To The Manor Born (DVD)

To the Manor Born was a very successful BBC sitcom first screened between 1979 and 1981. Three series were made, comprising 21 episodes in total. The show is set around Grantleigh Manor, and opens as Audrey Fforbes-Hamilton (Penelope Keith), the lady of the manor, has just lost her husband, Martin. The opening program begins with her husband's funeral, and it is clear that Audrey is perhaps not in mourning as much as she should be. It seems her marriage was not a particularly happy one, and now she has the manor and the family fortune to herself. The problems begin at the reading of the will. Martin left only debts, and Audrey's solicitor ...  Read the complete review

This series is worth watching for Penelope Keith alone. She plays the Lady of the Manor who following the death of her husband has to sell the family stately home to pay death duties and ends up living in the estate Lodge with her dog and her butler. To rub salt into her wounded pride the estate is bought by a businessman (Peter Bowles) who is not only nouvelle riche but also not even English in origin. The series concentrates on two aspects - the relationship between the old and new owners of the manor (will they, won’t they ?) and a view of traditional English village life. All the usual characters appear, the vicar, the estate employees, the scoutmaster etc ...  Read the complete review

penelope keith is a great classical actor and together with peter bowles they made a good series of programmes some years back, set in an upper class manor where penelope keith played the rich lady of the manner, comedy abounds, well cast well produced and endless fun. I loved the programme it is and will always be a classic, penelope keith has one of those faces that always looks strained whatever she does and she is ideally suited in to the manor born. Wouldnt work today, but brilliant when done originally. ...  Read the complete review

Audrey Forbes Hamilton is certainly a bigger snob than Hyacinth Bucket, although it is probably not a fair comparison. Hyacinth is a 'wouldbe toff' but Audrey is from the aristocracy. Penelope Keith plays Audrey, the lady of the maor who is forced to sell up and move into the Gate House (Lodge). She resents the change in her lifestyle but still tries to maintain her standards. Brabinger, for example, is the butler that she can't afford to pay but cannot be seen without. Audrey doesn't like it when Richard De Vere (Peter Bowles) buys the property as he is just a businessman and of the correct class. Audrey sets out to put things ...  Read the complete review

This classic BBC series has been shown on UK Gold and stars Penelope Keith in the title role. Having to sell her stately home to Richard De-veer (Peter Bowels) she takes up residence in one of the cottages nearby on the property. Good performances by both actors gave a few laughs but not many I wasn’t a big fan of this series, but watched it till the end. Not many episodes were ever made and the ending could have been much better although I would recommend you watch it, there are some very famous faces you can spot in this series. ...  Read the complete review