Lark Rise to Candleford
Encyclopedia
Lark Rise to Candleford is a trilogy
of semi-autobiographical novel
s about the countryside of north-east Oxfordshire
and Buckinghamshire
, England
, at the end of the 19th century. They were written by Flora Thompson
and first published together in 1945. The stories were previously published separately as Lark Rise in 1939, Over to Candleford in 1941 and Candleford Green in 1943.
The stories relate to three communities: the hamlet of Juniper Hill
(“Lark Rise”), where Flora grew up; Buckingham
(“Candleford”), the nearest town, and the nearby village of Fringford
(“Candleford Green”), where Flora got her first job in the Post Office
.
by telling the tale in the third person; she appears in the book as “Laura Timmins”, rather than her real maiden name of Flora Timms. This device allows Thompson to comment on the action, using the voice of “Laura” as the child she was and as the adult narrator, without imposing herself into the work.
She wrote a sequel Heatherley, (set in Grayshott
, Hampshire) describing her life as a postmistress in the 1920s, but the period lacked the changing social significance described in her earlier works and she did not seek to have it published. It appeared posthumously, in 1979.
in 1978–9. Dewhurst’s concept was to reflect the familiarity, one for another, of the village inhabitants by staging the plays as a promenade, with the theatre seats removed and the actors, musicians and audience intermingling.
The books describe village life through the seasons of the year, but for the plays Dewhurst selected just two days: the first day of harvest for Lark Rise and the first hunt
meet of the new year, a winter’s day in January, for Candleford. For both plays he drew on Thompson’s own introductions to set the scene and, movingly, her reflections on the fates of her characters from the perspective of the future – a future in which many of the boys just depicted had died in war – as a coda. As the plays ended the audience, suddenly torn from their participation in the re-created world, recognised the value of a way of life, close to the land and countryside, that they could never know for themselves. “It is a most extraordinary event...It will send most spectators out wiser and happier human beings...one of those rare theatrical occasions with a genuine healing quality”, wrote theatre critic Michael Billington
of The Guardian
.
In the same way as Dewhurst was able to draw on Thompson’s words for his text, the musical directors for the productions, John Tams
and Ashley Hutchings
, made use of traditional songs as the basis for the score. In their arrangements the tunes, by turns stirring, atmospheric and poignant, allowed the audience to move (both literally and figuratively) between scenes. The performers were the Albion Band
. A cast recording was released in 1980 and reissued in 2006.
The joint directors of the productions were Bill Bryden
and Sebastian Graham-Jones and Flora Thompson (“Laura” in the plays) was played by Valerie Whittington. In the 1978 Olivier Awards Lark Rise was nominated for “Best Play” and “Best Director”, but won in neither category.
In October 2005 the plays were revived by the Shapeshifter company at the Finborough Theatre
in London, directed by Mike Bartlett and John Terry.
, Olivia Hallinan
, Brendan Coyle
and Dawn French, began on BBC One
in the UK on 13 January 2008. The series was adapted by screenwriter
Bill Gallagher
and directed
by Charles Palmer
. A fourth series began on BBC One in January 2011.
Trilogy
A trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, or video games...
of semi-autobiographical novel
Autobiographical novel
An autobiographical novel is a form of novel using autofiction techniques, or the merging of autobiographical and fiction elements. The literary technique is distinguished from an autobiography or memoir by the stipulation of being fiction...
s about the countryside of north-east Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
and Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, at the end of the 19th century. They were written by Flora Thompson
Flora Thompson
Flora Jane Thompson was an English novelist and poet famous for her semi-autobiographical trilogy about the English countryside, Lark Rise to Candleford.-Early life and family:...
and first published together in 1945. The stories were previously published separately as Lark Rise in 1939, Over to Candleford in 1941 and Candleford Green in 1943.
The stories relate to three communities: the hamlet of Juniper Hill
Juniper Hill
Juniper Hill is a hamlet in the civil parish of Cottisford in Oxfordshire. Juniper Hill is just over south of Brackley in neighbouring Northamptonshire....
(“Lark Rise”), where Flora grew up; Buckingham
Buckingham
Buckingham is a town situated in north Buckinghamshire, England, close to the borders of Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire. The town has a population of 11,572 ,...
(“Candleford”), the nearest town, and the nearby village of Fringford
Fringford
Fringford is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire, about northeast of Bicester. The parish is bounded to the east by the Roman road that linked Alchester Roman Town with Roman Towcester, to the south by a brook that joins the River Bure, to the north mostly by a brook that is a tributary of...
(“Candleford Green”), where Flora got her first job in the Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
.
Theme
Because Thompson wrote her account some forty years after the events she describes she was able to identify the period as a pivotal point in rural history: the time when the quiet, close-knit and peaceful rural culture, governed by the seasons, began a transformation, through agricultural mechanisation, better communications and urban expansion, into the homogenised society of today. The transformation is not explicitly described. It appears as allegory, for example in Laura’s first visit to Candleford without her parents: the journey from her tiny village to the sophisticated town representing the temporal changes that would affect her whole community. Although the works are autobiographical, Thompson distances herself from her childhood personaPersona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
by telling the tale in the third person; she appears in the book as “Laura Timmins”, rather than her real maiden name of Flora Timms. This device allows Thompson to comment on the action, using the voice of “Laura” as the child she was and as the adult narrator, without imposing herself into the work.
