Return to Cranford is the two-part second series of Cranford, a British television series directed by Simon Curtis. The screenplay by Heidi Thomas is based on material by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1863: the novel Cranford, the novella The Moorland Cottage, and the short story The Cage at Cranford. Themes from My Lady Ludlow, Mr Harrison's Confessions and The Last Generation in England are included to provide continuity with the first series.
The two episodes were broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One in December 2009. In the United States, they were broadcast by PBS as part of its Masterpiece Theatre series in January 2010.
Most of the cast members from the first series, including Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Deborah Findlay and Barbara Flynn reprised their roles, with Jonathan Pryce, Celia Imrie, Lesley Sharp, Nicholas Le Prevost, Jodie Whittaker, Tom Hiddleston, Michelle Dockery, Matthew McNulty, Rory Kinnear and Tim Curry joining the cast.
The new stories, which were written by Heidi Thomas and directed by Simon Curtis, took place in August 1844; a year after the wedding of Sophy Hutton and Dr Harrison.
Contents
Cast
Listed in alphabetical order:
Episode guide
Part One: August 1844
Matty Jenkyns has closed her tea shop and now looks after Tilly, the baby daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem Hearne, while the pregnant Martha works in the kitchen. Captain Brown readies the opening of a train station at Hanbury Halt, five miles from Cranford. Lady Ludlow refuses to sell her land to enable a railway extension to the town.
Mrs Bell, a widow with two grown children, continues deep mourning fourteen months after her husband's passing. Daughter Peggy dresses in hand-me-down clothes and has little opportunity to socialise with people her own age – including potential suitors. Wealthy Mr Buxton has returned to his lands following the death of his wife. He brings Eton-educated son William and also his ward Erminia, educated in Brussels. William and Peggy begin to enjoy each other's company.
At Hanbury Court, Lady Ludlow is dying. Miss Galindo attends to her needs and has tried unsuccessfully to contact Lady Ludlow's long-absent son Septimus – living in Naples ostensibly for his health – to inform him of his mother's illness. She eventually receives a letter indicating that he has arrived in London and is coming to Cheshire. After waiting several hours for her son's arrival, Lady Ludlow collapses and dies. Meanwhile, Martha has gone into labour as Jem is summoned to Hanbury Hall for his duties as undertaker. While he is gone, she begins to haemorrhage. No doctor is currently available with 10 miles of Cranford, so Martha and the baby die.
Septimus arrives at Hanbury Court with his foppish Italian companion Giacomo. Their lavish lifestyle drained Lady Ludlow's fortune, so she took out a mortgage on the estate. Her former estate agent, the late Mr Carter, made provision in his will that she be loaned money to pay off the mortgage from his bequest to Harry Gregson. Septimus begrudges the fact that he must pay back this loan with interest. Septimus arranges for a carriage to fetch Harry from his school and offers to give the boy £5,000 immediately if he will agree to relinquish his claim to the balance of the money owed to him. Harry would then be able to pay for establishment of a village school, while Septimus claims he will retain the estate. Although Harry is only fourteen, they seal the deal by shaking hands in a "gentlemen’s agreement." Mary Smith arrives to stay with Matty and says that she is engaged to Mr Turnbull, a wealthy man.
Production
Although Cranford is supposedly in Cheshire, none of the exterior scenes was filmed there. Locations used included Surrey, Hambleden, Windsor, Radnage, Leighton Buzzard, Berkhamsted, Wycombe, Syon House in Brentford, London and Isleworth in Greater London and Oxford. Interiors were filmed in Pinewood Studios. A large portion of filming was done at Lacock in Wiltshire (a location used for many films, including Pride and Prejudice and Emma for the BBC in 1995 and 1996, respectively and also for the Harry Potter films in 2000 and 2001). Filming of the railway sequences took place in Staffordshire at the Foxfield Railway.
Home media
Return to Cranford was released on DVD on 28 December 2009. A DVD box set was also made available on 28 December 2009 comprising the first series, The Making of Cranford as well as Return to Cranford.