Village School - Miss Read

Today I shall review the first book in Miss Read's "Fairacre" series.




For those of you unfamiliar with this series they are set in the small downland village of Fairacre. The priniciple protagonist is the head mistress of the local village school, Miss Read. They capture a more innocent age and when reading them you really do feel as if you are in the village itself and know the characters themselves.

This first book in the series introduces us to the village itself and the main characters, such as Miss Read's nemesis, the school cleaner, Mrs Pringle - a veritable curmudgeon with a martyr complex. This first book was written in, and thus is set in, the 1950's. You can really soak up the atmosphere of life in a post-war rural setting with this novel, where the great changes that are affecting the wider world are not yet impacting small rural communities, but hover uncomfortably on the periphery...changes which loom closer and closer in succesive books in the series.

This first novel takes us through a full year in the life of Miss Read and the villagers and we see the impact of the weather, and the ebb and flow of the school terms. All in all an excellent start to the series. I HEARTILY recommend these books to all who love our countryside and the village way of life. On the surface they may seem lightweight...but there is hidden depth there and they provide a perfect antedote to modern living.

Until next time.

Herne the Hunter

Shillingbury Tales

Hello,

Today I would like to review an excellent old TV series from the early 1980's, "Shillingbury Tales".

The series follows the lives of the villagers of the fictional village of Shillingbury (they filmed in the village of Albury in Hertfordshire). Its central characters are a young couple,the Higgins, played by Robin Nedwell and Diane Keen, who have moved to the village from the city. We meet all the main villagers with my favourite being the village tinker, Cuffy, played by the excellent Bernard Cribbins. His character appears in two episodes, with one episode devoted to his character ("The Shillingbury Tinker") and how a win on the pools affects his life and the villagers' reactions to him, in a manner which is surprisingly not to his liking. There is one scene which particularly grabs the emotions, involving his equine companion. The scene is quietly acted with dignity which makes it more moving, and all credit to Mr Cribbins on this. The character of Cuffy was even given his own series in 1983, 'Cuffy', however, this has not yet been issued on DVD and thus I have not had the opportunity to view it...though how I would very much love to!

Another favourite episode of mine, "The Shillingbury Melon", featuring Lionel Jeffries as Mrs Higgins father, has a gently comedic storyline and has Lionel Jeffries in top form as a recently retired gentleman, with former military experience, at a complete loss as to what to do with himself now retirement has arrived (or "sacked" as he protests it to be).

The series may seem somewhat quaint and sentimental to many modern viewers, but to those of us who still hold dear the old English values of decency and community and yearn for a gentler, more golden age. All in all this series could be seen to be a forerunner of such shows as "Born and Bred" and even at times "The Vicar of Dibley" (both of which shall be featured here in due course).

If you have not yet seen this absolute gem it is presently available on DVD.

Evergreen Magazine

Hello once more,

Today I'd like to share with you one of my favourite magazines, Evergreen magazine.



This quaterly magazine accurately describes itself as "a miscellany of this and that and things gone by". This little magazine is an absolute joy to read. It is easily recognised by its green cover and is published in a small book-sized format. It covers a broad range of topics ranging from poetry to memories, and from old films and TV shows to childhood nostalgia and reviews of relevant products. There is always a high standard of photography on display in this little green gem. On top of this it really is a patriotic little read, unabashedly proud of our heritage without any unpleasant jingoism.

I have many fond memories of returning home from the newsagent with this magazine and devouring it (not literally of course!) in a single sitting, or taking it on a stroll with me and reading it whilst taking a pleasant sandwich/drink break under a shady tree. This magazine has become a regular purchase each quarter and is heartily recommended. It can be found in most branches of W H Smiths and many smaller independent newsagents. They also have a website:

http://www.evergreenmagazine.co.uk/index2.htm

If you haven't already tried this great little read, and hanker for an increasingly lost England then I am sure you will derive as much pleasure as I do should you treat yourself to an issue of this magazine.

For now, farewell.


Herne the Hunter

Pictures of England website

Hello,

Today I thought I'd share with you an excellent website, choc-full with pictures of the English countryside and many, many beautiful and characterful villages.

