The Witches of Eastwick is a 1987 American dark fantasy-comedy film directed by George Miller and starring Jack Nicholson as Daryl Van Horne, alongside Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon as the titular witches. The film is based on John Updike's 1984 novel of the same name and has also been adapted for the stage. The Witches of Eastwick was originally set to be filmed in Little Compton, Rhode Island but controversy erupted in Little Compton over whether or not its Congregational church should be involved with the film's production. Warner Bros. instead turned to
locations in Massachusetts. Principal photography began on July 14, 1986, and took place over the course of six weeks in Cohasset and nearby Massachusetts towns, such as Marblehead and Scituate. Castle Hill in Ipswich, Massachusetts, was used for the exterior of the Lenox Mansion, while the lobby of the Wang Center in Boston stood in for the main hall. Other interiors were filmed at the Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, though the swimming pool and Daryl's library were sets built on the Warner Bros. backlot.
LENOX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
DATE(S) VISITED: JUL 3, 2022
LOCATION: MILTON, MA
The Campus Safety building at Milton Academy stood in for the location of Lenox Elementary. This is the scene where we see Jane have to put up with the lecherous principal, followed by conducting the, not so in tune, school band for the opening year assembly.
Some changes noticed since filming. The middle window in the center of the building has now been replaced with a clock. A disabled access ramp has been added and handrails on the front steps. Also the trees have grown in size, and some have been removed or new ones added.
ALEXANDRA MEDFORD'S HOUSE
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
This is the building that was used as the residence of Cher's character, Alexandra. As you can see in the photo's below, the walkway leading to the property is no longer there and some extensive remodeling has been done.
THE YAPPING FOX
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: SCITUATE, MA
Situated in Scituate Harbor is the Yapping Fox which is now the Lucky Finn Café. The sign above the door still has the original embossed center as seen in the film. We grabbed a coffee from inside whilst we were here and it was a great excuse to get some interior photo's too. Unfortunately our outside shot was obscured by a parked car despite waiting for quite a while to see if it would be moved.
SUKIE RIDGEMONT'S HOUSE
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
This historic Victorian Tea House nestled into the rolling landscape, and which overlooks the Cohasset Harbor, was used as the abode of Michelle Pfeiffer's character, Sukie Ridgemont, a single mother of six girls and who also works as a writer for the local small time New England newspaper The Eastwick Word. There is a plaque somewhere commemorating the big screen connection, although we did not want to be that person who trespasses onto private property without asking to try and find it. We can only imagine how many people they must deal with over the years wandering about their grounds. The property was actually up for sale back in 2016 and was listed for $1.6 million.
THE EASTWICK WORD
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11. 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
The historic Samuel Bates House which was built in 1811 served as the location for the newspaper office The Eastwick Word. It is now a bistro, so for those wishing to get any interior shots it should be pretty easy, we recommend that you obviously eat there if you do so.
EASTWICK TOWN HALL
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
Located North of the town, across the street from the Eastwick Church and Common location, is Cohasset Town Hall which stood in for it's Eastwick counterpart.
EASTWICK MARKET
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
You can find the Eastwick Market location at the end of South Main St, opposite an automobile repair shop.
EASTWICK HARDWARE
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
Located on the corner of South Main St. and Elm St. is the Eastwick Hardware Store. The building is now a bank and apparently they have the original Hardware sign from the movie hanging up on display inside. Unfortunately the bank was closed when we visited so could not check it out.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY MARITIME MUSEUM
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
SOUTH MAIN ST.
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
ELM ST.
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
EASTWICK CHURCH AND COMMON
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
Just a short way up North Main St. you stumble across the quaint, peaceful common in which the Eastwick Church stands proud in it's center.
Movie magic was used in the scene where Sukie is leaning against a tree watching the police at the Alden residence after Clyde killed his wife Felicia. There is actually no house matching the one from the film directly opposite the tree.
FILMING THE BIKE RIDE SCENE
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 11, 2021
LOCATION: COHASSET, MA
Where Highland Ave and Beach St. meet, this is where the cast and crew assembled to film the bike ride scene, which we believe took place further down Beech St.
CASTLE HILL ON THE CRANE ESTATE
DATE(S) VISITED: SEP 25, 2020
LOCATION: IPSWICH, MA
Castle Hill was well known by indigenous peoples, who called the area Agawam in reference to its rich fishery, (which also makes us believe why H.P. Lovecraft got the idea of setting his fictional town Innsmouth from across the bay from the house.) Beginning in the 1880s, J.B. Brown transformed Castle Hill Farm from an agricultural holding into a gentleman’s farm, improving roadways and plantings and renovating his modest farmhouse into a rambling, Shingle-style cottage that is now The Inn at Castle Hill.
After Chicago industrialist Richard T. Crane, Jr., purchased the property in 1910, Castle Hill came to exemplify a European-inspired country estate of the era, with its farm and estate buildings, designed grounds and gardens, and diverse natural areas. The first house built atop Castle Hill, an Italian Renaissance Revival villa designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge, was razed and replaced in 1928 with the Great House, the 59-room Stuart-style mansion designed by architect David Adler that you see today.
The 1987 movie The Witches of Eastwick prominently features the grounds and mansion at Castle Hill, the site filmed on location as home of the eccentric millionaire Daryl Van Horne, played by Jack Nicholson.
We plan to grab some more locations in the near future that we are missing locally in MA from The Witches of Eastwick. For even more photo's that we took of the locations featured above, check them out via our Facebook page.