Lark Rise to Candleford: Season 2

The residents of Lark Rise and Candleford return for a second season of heart-warming adventures in this critically acclaimed adaptation of Flora Thompson's novels.

The second season sees the arrival of a dashing and elegant stranger in Candleford. Rich, enterprising, worldly, and without a wife, James Dowling is a successful businessman with a string of London hotels who has come to transform Candleford and bring it new prosperity. But not everyone welcomes his entrepreneurial efforts, and it isn't long before he is sparring with the spirited yet suddenly flustered Dorcas and aggravating the pride of the male Lark Risers with his superior business acumen and somewhat overbearing manner.

This 4-disc set includes the complete 11-episode second season plus the 75-minute Christmas special!

Episode 1
The series opens with a wonderfully captivating seasonal tale that unites the past and the present.
When Dorcas and Emma each want to give Laura the same gift for Christmas, an old family wound is opened up and Laura finds herself torn between two mothers.
As the inhabitants of Lark Rise and Candleford prepare for the festivities, loyalties are tested and, amid the gift-giving and carol singing, tensions are building.
However, the arrival of a ragged, bare-footed young woman, who goes by the name of Cinderella Doe (Sheridan Smith - Two Pints Of Lager, Love Soup, Jonathan Creek: The Grinning Man), introduces a note of Christmas mystery.

Episode 2
A handsome stranger rides into Candleford with a look of determination about him. Along his way, he chances upon young Edmund Timmins and presents him with a silver threepence before heading on his way. His name is James Dowland.
Dowland arrives in Candleford and catches the eye of several of the residents. However, he only has eyes for Dorcas Lane. For the Pratt sisters, he is their new hero who will put Candleford on the map with the opening of a new hotel.
Not everyone is so keen on the arrival of James Dowland. Robert Timmins is suspicious of his motives and is less-than-accepting of his financial help when he offers to take the Lark Rise tenants under his wing. Emma Timmins and the other Lark Rise tenants are, however, more-than-happy to welcome James into their homes.
The cantankerous landlad,y Mrs Herring (Maggie Steed - Jam & Jerusalem, Pie in the Sky, Born and Bred), continues to add to the strains of the Lark Rise residents with her refusal to upkeep their homes. Dorcas and James take it upon themselves to help, and come up with a plan to show Mrs Herring the error of her ways.
Meanwhile, Dorcas's patience is tried with the arrival of a new maid, Minnie, who can do no right. She means well, but with her troubled past struggles to contain her excitement, testing Dorcas and those around her to the end.

Episode 3
Battling with her emotions for new arrival James Dowland, Dorcas sets out to defeat the dashing property developer in the parish council elections. In her quest to win, she finds herself caught up in a battle to prove there is a place for a woman in politics.
Meanwhile, over in Lark Rise, the daily grind of making ends meet proves too much for Robert and Emma Timmins, as they become torn between the past and the future. As Candleford continues to embrace the growth and prosperity that James Dowland pledges, Robert's reluctance to change grows stronger.
Lily Spicer (Lorraine Ashbourne - True Dare Kiss, Jane Eyre) also has her own issues with change. Used to living her life on the road, the idea of a little home comfort is overwhelming. Longing to settle down, but hesitant to compromise her true self, Lily must decide what it is that makes her a real woman.
Young romance continues to puzzle Alf Arless, as he again questions his feelings for Laura. With the help of Twister, they set out to win her over. But the introduction of Alf's new love interest is not quite what it seems.

Episode 4
The residents of Lark Rise and Candleford are experiencing more and more changes, and the old ways are receding faster than some like. When an accident happens on the path joining Lark Rise with Candleford, Dorcas Lane and James Dowland clash once again.
The death of the Reverend Ellison unites the communities of Lark Rise and Candleford, but amongst the sadness Miss Ellison finds herself confronted with her brother George and a past she would really rather forget. Divided between her Christian values and her obligations to her late father, she struggles to know whether to follow her heart or her head.
The road is falling apart and needs to be repaired. George (Oliver Dimsdale - Nostradamus, He Knew He Was Right, Harley Street) soon becomes the talk of the town when he steps in to help the residents of Lark Rise. James Dowland, again wanting to utilise his business, is aggravated by George's determination to ‘finish the job' without his help.
Meanwhile, overwhelmed with grief, Miss Ellison is oblivious to Thomas Brown's affection for her and his desire for her hand in marriage. Dorcas and Emma do all they can to bring them together, but Miss Ellison must first learn how to forgive if she is to learn how to love.

