''Tales from the Green Valley'' is a British historical documentary TV series in 12 parts, first shown on BBC Two from 19 August to 4 November 2005. The series, the first in the historic farm series, made for the BBC by independent production company Lion TV, follows historians and archaeologists as they recreate farm life from the age of the Stuarts; they wear the clothes, eat the food and use the tools, skills and technology of the 1620s. The series recreates everyday life on a small farm in Gray Hill, Monmouthshire,

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...

, in the period, using authentic replica equipment and clothing, original recipes and reconstructed building techniques. Much use is made of period sources such as agricultural writers

Gervase Markham Gervase (or Jervis) Markham (ca. 1568 – 3 February 1637) was an English poet and writer. He was best known for his work '' The English Huswife, Containing the Inward and Outward Virtues Which Ought to Be in a Complete Woman'', first publishe ...

and Thomas Tusser. The series was written, directed and produced by British archaeologist and documentary maker,

Peter Sommer Peter Sommer Christensen (born 28 August 1974 in Skanderborg) is a Danish singer and songwriter. His lyrics are often characterized by interesting puns and word plays. Besides his solo career, he was in the duo Superjeg with Carsten Valentin L ...

, who was awarded the Learning on Screen Award in 2006 by the British Universities Film & Video Council, for ''Tales from the Green Valley''. The series features historians Stuart Peachey and Ruth Goodman, and archaeologists

Alex Langlands Alex Langlands is a British archaeologist and historian, also known for his work as a presenter of educational documentary series on British television and a lecturer of medieval history at Swansea University. Education Langlands has degrees ...

, Peter Ginn and Chloe Spencer. The series was released on DVD, distributed by Acorn Media UK. An associated book by Stuart Peachey – ''The Building of the Green Valley: A Reconstruction of an Early 17th-century Rural Landscape'' – was published in 2006. The

sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...

to this series is ''

Victorian Farm ''Victorian Farm'' is a British historical documentary TV series in six parts, first shown on BBC Two in January 2009, and followed by three Christmas-themed parts in December of the same year. The series, the second in the BBC historic farm s ...

'', with Goodman, Langlands and Ginn returning as TV hosts.

Episodes

Sequels

''A Tudor Feast at Christmas'' – a "spin-off" from the series, broadcast on 21 December 2006, produced and directed by Chris Mitchell for Lion Television – showed the team recreating a Tudor banquet at

Haddon Hall Haddon Hall is an English country house on the River Wye near Bakewell, Derbyshire, a former seat of the Dukes of Rutland. It is the home of Lord Edward Manners (brother of the incumbent Duke) and his family. In form a medieval manor house, it ...

with experts Marc Meltonville and Hugh Beamish. Blogspot: A Tudor Feast at Christmas
/ref> A new series set in the 19th century, ''

'', was screened on BBC Two in January 2009 and was followed by ''

Edwardian Farm ''Edwardian Farm'' is a British historical documentary TV series in twelve parts, first shown on BBC Two from November 2010 to January 2011. As the third series on the BBC historic farm series, following the original, Tales from the Green Valle ...

'' in November 2010. A series set during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, titled ''

Wartime Farm ''Wartime Farm'' is a British historical documentary TV series in eight parts in which the running of a farm during the Second World War is reenacted, first broadcast on BBC Two on 6 September 2012. The series, the fourth in the historic farm se ...

,'' followed in September 2012, with ''

Tudor Monastery Farm ''Tudor Monastery Farm'' is a British factual television series, first broadcast on BBC Two on 13 November 2013. The series, the fifth in the historic farm series, following the original, Tales from the Green Valley, stars archaeologists Pete ...

'' then premièring in November 2013.

References

External links

* *{{IMDb title, 0478958
Tales from the Green Valley on Peter Sommers Travel websiteFull list of all 12 episodesBBC News Magazine: "Lessons from our ancestors about the countryside"Grayhill Farm websiteRuth Goodman websiteAlex Langlands website
2005 British television series debuts 2005 British television series endings Renaissance reenactment English-language television shows Historical reality television series Television series by All3Media BBC historic farm series BBC television documentaries about history during the 16th and 17th centuries Television shows about agriculture