and can be seen in the film shortly after Howie arrives on the island. It can also be seen during the house search for Rowan.

The building immediately next door to the Harbour Gallery is the house which once had the distinctive 'fanged' door knocker
as also seen during the search for Rowan sequence. (That is a Maori tiki according to Christopher Lee. More accurately, it is a likeness of the Balinese god Barong.)

**The alleys seen as Howie chases the Hobby**

The archways and lanes where Oak lured Howie through the streets can also be found in the High Street as can Kirkcudbright tolbooth, which is where we see the villagers gather for their May Day parade.The archways are unchanged since the time of filming.

There are 11 shots of Howie chasing the Hobby before we see the courtyard (including repeated shots). Here are the alleys, which are called "closes", in the order they are seen. (The repeats are not repeated.) See the map for the locations of these closes.

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Here is a nice walking tour. It starts down the street and works back to The Tolbooth Art Centre.

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Palmers Close (my #8) is to the right of the Bay Tree Guest House, which is 110 High St. (second close along from Fishers Close)

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Rankine Place (my #9) is to the left of number 94. (first close along from Fischers Close)

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You then turn round and walk a few steps back, cross over Fishers Close where you find the High Street Gallery. (my #2)

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The Court House is opposite High St Gallery. (my #3)

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The close next to Ironstones  comes next. (my #1)

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Then only a few steps more to Steeple Close. (my #6) It is next to Tolbooth House.

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And you arrive at The Tolbooth, which is now known as The Tolbooth Art Centre. (my #10)

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1) The first shot of the hobby spinning around was shot in front of this close. (Note the sign on the door. "Ironstones"). This is right next to #66 High St, three doors down from the Old Tolbooth.

2) Then we see this close (Police Close) immediately to the right of May Morrison's. Howie notices the bobby at the other end as he walks from right to left. May Morrison's had a blue facade with lighter trim at the time of the movie.

3) The third shot is of a cobblestone close seen from above. This was taken at about 62 High St by the side yard of the Old Court House. The only major change to the area in respect of this scene is the cobbled fenced area where we see both Oak and Howie run along. This area has since been redeveloped, however the old railings have been utilized as can be seen in the pictures below.

4) Howie then comes out of an close. This is the same close as #2.

5) The hobby appears to the right of close #1 again.

6) The cam then pans left from the Hobby. On the right. we see a blue door with red trim and a white wall with external piping. It pans to a golden door on a white facade and then to another building with a stone facade. The house, known as Tolbooth House, as you can see is one house away from the Tolboth. The close is Steeple Close.

7) Howie comes out of close #1.

8) The hobby appears at the end of a close (Palmers Close) with a white house on the right. The Bay Tree Guest House, 110 High St, is the blue house to its left. (This is a continuity error as the backgrounds in this and the next shot do not match up. The white house seen in close #8 is not in #9 and the rest of that background is different too.)

9) Howie turns and sees hobby down a close that has a slanted roof on the left. This is Rankine Place, to the left of number 94.

10) Howie runs past a house with a blue facade and then turns down an open close. This is close #3,

11) The hobby runs past the front of this building and into the two open doors in the middle. Howie follows. This is the Old Tolbooth.

The small metal suns seen on the steps of the tolbooth were not movie props and still exist today as they did at the time of filming.

Needless to say, the large sun prop is no longer there. Note that the related courtyard scene was filmed some miles away at Lochinch Castle.

Some of the cast and crew stayed at the Burnbank hotel. "They weren't a great bunch", says Jeremy John Scott.

For more reading on Kirkcudbright, please visit www.kirkcudbright.co.uk