Episode 5
Time rests heavy on the residents of Lark Rise and Candleford as baby Annie stirs up emotions of days gone by and loves yet to be found.
With Emma Timmins feeling the strain of feeding and clothing her family, Dorcas Lane offers to lend a helping hand - unaware of the consequences that her generosity will bring. The feelings baby Annie inflames for both Dorcas and Ruby Pratt become too much to bear. But, with the Timmins house empty, Robert and Emma embrace their new-found freedom.
Whilst the post office welcomes baby Annie, Thomas struggles to cope with the feelings which her presence brings. He must learn to accept his past and move on, if he and Miss Ellison are to have the future they so desperately long for.
James Dowland, meanwhile, is keen to continue the progress of modernising Candleford and hires the help of the young and self-assured Fisher Bloom (Matthew McNulty - Honest, Control, The Mark of Cain). Laura is quickly taken with his arrival, but feels uncomfortable and unable to let her true emotions show.
James and Dorcas also do their best to avoid the feelings that they so obviously share for one other. There's another dinner invitation, but this time things are different - business is not on the menu.

Episode 6
When Dorcas is suddenly taken ill, Laura finds herself with more than one problem to solve. Afraid to admit that even she has limitations, Laura decides that she will not fail Dorcas. However, she soon realises that she must accept her own weaknesses if she is to succeed.
With both Lark Rise and Candleford rallying around to show their support for Laura's new role in the Post Office, she soon feels the pressure mounting and is troubled when anonymous letters begin to arrive. When Minnie sees the delivery of one of the packages, her past catches up with her once again, and she is left fearful of her haunting memories.
When James Dowland hears of Dorcas's illness, he is deeply troubled and makes it his business to see that she is cared for properly. The relationship between the two of them continues to flourish as they finally begin to feel at ease with one another.
Meanwhile, Laura's feelings for Fisher Bloom (Matthew McNulty) continue to flourish. Dorcas feels the need to protect Laura, and the hostility between Fisher and Dorcas begins to cloud the air. True love never runs smoothly and Laura and Fisher must decide whether to let fate determine their future.

Episode 7
There's joy for Robert and Emma Timmins as Robert completes his work on the stone panels for the town clock (funded by James Dowland), and pay day brings its rewards for him and his family. But sadness comes hot on the heals of joy as Robert discovers that he has lost his precious tools and, by the same token, the means to feeding his family.
On hearing of Robert's plight, Dorcas Lane organises a collection amongst the kindly folk of Candleford. Money is raised and a new set of tools is purchased, but will Robert's pride allow him to accept them?
Meanwhile, there is double trouble for Laura Timmins. Not only is she worried about her family, there is a possibility that Fisher Bloom may be going away.
While Laura is racking her brains to find a way to stop the love of her life leaving Candleford, Dorcas continues to find stability in her relationship with James Dowland.

Episode 8
Relationships are tested in Lark Rise and Candleford when relatives and friends arrive and, in some cases, all are not what they appear to be. Some have their hearts broken and others have theirs mended. But it is the true bond of the community that holds everyone together.
The hot summer brings a surprise visitor to Candleford in the form of Celestia Brice Coulson (Samantha Bond - Miss Moneypenny in the Pierce Brosnan James Bond films). Mrs Brice Coulson begins her stay at The Golden Lion Hotel and soon becomes acquainted with Dorcas Lane.
However, Dorcas has other things on her mind when she begins ‘walking out' with James Dowland, causing heads to turn and tongues in the town to wag.
Thomas Brown is working hard to hold two jobs, postman and hotel clerk. He is anxious that his betrothed, Miss Ellison, does not find out, in case she thinks he is financially insecure.
Over in Lark Rise, Emma's father, Old Edmund (Paul Freeman - Monarch of the Glen, Raiders of the Lost Ark), arrives and the Timmins family begins celebrations for his birthday. Problems arise when Emma asks her father to live with them permanently. Robert is not entirely keen on the idea and neither is Twister, as he thinks that Queenie may still harbour some affection for Old Edmund.

Episode 9
An attractive local milk maid, Nan (Rebecca Night - Fanny Hill, Wuthering Heights), takes a fancy to Alf. But this budding young love looks like it might be thwarted by an animosity between Lark Rise and Fordlow that has been simmering for three generations.
Things are made worse when Queenie's bees are stolen and Twister is convinced it is Nan's family and neighbours who committed such an unforgivable crime.
In Candleford, James Dowland is making every effort to mend his relationship with Dorcas. Can he win back her affections, or does she know too much of his past to ever let him get close to her?
His problems with Dorcas results in him taking his eye off the ball and the hotel runs less smoothly. It could mean that Thomas Brown will lose his job at the hotel, which in turn could put a cloud on his relationship with Miss Ellison. Will the date be set for their wedding, or will there be more disappointment for her?

