The Bagthorpe Saga

The Bagthorpe Saga
Created by	Helen Cresswell
Starring	Edward Hardwicke Angela Thorne Dandy Nichols Tim Preece Madeline Smith
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	6
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Release
Original network	BBC1
Original release	25 March – 29 April 1981

The Bagthorpe Saga is a series of 10 fiction books written by author Helen Cresswell between 1977 and 2001. The series became the basis of a TV comedy series - also called The Bagthorpe Saga - in 1981, and also won two International Reading Association awards. The books were published in the UK and the United States by Faber and Faber.

The saga follows the lives of the eccentric Bagthorpe family, who live in Unicorn House in an unspecified but rural part of the UK. The nearest large settlement is the fictional town of Aysham.

Three of the four children are held (chiefly by themselves) to be frightfully gifted ('genii') and work assiduously at the many 'strings to their bows'. Boasting about their many talents is not regarded as boasting but as 'taking a just pride in their accomplishments'. Only Jack is ordinary.

The Bagthorpe Saga, a six-part adaptation of the first two novels (Ordinary Jack and Absolute Zero) was broadcast by the BBC in 1981. The character of Rosie was eliminated and some of her dialogue and character attributes were given to Tess. The series was filmed in the summer of 1980 in Tetbury, Gloucestershire; Manor Farm on the Chavenage estate was used as the Bagthorpes' home, Unicorn House. Each episode ran for 30 minutes.

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