''Mapp and Lucia'' is a British television series, set in the fictional Sussex coastal town of Tilling and based on three 1930s novels by

E. F. Benson Edward Frederic Benson (24 July 1867 – 29 February 1940) was an English novelist, biographer, memoirist, archaeologist and short story writer. Early life E.F. Benson was born at Wellington College in Berkshire, the fifth child of the headm ...

, beginning with ''

Mapp and Lucia ''Mapp and Lucia'' is a 1931 comic novel written by E. F. Benson. It is the fourth of six novels in the popular Mapp and Lucia series, about idle women in the 1920s and their struggle for social dominance over their small communities. It bring ...

''. It was produced by

London Weekend Television London Weekend Television (LWT) (now part of the non-franchised ITV London region) was the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties at weekends, broadcasting from Fridays at 5.15 pm (7:00 pm from 1968 un ...

, filmed in Rye (on which Benson based Tilling) and neighbouring

Winchelsea Winchelsea () is a small town in the non-metropolitan county of East Sussex, within the historic county of Sussex, England, located between the High Weald and the Romney Marsh, approximately south west of Rye and north east of Hastings. The ...

in the 1980s, and starred

Prunella Scales Prunella Margaret Rumney West Scales (''née'' Illingworth; born 22 June 1932) is an English former actress, best known for playing Sybil Fawlty, wife of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese), in the BBC comedy '' Fawlty Towers'', her nomination for a ...

as Mapp,

Geraldine McEwan Geraldine McEwan (born Geraldine McKeown; 9 May 1932 – 30 January 2015) was an English actress, who had a long career in film, theatre and television. Michael Coveney described her, in a tribute article, as "a great comic stylist, with ...

as Lucia,

Nigel Hawthorne Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne (5 April 1929 – 26 December 2001) was an English actor. He is most known for his stage acting and his portrayal of Sir Humphrey Appleby, the permanent secretary in the 1980s sitcom '' Yes Minister'' and the Cabi ...

as Georgie, and

Denis Lill Denis Lill (born 22 April 1942) is a New Zealand-born British actor. He is best known for his roles in '' Survivors'' as Charles Vaughan, ''Only Fools and Horses'' as Alan Parry, ''Outside Edge'' as Dennis Broadley and as Consultant General Sur ...

as Major Benjy. The script was by

Gerald Savory Gerald Douglas Savory (17 November 1909 – 9 February 1996) was an English writer and television producer specialising in comedies. Biography The son of Kenneth Douglas Savory and actress Grace Lane (1877–1956), he was educated at Bradfield C ...

. There were ten episodes, (which aired in two series of five) broadcast on

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a fourth television service ...

in 1985 and 1986. These have been repeated over the years, and a new BBC adaptation, ''

'', aired in 2014. Series one is a five-episode adaptation of ''

'' (1931). Season two adapts both the fifth book ('' Lucia's Progress'', 1935) in the first three episodes, and the sixth book ('' Trouble for Lucia'', 1939) in the final two episodes.

Cast

as Elizabeth Mapp *

as Emmeline Lucas (Lucia) *

as Georgie Pillson *

as Major Benjy Flint *Cecily Hobbs as Quaint Irene * Mary MacLeod as Godiva 'Diva' Plaistow *

Geoffrey Chater Geoffrey Michael Chater Robinson (23 March 1921 – 16 October 2021) was an English film, television and stage actor. He appeared in the crime drama series '' Callan'', ''Foyle's War'' and ''Midsomer Murders''. Biography Geoffrey Michael Chat ...

as Algernon Wyse *

Marion Mathie Marion Mathie (6 February 1925 – 20 January 2012) was an English actress who appeared in the last four series of ''Rumpole of the Bailey'' as his fearsome wife, Hilda ("She Who Must Be Obeyed") and many other roles in other productions, includ ...

as Susan Wyse MBE * James Greene as Rev. Bartlett * Ken Kitson as Cadman * Lucinda Gane as Foljambe * Geraldine Newman as Grosvenor *Cherry Morris as Withers *

Irene Handl Irene Handl (27 December 1901 – 29 November 1987) was a British author and character actress who appeared in more than 100 British films. Life Irene Handl was born in Maida Vale, London, the younger of two daughters of an Austria-born father ...

as Poppy, Duchess of Sheffield * Anna Quayle as Olga Bracely *Carol Macready as Daisy Quantock *

David Gooderson David Gooderson (born 24 February 1941) is an English actor who has appeared in several television roles. Career As well as portraying Davros, creator of the Daleks in the ''Doctor Who'' serial ''Destiny of the Daleks'', he appeared in e ...

as Mr. Woolgar

Production

Filming took place in Rye and

as well as

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

–

Chilham Chilham is a mostly agricultural village and parish in the English county of Kent with a clustered settlement, Chilham village centre, in the northeast, and a smaller linear settlement, Shottenden. Well-preserved roads and mostly residential liste ...

features in episodes 1, 2 and 10, doubling as Risholme and

Hever Castle Hever Castle ( ) is located in the village of Hever, Kent, near Edenbridge, south-east of London, England. It began as a country house, built in the 13th century. From 1462 to 1539, it was the seat of the Boleyn (originally 'Bullen') family. ...

features as the residence of Poppy, Duchess of Sheffield.

Episodes

Series 1 (1985)

Series 2 (1986)

Home releases

References

External links

*
Tilling on TV - website about the LWT series
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mapp and Lucia 1985 TV series Channel 4 television dramas Television shows based on British novels Television series set in the 1930s Television shows set in Sussex British comedy-drama television shows English-language television shows 1985 British television series debuts 1986 British television series endings 1980s British comedy-drama television series Mapp and Lucia