Episode 10
As the Harvest Show comes around, Constable Patterson (Jason Watkins - Little Dorrit, Funland, Conviction) is used to his wife (Michelle Fairley - The Others, Best, Births Marriages and Deaths) taking to her bed with a mysterious illness. But this year is different: she gives him permission to seek a new wife. The Constable has no intention of doing any such thing - until a Pratt Sister in distress sets his heart soaring.
Will this new-found love come between the sisters who run Candleford's clothing store?
And for the first time in years, Cabbage Patterson has a rival from Lark Rise taking him on in the harvest show.

Episode 11
A sudden storm reveals a secret romance, but also makes the address on a letter indecipherable. When Dorcas pursues the identity of the recipient of the letter, she reveals another secret. A child - secret even from his own father.
At the same time Dorcas hears a ghostly cry around the Post Office and she is determined to find out why it is haunting her.
Laura is tormented with the knowledge of a betrayal - but when she decides to meddle in the love life of her dear friend Alf, she makes things worse than ever.
When Emma discovers she is once again pregnant, she finds it impossible to tell her husband.
Miss Ellison, meanwhile, asks Robert to give her away at her wedding - which brings objection, not just from Thomas Brown, but from others in the hamlet.

Episode 12
James Dowland is confined to his hospital bed when his son arrives in Candleford. Dorcas welcomes the child into the Post Office, encouraging her staff to do everything they can to make the boy feel at home in Candleford. But this turns out to cause a great deal of turmoil when James is at last released from hospital to be reunited with his son.
Thomas Brown is preparing for his imminent wedding when a few words from the Common Book of Prayer cause him to spin in a torrent of uncertainty and anxiety. Meanwhile, Miss Ellison develops a strange disease of the skin which seems to be the result of her own anxieties. Will she go up the aisle with a face full of boils, or will she be healed in time?

Directed by Alan Grint
Adapted byBill Gallagher
Written by Flora Thompson
Produced by Annie Tricklebank
Executive Produced by Susan Hogg, Bill Gallagher

Olivia Hallinan plays Laura Timmins
Reprising the role of Laura Timmins, a Lark Rise girl who moved to Candleford to work with her cousin, Dorcas Lane, Olivia Hallinan reflects how much Laura has changed since she first arrived at the Post Office as a naïve and innocent young girl:
"Laura has definitely grown up. She's grown in confidence and takes on a lot more responsibility in this series. Dorcas watches Laura grow as she flourishes in her relationships and people skills and shes quite proud of what she has achieved.
"I think the arrival of Minnie played by Ruby Bentall is really interesting as it forces Laura to take on a much more responsible role and Dorcas gives her more freedom.
"It's been great having Ruby join the cast and I think Minnie is such a great character that the audience will love. She is hopeless to start with and Laura gives her advice and really looks after her just as Dorcas previously did for Laura. Seeing Minnie makes Laura realise just what she's got and how lucky she is to have her family in Lark Rise."

Ruby Bentall is not the only newcomer to the cast; Jason Merrells joins as the new hotel owner, James Dowland:
"Jason Merrells, has been great to work with as well. Laura sees what he has made of himself coming from Lark Rise and realises how far she has come. Queenie looked after Dowland when he was a boy so there's a good relationship between the Lark Risers and James.
"Laura is quite wary of him at first, because of his interest in Dorcas. She's always fiercely protective over Dorcas, so when a guy comes along Laura is looking out for her - they always know when each other are upset or down about something."

At the end of the first series Laura was left heartbroken by Philip as he betrayed her trust, so will there be a new love interest in this series?
"Laura falls head over heels in love with a man called Fisher Bloom (Matthew McNulty). He comes to Candleford to make a clock and Laura falls well and truly for him.
"Laura can be quite serious, she takes her job very seriously which is good but she can also be very sensible. Fisher makes her realise that there's more to life than being the best at everything, being in control and being perfect, which is really good for her.
"There's an episode where Dorcas gets ill and Laura has to take on more responsibility, she keeps saying to herself, I can't fail, I can't fail! Fisher lets her know that it is alright to fail sometimes. He brings out the young girl in her."

The costumes in the first series were beautiful, having just finished filming a second series have you got used to wearing them day in day out for seven months?
"Yes, it's a long shoot and I've got used to the corset now. It was hard to start with but you learn to deal with wearing it 12 hours a day, your body adjusts. I still get corset rage a lot! You'll be fine and then you get a sharp stabbing pain and you know you have to get it loosened - especially after a big lunch!'
"Laura's wardrobe has changed this series by becoming more colourful, more girly. Previously she was wearing hand-me-downs from Dorcas and now she's developing her own style."

The second series filmed in Bath and Bristol, what was it like second time round?
"Bath is such a beautiful and stunning town. You can begin to take the place for granted when you're staying there for so long but it's great place to be and it was great that all the cast lived so close to each other too.
"We had our local pub and went out for lots of meals together, hence the corset rage! There was a real sense of, all in it together and it was lovely that we were all neighbours.
"I went to the new shopping centre with Claudie Blakley and Brendan Coyle who play my parents and the reaction we got was unbelievable! People were really nice about the show. The reaction has been really positive and some people know more about each episode than I do. I just hope people like this series just as much."

