CAMERA crews filmed a scene for a new period drama on Bridgwater & Taunton Canal last night (Monday), the Mercury can reveal.


Company Productions was filming for BBC drama Wolf Hall between 4pm and 8pm.


The six-part drama tells the story of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn through the eyes of Thomas Cromwell, and follows Henry and Anne all the way up to her execution.


The canal will be used as a representation of the channel from the Thames to the Tower of London.


Mike Slade, spokesman for the West Country branch of the Inland Waterways Association, said: “They’re filming on the canal near the beams between Albert Street and West Street.


“There will be a cast and crew of 50 in total, not all on the towpath.


“The scene they want to film is the journey of Anne Boleyn from the Thames into Traitors Gate at the Tower of London.


“It will be filmed from a camera in a rowing boat with the actress.”


Marine Film Services supplied the rowing boat and safety boats.


Location assistant Cassie Clarke said the crew did not restrict access to navigation or the towpath but would have asked towpath users to wait a few minutes between takes. 


Mr Slade said: “It’s going to make the canal more attractive to visitors and other people might want to use it as a location for films and TV shows. 


“The canal’s a particularly good feature of the town and I think they chose it because it has a lot of historical features.” 


The drama, an adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Booker prize-winning novels, is directed by BAFTA-winning director Peter Kosminsky (The Government Inspector, The Promise).


Claire Foy (The Promise) is playing the ambitious Anne Boleyn in the drama, written by Oscar-nominated Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy).


Wolf Hall, a Company Pictures and Playground co-production for BBC2 and Masterpiece in association with BBC Worldwide, will be aired in 2015.