A CHESHIRE town has been snubbed for a new TV costume drama – because it is not old-fashioned enough.

Despite author Elizabeth Gaskell setting her book Cranford Chronicles in Knutsford, filming of the BBC drama – which will star Dame Judi Dench – will not take place there.

Instead, it is being filmed 170 miles away in London and at a Wiltshire village, because Knutsford is regarded as being too modern to represent Victorian times.

Filming has started in Lacock, where the pub in the High Street was transformed into Johnson’s Stores for a shopping trip for Dame Judi’s character, Miss Matty Jenkyns.

Each household in Lacock got £100 for the inconvenience of having a major filming project take place on their doorstep.

A BBC spokesman said: “The production did consider Knutsford as a location for Cranford Chronicles but the signage and buildings meant it was cost-effective to film in a National Trust town in Wiltshire, which required minimal changes to transform the area into Victorian England.”

Mrs Joan Leach, secretary of the Gaskell Society, said: “You cannot take away the 20th century from the town. It is congested with traffic, and the cobbled streets have gone.”

The five-part BBC1 serial weaves together three different Elizabeth Gaskell novels to create a comic drama about the course of ordinary lives in a small town of Cranford in Cheshire during 1842.

Life On Mars actor Philip Glenister is in the all-star cast as Mr Carter, along with Dame Judi, Imelda Staunton and Barbara Flynn. The series, written by Heidi Thomas, will be broadcast later this year.

Film crews will be in the picturesque village until 9pm.

Dame Judi Dench was whisked into action again this week when she was filmed in Church Street.

The Oscar-winning actress arrived at the last possible moment before her cue, in a silver Mercedes with blacked out windows.

After turning in another consummate performance as Miss Matty Jenkyns, a spirited and rebellious woman who is forced to give up the man she loves, the 72-year-old got back in the car and left the set.

As the filming has progressed, more of the all-star cast has appeared on set dressed in period attire.

Absolutely Fabulous actress Julia Sawalha is shown in tartan dress and bonnet, playing Jessie Brown, while television and film actor Jim Carter, who plays Captain Brown, was also on set.

Greg Wise, the husband of actress Emma Thompson who starred in a 2003 production of Hornblower, appeared in top hat and waistcoat as Lord Charles Maulver.

Married father-of-two Anthony Edwards, 56, a retired tanner who lives in High Street, picked up a speaking part after landing a role as an extra.

He said: “I was playing a street dweller for most of the week but then they asked me to be a police henchman in charge of the lockup.

“I had to challenge a young lad who had come to speak to his father before he was shipped to Australia.

“The microphone was set up inside but there’s a chance my voice will be picked up. I’m not sure about my Wiltshire accent though as it’s supposed to be set in Cheshire.”

from wiltshiretimes.co.uk

Set construction teams have turned The Red Lion pub in High Street into Johnson’s Stores, where Dame Judi’s character Miss Matty Jenkyns is expected to shop for gifts for her family. The exterior of the pub is almost unrecognisable, with its handsome new ground floor fascia painted dark grey.

High Street and Church Street will be closed from Monday to Friday to allow filming to take place, with anyone breaching the closure rule risking a fine of £1,000.

Art director Mark Kebby at the set

The BBC film weaves together three different Elizabeth Gaskell novels to create a comic drama about the course of ordinary lives in a small town in Cheshire during 1842.

Speaking about the filming process, Dame Judi said: “I am so excited to be doing Cranford Chronicles. A summer of fun to look forward to.”

Each household in Lacock has received £100 for the inconvenience of having a major filming project take place on their doorstep.

Villagers also had a chance to apply for jobs as extras after the tenants’ association negotiated a deal with the producers. Leo Stevens, of Middle Street, Lacock, is one of those joining the cast. The 72-year-old former master mariner, who is chairman of the tenants’ association, said: “I am glad that so many locals are taking part.

“It means that when filming takes place here we are a part of it instead of people just taking over the place. It’s nothing new to us, seeing filming. All sorts of films have been done here.”

By Benjamin Parkes

Starring Dame Judi Dench, the Cranford Chronicles will begin filming from Monday, April 23 to Monday, May 4.

From the Wiltshire Times

Filming will take place in the High Street, Church Street and the Tythe Barn.

As well as receiving money, casting is also available to residents who could appear as extras.

Leo Stevens of Middle Street, Lacock is the chairman of the tenants association and vice-chairman for the Tenants Association of the National Trust.

He said: “The meeting went very well. The majority of people seemed very interested to be extras.
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“People are always very keen to be involved in filming.”