The website is:

http://www.picturesofengland.com/

It is an excellent way to visit parts of the country that one may not yet have visited...not to mention revisit favourite old places. The site's 'picture tours' feature is particularly helpful for this, with a high standard of photography on display.

Hope you manage to enjoy lots of happy "armchair travelling" wandering through the evocative rustic idylls on display on the site.

Until next time.


Herne the Hunter

Badger Ales

I would like to share with you what I haver found to be a particularly flavoursome brand of ales...the Badger range by Hall and Woodhouse Brewery. I first came across this brand in 2003 and many major supermarkets and local village stores and off licences sell their products.

I have tried most of their beers and all have been most drinkable brews indeed, however, my particular favourites are as follows:

Golden Champion:

This is a light and fruity ale with elderflower tones. It is redolent of long, mellow Summer evenings. On tasting it you can almost taste the golden light of the sun as it sets at the end of an August day. This beer even smells divine. I particular enjoy drinking it with a nice medium strength cheese sandwich on thick cut farmhouse white bread with piccalilli. An excellent beer.

Golden Glory:

Another fruity one, this time with a Spring like ambience. This beer has a scent and taste of peach blossom all of which provides this beer with an extremely quaffable floral aspect. On drinking this you can almost see the young lambs and rabbits gamboling through the meadows...this distinctive call of the first cuckoo... and the golden glow of daffodils. This one I find works well with a supper time plate of fruit and cheese on crackers...and maybe a nice cherry scone with cherry curd.

Blandford Fly:

A nice ginger enhanced ale. It derives its name from an insect local to the brewery, the bite/sting of which can apparently be eased with ginger, hence the ginger aspect to the beer and its name. This one has a spicy and fiery character which goes well with a rich beef casserole and other traditional Autumn and Winter fayre.

Those are my personal three favourites...though I have thoroughly enjoyed every single one of their ales and shall post more reviews in due course.

For more information see their website:

http://www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk/index.asp

Until next time...cheers!

Herne the Hunter

Happy New Year - 2010 Preview

Happy New Year!!

This gives me the perfect opportunity to preview a little of what this blog will have to offer in the year ahead.

I am hoping to provide reviews and opinions of the following TV shows and movies (amongst others) - Shillingbury Tales, The Vicar of Dibley, Robin of Sherwood, Goodnight Mister Tom, A Canterbury Tale, The Wind in the Willows, The Box of Delights, various Ealing comedies, Ever Decreasing Circles, The Good Life and Outside Edge....to name but a few!

In books I aim to cover such delights as Miss Read's Fairacre and Thrush Green series, M C Beaton's Agatha Raisin books, not to mention some of our literary classics such as Wuthering Heights, Far From the Madding Crowd, etc. I shall also cover some of my favourite non-fiction books on our fair land.

Musically I shall delve into our Classical heritage, with a strong emphasis on the works of Ralph Vaughan-Williams and Sir Edward Elgar.

On top of this I shall look at some of our historical and mythological heroes such as Robin Hood, the Angevin Plantagenet dynasty, the Arthurian legends, Sir Arthur Wellesley (the Duke of Wellington), our greatest knight Sir William Marshall and many others. I shall also share some of the countryside walks and rambles I have undertaken, some favourite poems and recipes and general insights on various matters English.

Here's to a busy 2010.

Herne the Hunter

Welcome to a Small Oasis of Englishness

Hello and welcome.

My aim here is to create a place that celebrates the old values of traditional Englishness. I shall do this by sharing reviews of books and movies, discussing cultural motiffs such as poetry, music, legends and historical events, sharing opinions on our wonderful countryside and its amazing wildlife and also posting recipes, lyrics and the like.

If you like the thought of a cool glass of cider, slowly sipped whilst watching a village cricket match on a long golden Summer's evening; or a soft-lit stroll through a snowy wood on a mid-Winter afternoon, followed by a good book in front of log fire in a traditional cottage...then this will be the place for you.

Unfortunately, little such Englishness appears to exist in many parts of England now...a place that is now so busy and often urbanised that our ancestors would barely recognise it.

So enjoy this virtual Olde England...pour a cup of tea or a mug of real ale, grab a few biscuits and pull up your chair...welcome to this England...the England of my soul...Albion of old.

Herne the Hunter