GUILDFORD, UK (1987)
WILDFLOWER Primary Location Map
REGIONAL CONTEXT
LONDON
│
│ 30 miles
▼
┌───────────────┐
│ GUILDFORD │
│ University │
│ Town │
└───────┬───────┘
│
┌────────────┼────────────┐
│ │ │
┌────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐ ┌────▼────┐
│ Surrey │ │ Uni of │ │ Town │
│ Hills │ │ Surrey │ │ Centre │
└─────────┘ └────┬────┘ └────┬────┘
│ │
Helena's World │
│
┌──────▼──────┐
│ The River │
│ Wey │
└─────────────┘
DETAILED TOWN MAP
N
│
W ──┼── E
│
S
┌──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ NORTH │
│ (London Road) │
│ │
│ [Station] ←────┐ ┌────→ [A3 │
│ Railway │ │ to │
│ │ │ │ London│
│ ▼ │ │ │
│ ┌─────────┐ │ ┌──────────┐ │ ┌───────┴┐
│ │ GUILDFORD │ │ GUILDFORD │ │ │ Odeon │
│ │ STATION │ │ CASTLE │ │ │ Cinema │
│ │ │ │ (Keep) │ │ │ │
│ └─────────┘ │ └──────────┘ │ └─────────┘
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ ═════╪════════════╪════════════╪═══════════════╪═══════╪══════
│ │ HIGH STREET │ │ │
│ │ (Shopping) │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ ┌────┴────┐ ┌──────┴──────┐ ┌┴───────┘
│ │ Friary │ │ Tunsgate │ │ Yvonne │
│ │ Shopping│ │ Quarter │ │ Arnaud │
│ │ Centre │ │ │ │ Theatre │
│ └─────────┘ └──────────────┘ └───────────┘
│ │
│ ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ RIVER WEY │
│ ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
│ ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ │
│ │ The Row │ │ Millmead │ │
│ │ Barge │◄────────────►│ (Park) │ │
│ │ Pub │ Helena & │ │ │
│ │ │ Nick meet │ │ │
│ └────┬─────┘ └──────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ University │ │
│ │ Campus │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌───────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Chemistry │ │ │
│ │ │ Building │◄─┼── HELENA'S LAB │
│ │ │ (3 AM │ │ (Spectrometer) │
│ │ │ discovery)│ │ │
│ │ └───────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────┴─────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Physics │ │ │
│ │ │ Building │ │ │
│ │ └───────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────┴─────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Library │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ └───────────┘ │ │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │ Research │ │
│ │ Greenhouse │◄── HELENA'S SANCTUARY │
│ │ (Isolated) │ (Scene 6) │
│ └─────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ SOUTH │
│ (Epsom Road) │
│ │
└──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
KEY LOCATIONS
1. University Chemistry Building (Helena’s Lab)
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ UNIVERSITY OF SURREY │
│ Chemistry Building │
│ 1987 │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ BASEMENT LEVEL │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ [SPECTROMETER ROOM] │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Equipment: │ │
│ │ • 2D Photon Echo System │ │
│ │ • Cryostat (77K) │ │
│ │ • Laser table │ │
│ │ • Oscilloscope bank │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ THE 3 AM DISCOVERY │ │
│ │ SCENE LOCATION │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ GROUND LEVEL │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [HELENA'S OFFICE] │ │
│ │ • Desk with papers │ │
│ │ • Red telephone │ │
│ │ • Window view to campus │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ PUBLICATION CRISIS │ │
│ │ SCENE LOCATION │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
Address: Stag Hill Campus, Guildford GU2 7XH
Significance: Site of quantum coherence discovery
Status: Building demolished 2002, rebuilt as Surrey Research Park
2. The Row Barge Pub
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ THE ROW BARGE │
│ 7 Millmead, Guildford GU2 4BE │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Exterior: │
│ • Riverside pub on River Wey │
│ • Tudor-style timber framing │
│ • Outdoor seating by water │
│ • Narrowboat mooring nearby │
│ │
│ Interior: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [PUBLIC BAR] │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────┐ ┌─────┐ │ │
│ │ │Table│ │Table│ ← Helena │ │
│ │ │ 1 │ │ 2 │ & Nick │ │
│ │ └─────┘ └─────┘ meeting │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ [BAR] ←───┐ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────┐ ┌┴───┐ │ │
│ │ │Fire │ │Piano│ │ │
│ │ │place│ │ │ │ │
│ │ └─────┘ └─────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Significance: │
│ • Helena & Nick's first meeting │
│ • "Juggling" metaphor origin │
│ • Scientific discussion over ale │
│ │
│ Status: Still operating (2025) │
│ Note: Historic riverside pub, │
│ popular with university staff│
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
3. Research Greenhouse
┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│ UNIVERSITY RESEARCH GREENHOUSE │
│ South Campus, 1987 │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ Structure: │
│ • Glass and aluminum construction │
│ • Climate controlled sections │
│ • Isolated location, south of main │
│ campus │
│ │
│ Interior Layout: │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [SECTION A - TEMPERATE] │ │
│ │ • Local species │ │
│ │ • Control plants │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [SECTION B - TROPICAL] │ │
│ │ • FMO complex samples │ │
│ │ • Photosynthesis studies │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ [SECTION C - ISOLATED] │ │
│ │ • Helena's sanctuary │ │
│ │ • Scene 6 location │ │
│ │ • Ferns, filtered light │ │
│ │ • Bench, journals, tears │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ Significance: │
│ • Helena's private space │
│ • Where she processes pressure │
│ • Connection to living things │
│ • Sanctuary before the storm │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────┘
MOVEMENT MAP (Story Sequence)
SCENE ORDER:
1. COLD OPEN → Chemistry Building (Basement)
└─ Spectrometer room, 77 Hz discovery
2. THE ROW BARGE → The Row Barge Pub
└─ First meeting with Nick
3. 3 AM LAB → Chemistry Building (Basement)
└─ Nick observes breakthrough
4. PUBLICATION CRISIS → Helena's Office
└─ Phone call with Nature
5. MILITARY VISIT → Chemistry Building
└─ MOD confrontation
6. THE GREENHOUSE → Research Greenhouse
└─ Helena's sanctuary, breakdown
7. THE ESCAPE → Various locations
└─ Through campus to safe house
8. THE CHOICE → (Undisclosed location)
└─ Helena's final scene
HISTORICAL NOTES
Guildford in 1987:
- Population: ~120,000
- University of Surrey: Founded 1966, ~4,000 students
- Character: Affluent commuter town, 30 miles from London
- Industry: Research, pharmaceuticals, light manufacturing
- Notable: First purpose-built UK university post-WWII
The MOD Connection:
- Porton Down (DSTL): 40 miles west
- Military research establishment
- Classified biological/chemical research
- Helena’s work triggered security interest due to potential applications
Climate:
- July 1987: Mild, occasional rain
- “Great Storm” of October 1987 would occur 3 months later
PRODUCTION NOTES
Filming Locations:
- University of Surrey: Permission required, modern campus differs from 1987
- The Row Barge: Available for location shooting
- Guildford Castle: Public access
- River Wey: National Trust, permit required
Period Detail Requirements:
- Vehicles: 1980s British cars (Ford Sierra, Vauxhall Cavalier)
- Technology: No mobile phones, red telephone boxes
- Fashion: Power suits, big hair, shoulder pads
- University: Different logo, older buildings
Sound Design:
- 77 Hz sine wave motif throughout
- River Wey water sounds
- Town ambience (less traffic than modern)
Map prepared for production of WILDFLOWER Research: University archives, Guildford Museum, oral histories