Together we step back in time for a few weeks to explore rural life in nineteenth century England, to find peace and plenty in pastoral settings - and to understand better the satisfaction and hardship of living so close to the land. And perhaps there to glimpse JRR Tolkien's beloved countryside as we imagine the England which inspired the creation of The Shire - and countless more tales.

We'll read and/or watch Lark Rise to Candleford, a book by Flora Thompson, and a new BBC ten part mini-series.

'Set in the small hamlet of Lark Rise and the wealthier neighbouring market town, Candleford, the series chronicles the daily lives of farm-workers, craftsmen and gentry at the end of the 19th Century. This world is seen through the eyes of a teenage girl, Laura Timmins as she leaves Lark Rise to start a new life under the wing of the independent and effervescent Dorcas Lane who is post-mistress at the local post office in Candleford. Lark Rise to Candleford is a love letter to a vanished corner of rural England and a heart-warming drama series teeming with wit, wisdom and romance.' (from the BBC series description)

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