myguideBritain Blog

Great Expectations

January 22nd, 2008

In common with millions I enjoy a good TV period costume drama. I don’t know how many versions of “Pride and Prejudice” I’ve seen ( I’ve watched the 2005 film version at least three times - perhaps Keira Knightley in the role of Elizabeth had something to do with that!). ” Do you Dance Mr. Darcy?”….. “Not if I can help it!” My answer to Keira would have been rather different. But then of course I’m no Mr. Darcy

There seems to a good number of costume dramas on the TV currently and I for one am not complaining. The latest success we’ve had is the series “Cranford” that was an adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s novel of the same name amalgamated for TV with her other books “My Lady Ludlow” and “Mrs. Harrison’s Confessions”. This will air on US television in May and you’re in for a treat. We’ve also had Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” and “The Old Curiosity Shop” on over Christmas.

Why do we watch these series’ in our millions? Are we all a bunch of nostalgics? I think not. My view is that although they’re visually stunning, evoking the period in which they’re set, they are without doubt brilliant stories that have withstood the test of time.

Although some of these will be partly studio based a great many will be filmed on location around Britain. Most of the scenes from Cranford were easily recognizable as being set in Lacock and West Wycombe just to the west of London. You’ll find that Lacock will usually feature very strongly in a good number of these period dramas as it’s a living, working village that’s changed little over the centuries and is now owned by the National Trust. The money from these films must add a lot to their coffers and go towards the upkeep of the village. I’m not sure if I’d enjoy living there though with so many film crews taking up residency there. It’s not a period drama but the Harry Potter crew also shot some scenes in the Abbey at Lacock. It’s a very easy to get to as you drive to Bath from London sitting just south of Chippenham eight miles out of Bath.

The dramatizations of Dickens novels generally conjure up pictures of London that are probably far from the truth. I can’t imagine that London was a very healthy place to life in the 1800’s. Imagine the raw sewerage flowing in gutters into the Thames, horse manure from the thousands of horse drawn carriages, smoke belching from each house’s chimney - not to mention the unwashed hordes and the prostitutes, pickpockets and drunks. Not the sort of place that most of us would find comfortable - it must have stunk to high heaven. It’s rather more pleasant today thank goodness. If you want a good day out and find out more about Dickens’ London then I could recommend a day out in Dickens’ World in Chatham, Kent where Dickens lived for a time. It promises to immerse you in “the urban streets, sounds and smells of 19^th century London”. Thankfully it fails in the smells department otherwise I imagine we would all be physically sick.

Entry Filed under: All of Britain, England, Literature, London