Summing up, why do you think Lark Rise To Candleford was so loved?
"Lark Rise To Candleford is a heart warming, tender, visually stunning and it's the perfect Sunday night viewing. There will be things that you won't expect in this series - the audience will see Laura worked up in state at some points, which I think could surprise people. You see the hardships as well as their closeness of the communities which I think is what the audience really liked."

Julia Sawalha plays Dorcas Lane
Postmistress Dorcas Lane decided to stay at the Post Office at the end of the first series. However, the joy was short lived as she said goodbye to two very special people in her life: Zillah (Liz Smith), her ever-faithful maid sadly passed away, and Sir Timothy (Ben Miles), who left for London with his wife Lady Adelaide (Olivia Grant).

So what is in store for Dorcas in the second series of Lark Rise to Candleford?
"Well Dorcas has got another love interest called James Dowland who is played by Jason Merrells. At first, they fight against each other because of his lack of understanding of the whole community.
"She finds it hard to understand where he's coming from but there is also a romantic thing going on.
She is attracted to him but she doesn't understand why. Since losing Zillah, I think she wears her emotions much more on her sleeve - she's much more vulnerable in this series.
"I miss not having Liz around, she was a fantastic person to have on set but this series, we've got a wonderful actress Ruby Bentall who's incredible, she plays my new maid. It's a lovely dynamic to have this younger maid in the kitchen that can't do anything, and it's made Dorcas realise how much she has learnt from Zillah. As much as you lose people you have wonderful replacements that bring in a new dynamic and a new energy and so the thing moves on."

Does working on a period drama such as Lark Rise to Candleford presents challenges for an actor?
"There is a certain amount of etiquette involved such as not putting your elbows on the table, sitting up, and the way you walk, you have to take small steps. Sometimes in the stage directions you'll read, ‘She runs down the street', and Victorian ladies did not run! This wasn't just out of manners, it's physically impossible to run in a long skirt and a corset so you have to constantly remind yourself of things that they did and didn't do!"
Julia, a veteran of period dramas, having starred in Cranford and Pride And Prejudice, has plenty experience of wearing corsets.
"I'm actually alright in the corsets!" she laughs, "I've got a bit of elastic around the side of them which helps me breathe although I do run out of breath in long speeches. There are days when it becomes a bit intolerable but it's just like anything really. When you wear a tight pair of jeans it can become terrible sometimes. I think it helps you so much with character and helps you stand up straight and gives you a bit of grace.
"Corsets come in all different shapes, and I would say this is possibly the most restricting one I've worn. Some corsets are soft corsets, like the ones in the Pride And Prejudice period. They would push your boobs up but wouldn't pull you in because you've got the A length dresses. But I think in this period, about five years before 1896 they were aiming for a 21 inch waist!"

The first series of Lark Rise to Candleford brought in around seven million viewers each week, what kind of reaction have you had from fans?
"The reaction has been incredible. The letters I've had from people are the nicest letters I've ever had. People have gone out of their way to write, saying: ‘I wouldn't normally write this letter but what Dorcas went through I have been through...'
"Even in the street what most people say is that they're so pleased there's no murder and no violence and I think that's the main crux of it. It's just easier on the eye, easier on the ear, gentle drama, which looks at people's relationships. People had the same relationships then as they do today, except we're wearing different costumes. We have our fights we have our heartbreaks, we have our happy moments. "This all makes my job worthwhile because it means that I've helped someone escape in some way for an hour and understand their own emotions and that's a huge compliment to me."

"With carols and capital-c Characters, it sets out to be heart-warming and charming. Not - repeat not - one for Scrooge." The Times

"The snow machines are set to ‘blizzard', the peas pudding* is in abundance and the wassailing cannot be stopped. Warm your toes on this one as you tuck into a mince pie and inject your veins with mulled port." Guardian

"This is shamelessly heartwarming Horlicks TV made with extra sugar, double cream and chocolate on top." The Times

"The polar opposite of in-your-face contemporary dramas ... it possesses an undeniably beguiling aura. Centred on the Candleford Post Office run by Dorcas Lane (Julia Sawalha), the drama allows you to immerse yourself in an uncomplicated bygone era for a guilt-free hour each week." Independent

* this was a typo by the Guardian. The correct spelling is pease pudding.

Flora Thompson's trilogy Lark Rise to Candleford is a fictionalised autobiography of her own life seen through the eyes of ‘Laura'. Flora herself left the home of her parents Albert and Emma Timms at the tender age of 14 and worked in several post offices in Southern England, eventually marrying a post office clerk.