The Book of the Farm
Two archaeologists and a historian dress up in very uncomfortable-looking clothes to demonstrate the pleasures and pains of Victorian husbandry in ‘Victorian Farm,’ one of the less likely ‘hits’ of the BBC’s recent programming. There have been previous series on medieval and seventeenth-century farming, but neither seems to have captured the public imagination.
Henry Stephens’ The Book of the Farm was first published in 1842. Stephens was an exact contemporary of Thomas Carlyle and attended Edinburgh University. He wrote guides to best agricultural practice for both novice farmers and those stuck in traditional ways, based on his own experience and frequent travel in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Did they actually live on the farm in Victorian farm?
The six-part series, which followed social historian Ruth Goodman, archaeologists Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn as they spent a year living as u2013 yes u2013 Victorians on the Acton estate’s farm, drew nearly 4 million viewers per episode, and the book that accompanied it went to No. 1 on the Sunday Times bestseller list.
Is Victorian farm real?
It was produced for the BBC by independent production company Lion Television and filmed at Acton Scott Historic Working Farm in Shropshire, a preserved Victorian era living museum farm. The farming team included historian Ruth Goodman, archaeologists Alex Langlands, and Peter Ginn.
How did Victorians farm?
Victorian farm workers lived in cramped and primitive conditions, with their own small vegetable garden and a pig to feed the family. Gleanings of corn were collected after the harvest and used to make flour and bread, and they made their own cider, ale, and wine from fruit such as elderberries.
When was Victorian farm filmed?
The three historians (Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn, and Alex Langlands) spent a year at Acton Scott attempting to farm as the Victorians would have done in this series, which was filmed in 2007 and aired in 2008.
Why is Acton Scott Farm closed?
Following two confirmed cases of E. coli O157, Acton Scott Historic Working Farm, a popular Shropshire tourist attraction, has temporarily closed. u201cE. coli O157 is a relatively rare infection that causes a spectrum of illness ranging from mild to severe bloody diarrhoea, usually without fever.
Did they really live on the Victorian farm for a year?
Alex Langlands, Peter Ginn, and I have been working together for a long time, having shared a 1620s year for Tales Of The Green Valley and then an 1880s year for Victorian Farm. We know each other well and have each developed our own set of interests and responsibilities.
What is Peter Ginn doing now?
Despite having written several books, worked on numerous sites, taught numerous courses, and studied extensively at the Institute of Archaeology, UCL, Peter Ginn still struggles to spell the word archaeology. Peter now lives in Somerset in an amazing Victorian mansion that he is renovating.
Where is clarksons farm?
Jeremy Clarkson’s farm, Diddly Squat Farm, is located in Chipping Norton, in the Cotswolds, and follows Jeremy as he learns how to run his own farm from a group of local farmers and agricultural experts.
What happened to Ruth Goodman?
Goodman has worked as a consultant for the Victoria and Albert Museum and the film Shakespeare in Love, and she is a member of the Tudor Group, a Tudor re-enactment group. She has also presented segments on the BBC television series Inside the Factory since 2015.
What did Victorian farmers eat?
For many poor people in Britain, white bread made from bolted wheat flour was the staple food, supplemented with vegetables, fruit, and animal-derived foods such as meat, fish, milk, cheese, and eggs when they could afford it – a Mediterranean-style diet.
What did Victorian farmers wear?
The working clothes worn by men changed in appearance between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. A farm labourer wearing a smock. Stockings, breeches, wide-cut shirt, waistcoat, jacket, and hat were common attire at the turn of the century.
Who went to public schools in the Victorian era?
Only upper and middle class children attended school; children from wealthy families were educated at home by a governess until they reached the age of ten, at which point they were sent to public schools such as Eton or Harrow.
How old is Alex Langlands?
Victorian Farm is available on Prime Video.
Did they live on Edwardian Farm?
The 50-acre farm in Devon, nestled on the rolling banks of the Tamar River, may be secluded and idyllic, but it is not a fully functional time warp; the presenters do not live in an Edwardian bubble; they can visit their families and even practice modern dental hygiene while filming.