'Addictive' period drama filmed in picturesque Cheshire village free to watch now

ITV period drama Home Fires, filmed in the picturesque Cheshire village of Bunbury, is now available to stream for free on U.

A popular period drama filmed in one of Cheshire’s most picturesque villages is now available to stream for free.

Home Fires, the ITV drama set in a rural Cheshire community during the Second World War, can currently be watched on U, where both series are listed for streaming.

The drama follows members of the Women’s Institute as they try to keep their village together while the men in their lives leave to fight. Set against the uncertainty of wartime Britain, the series focuses on friendship, resilience, family pressure, loss and the everyday sacrifices made on the Home Front.

Although the story is set in the fictional village of Great Paxford, much of the drama was filmed in Bunbury, near Tarporley and Nantwich. The village’s period properties, church, lanes and traditional Cheshire character helped give the series its distinctive look.

For local viewers, that gives Home Fires an extra layer of interest. It is not just a wartime drama with attractive scenery; it is a production that used a real Cheshire village to bring its story to life.

The show first aired on ITV in 2015 and ran for two series, with 12 episodes in total. U describes it as a period drama following the lives of Women’s Institute members in a rural Cheshire community during the Second World War. (u.co.uk)

The series was inspired by Julie Summers’ book Jambusters, which explored the role of the Women’s Institute during the war. The television version turns that history into an ensemble drama, showing how the conflict affected village life far from the front line.

Its appeal lies partly in the contrast between the peaceful Cheshire setting and the growing pressure of war. The village may appear removed from the fighting, but rationing, separation, fear, social tensions and personal secrets soon begin to reshape the lives of the characters.

Bunbury’s role in the production has remained a point of local pride. Radio Times previously described the village as the real-life version of Great Paxford and highlighted how the production team was drawn to its period buildings and countryside setting. (radiotimes.com)

For Cheshire, television productions like this can have value beyond entertainment. They showcase the county’s villages, architecture and rural landscape to viewers across the country, often encouraging people to look again at places they may already know.

Bunbury is already one of Cheshire’s best-known village locations, with its historic buildings, church, canal links and countryside setting. Its appearance in Home Fires added another cultural connection, particularly for fans of British period drama.

The free streaming availability also gives the series a chance to find new viewers. In a crowded world of subscription platforms, older dramas can easily be overlooked unless they are placed somewhere accessible. Making Home Fires available without an extra subscription barrier means more people can discover or revisit it.

That is good news for anyone who enjoys character-led wartime drama, especially viewers who like stories with a strong sense of place. Home Fires is not a fast-paced thriller, but it has the kind of community, tension and emotional pull that makes period dramas easy to keep watching.

The cast includes Samantha Bond, Francesca Annis, Ruth Gemmell, Claire Rushbrook, Clare Calbraith and Mark Bazeley, among others. The ensemble format allows the drama to move between different households and show how the pressures of war affect people in different ways.

For Cheshire viewers, the locations may be as much of a draw as the story. Seeing a familiar village transformed into a wartime setting gives the series a local connection that many dramas lack.

The show also reflects a wider trend of Cheshire being used by film and television makers looking for authentic period settings. Its historic villages, country houses, sandstone buildings and rural lanes can provide the kind of atmosphere that works well on screen.

Home Fires may have ended after two series, but its availability on U gives it a useful second life. It is likely to appeal to viewers who enjoyed shows such as Call the Midwife, Land Girls, The Durrells or other British dramas built around community, family and social change.

For anyone in Cheshire looking for something locally connected to watch, the series offers a simple attraction: a national drama with a recognisably local heart.

Both series of Home Fires are available to stream on U.

Open article on Cheshire Today