Lark Rise To Candleford

Caroline (Dawn French) is determined to mend her ways

The residents of Lark Rise and Candleford are intrigued when Queenie finds a beautiful embroidered panel on a grave, which is clearly very old, in tonight’s penultimate episode of the adaptation of Flora Thompson’s magical memoir of her Oxfordshire childhood. Dorcas and Sir Timothy set about getting to the bottom of the mystery of who created the panel.

Alf and Philip’s rivalry, meanwhile, continues as Alf’s boast that he is skilled enough to poach in the manor grounds undetected leads both him and Laura’s brother, Edmund, into danger. Edmund looks up to Alf and tries to emulate his daring attempts at poaching. While Alf manages to catch himself a pheasant, Edmund is seriously injured by one of Philip’s traps. Edmund is forced to hide his injuries from his father, however, rather than face his wrath, but he’s not going to be able to last long without treatment for his injury.

Caroline has also returned to Lark Rise from her stay in prison and is determined to mend her ways. She constantly has to bite her tongue and suppress her excessive urges in order to prove to herself, and her children, that she is reformed.

Back in Candleford, Dorcas tries once again to bring Thomas and Miss Ellison together, but they both reject her invitation to a matchmaking tea at the post office to take a private walk together instead. Dorcas is moved to learn that the creator of the panel was apparently a seamstress and spinster, who made it as a token of her love for her employer – a married man whom she could never have.

Queenie is played by Linda Bassett, Dorcas Lane by Julia Sawalha, Sir Timothy Midwinter by Ben Miles, Alf Arless by John Dagleish, Philip White by Oliver Jackson Cohen, Laura Timmins by Olivia Hallinan, Edmund by Thomas Rhys Jones, Caroline Arless by Dawn French, Thomas Brown by Mark Heap and Miss Ellison by Sandy McDade.