She wrote a sequel Heatherley, (set in Grayshott
Grayshott
Grayshott is a village and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is located on the Hampshire / Surrey border 2.4 miles northwest of Haslemere, approximately one hour by road from central London....
, Hampshire) describing her life as a postmistress in the 1920s, but the period lacked the changing social significance described in her earlier works and she did not seek to have it published. It appeared posthumously, in 1979.
The plays
The television scriptwriter and playwright Keith Dewhurst adapted Thompson’s trilogy into two plays, Lark Rise and Candleford, which were performed in the Cottesloe auditorium of London’s National TheatreRoyal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in 1978–9. Dewhurst’s concept was to reflect the familiarity, one for another, of the village inhabitants by staging the plays as a promenade, with the theatre seats removed and the actors, musicians and audience intermingling.
The books describe village life through the seasons of the year, but for the plays Dewhurst selected just two days: the first day of harvest for Lark Rise and the first hunt
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
meet of the new year, a winter’s day in January, for Candleford. For both plays he drew on Thompson’s own introductions to set the scene and, movingly, her reflections on the fates of her characters from the perspective of the future – a future in which many of the boys just depicted had died in war – as a coda. As the plays ended the audience, suddenly torn from their participation in the re-created world, recognised the value of a way of life, close to the land and countryside, that they could never know for themselves. “It is a most extraordinary event...It will send most spectators out wiser and happier human beings...one of those rare theatrical occasions with a genuine healing quality”, wrote theatre critic Michael Billington
Michael Billington (critic)
Michael Keith Billington is a British author and arts critic. Drama critic of The Guardian since October 1971, he is "Britain's longest-serving theatre critic" and the author of biographical and critical studies relating to British theatre and the arts; most notably, he is the authorised...
of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
In the same way as Dewhurst was able to draw on Thompson’s words for his text, the musical directors for the productions, John Tams
John Tams
John Tams is an English actor, singer, songwriter, composer and musician.- Folk musician :John Tams was a member of Derbyshire folk group Muckram Wakes in the 1970s, then worked with Ashley Hutchings as singer and melodeon-player on albums including Son of Morris On, and as a member of the...
and Ashley Hutchings
Ashley Hutchings
Ashley Stephen Hutchings is an English bassist, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, band leader, writer and record producer. He was a founder member of three of the most noteworthy English folk-rock bands in the history of the genre; Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span and The Albion Band...
, made use of traditional songs as the basis for the score. In their arrangements the tunes, by turns stirring, atmospheric and poignant, allowed the audience to move (both literally and figuratively) between scenes. The performers were the Albion Band
Albion Country Band
The Albion Band, also known as The Albion Country Band and The Albion Dance Band, were an English electric folk band, brought together and led by musician Ashley Hutchings...
. A cast recording was released in 1980 and reissued in 2006.
The joint directors of the productions were Bill Bryden
Bill Bryden
William Campbell Rough Bryden CBE is a British stage- and film director and screenwriter.-Biography:...
and Sebastian Graham-Jones and Flora Thompson (“Laura” in the plays) was played by Valerie Whittington. In the 1978 Olivier Awards Lark Rise was nominated for “Best Play” and “Best Director”, but won in neither category.
In October 2005 the plays were revived by the Shapeshifter company at the Finborough Theatre
Finborough Theatre
The Finborough Theatre is a fifty seat theatre in the Earls Court area of London, United Kingdom , which presents new British writing, UK and premieres of new plays, primarily from the English speaking world including North America, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, music theatre, and rarely seen...
in London, directed by Mike Bartlett and John Terry.
Television
A BBC adaptation, starring Julia SawalhaJulia Sawalha
Julia Sawalha is an English actress well known for her roles as Saffron Monsoon in Absolutely Fabulous, Lynda Day, editor of The Junior Gazette in Press Gang and Lydia Bennet in the 1995 television miniseries of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. She also played Dorcas Lane in the BBC's costume...
, Olivia Hallinan
Olivia Hallinan
Olivia Hallinan is an English actress best known for her role as Laura Timmins in the BBC TV series Lark Rise to Candleford and also as Kim in the critically acclaimed Sugar Rush. She also starred as Ellie in Girls in Love....
, Brendan Coyle
Brendan Coyle
-Early life and family:Coyle was born in Corby, Northamptonshire, to an Irish father and Scottish mother; his parents moved to Corby from Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Coyle holds Irish and British citizenship. He is the great nephew of football manager Sir Matt Busby...
and Dawn French, began on BBC One
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
in the UK on 13 January 2008. The series was adapted by screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
Bill Gallagher
Bill Gallagher
William John Gallagher was a Major League Baseball outfielder and pitcher. He played in the American Association for the 1883 Baltimore Orioles, in the National League for the 1883 Philadelphia Quakers and in the Union Association for the 1884 Philadelphia Keystones.-External links:*...
and directed
Television director
A television director directs the activities involved in making a television program and is part of a television crew.-Duties:The duties of a television director vary depending on whether the production is live or recorded to video tape or video server .In both types of productions, the...
by Charles Palmer
Charles Palmer (director)
-Personal life:Palmer is the son of actor Geoffrey Palmer.He is married to Claire Skinner.-Selected filmography:*Marple**"The Murder at the Vicarage" **"A Pocket Full of Rye" *Doctor Who**"Smith and Jones"...
. A fourth series began on BBC One in January 2011.
External links
- Great War Fiction Commentary from a resident of Juniper Hill—the real village of “Lark Rise”.