All posts filed under: Epochs

William Tyndale

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episodes: 11×05: The Magician’s Nephew) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Tom Barnaby, wearing a black coat and a burgundy shawl, enters a church in search of Aloysius Wilmington, and discovers him kneeling in front of the communion pew in the nave, sorting. Aloysius Wilmington is also wearing a burgundy scarf, but a light grey coat over it. When he notices Tom Barnaby, he sighs at the local rector, who doesn’t want to replace the poorly preserved Book of Common Prayer with the new ones he’s already bought for the parishes. The Book of Common Prayer is largely based on the work of William Tyndale, who was condemned as a heretic by the Anglican Church and murdered.

Midsomer Murders History Header Gunpowder Plot

‘Involved in the Gunpowder Plot.”‘

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episodes: 08×04: Bantling Boy, and 15×02: Murder of Innocence) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Welcome to Bantling Hall, located in the picturesque Buckinghamshire… no, sorry: Dorney Court. A stunning Tudor manor that has been listed on the National Heritage List since 23 September 1955. With a rich history dating back to before the Battle of Hastings, the manor has been owned by several notable figures, including Aldred and Miles Crispin. Dorney Court is proudly owned by the Palmer family, who have maintained its beauty and heritage for generations. It is worth noting that the text does not reference the Gunpowder Plot, Battle of Marston Moor, or War of Independence. In 1646, during the Civil War, the Palmer family, who were royalists, had their estates seized. However, their estates were returned to them in 1657.

Header Midsomer Murders History Civil War

The Civil War, pt. 1

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episodes: 03×04: Beyond the Grave, 06×04: A Tale of two Hamlets, 08×04: Bantling Boy, and 11×02: Blood Wedding) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • After the Gunpowder Plot, religious tensions in England continued to escalate against the Catholics. Among them were the Fitzroys of Bledlow Village, who took over ownership of their manor c.1610. This is what Harry Fitzroy told Ben Jones during his investigation… The episode first aired in 2008, which means the Fitzroys have owned the manor since at least 1608, perhaps even before the Gunpowder Plot? Unfortunately, we don’t know from whom they acquired the manor.

The Civil War, pt. 2

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episodes: 11×02: Blood Wedding, and 15×01: The Dark Rider.) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Continued from Civil War, pt. 1 But when the Parliamentarians failed to capitalise on the successful battles of Marston Moor and Aspern Tallow, Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax formed the New Model Army – a single professional standing army of fanatical Puritans who fought not for money but for their honour, their faith and their passion.

Midsomer Murders History Header Gilbert & Sullivan

Gilbert & Sullivan: Pirates of Penzance and Midsomer

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episode: 22×05: For Death Prepare) Diesen Artikel gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Right at the beginning, we see a house on a river with the inscription ‘Empson Playhouse’. A man comes out of the front door with a poster in his hand and hangs it on the wall of the house next to the entrance.On the beige background, which appears to have yellowed, is a tall, black-haired pirate holding a sabre in his right hand. It says “The Midsomer Mummers – The Pirates of Penzance – Centenary Charity Concert – 5th – 8th May”. The film location for the Midsomer Mummers theatre has been The Mill in Sonning, Berkshire, for a hundred years. Instead of “Empson Playhouse”, the building actually says simply “The Mill”. This is because the former mill is actually used for theatre performances.

Roman Vineyards

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episode: 17×04: A Vintage Murder) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Elspeth Rice has just returned from measuring the depth of a lake in Midsomer Vinae. She is deeply concerned about the results, as this lake holds a painful memory for her. Five years ago, she accidentally hit and fatally injured young Jessica Tyler, and her car sank into this very lake. Nothing should incriminate her. Elspeth has been struggling to forgive herself ever since, and in an effort to protect herself, she made some regrettable choices. At the trial, she confidently testified that she saw Nadia Simons’s black car at the scene of the accident, driving at dangerously high speeds and probably under the influence of alcohol. This occurred after the launch of Carnarvon’s first Midsomer Vinae wine, to which Simons was invited. Elspeth was unkindly intruding on her friend and Jessica’s mother, Judy Tyler, and telling her that Jessica’s death was caused by Nadia Simons, who is known for her drunk-driving. The Carnarvons had invited …

Treasures & Raiders in Midsomer County

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episodes: 05×04: Mord am St Malley’s Day, 14×05: The Sleeper under the Hill, 18×05: Saints and Sinners, and a little bit 09×04: Down Among Dead Men) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Three episodes of Midsomer Murders are about treasure and its theft. They come from three different eras: The Anglo-Saxon treasure of Gorse Meadow from the Battle of Hallows Beck between the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings (14×05: The Sleeper under the Hill) and the Tudor hoard of Milson (18×05: Saints and Sinners) – both treasure heists taking place in Midsomer in the early 21st century.

Midsomer Murders History Header Independence War

A traitor from Midsomer in the American Independence War?

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episode: 08×04: Bantling Boy) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • We enter Bantling Hall with Tom Barnaby and Angela Hartley, because among the large gentlemen in oil on canvas is Thomas Bantling. One of the men of whom the lady speaks only with contempt. He fought as an Englishman in the War of Independence, but not for his King, but for the colonies that later became the United States of America.

Midsomer Connections: Episodes & Epochs

Published by Petra Tabarelli

Under the menu item „Midsomer Connections“ you may have already seen the sankey chart in the lower half. It connects episodes with historical events from the respective era. In contrast to the charts above, this one not only includes references to British history, but also to Midsomer’s own history: Sir Hugo Melmoth, Ellis Bell, St Cicely, and so on. The chart shows it clearly: the 20th century is very strongly represented in Midsomer Murders, especially the period after the Second World War. Tudor, Stuart, Georgian are equally represented, as are Victorian and Modern 1. It is much more often mentioned that a tradition or estate has existed since Henry VIII than since the Domesday Book. And the period before the Tudors, especially before the Battle of Hastings, is very under-represented. (Under “Medieval” I include everything between William I and the Wars of the Roses, i.e. Normans and Plantagenets). That’s not so surprising, because Midsomer is actually typically Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, where most of the film locations are. It’s precisely here and in rural surroundings because …

Midsomer Murders History Header Albert Plummer‘s Relish

Albert Plummer in India

Published by Petra Tabarelli

• (Caution: Contains spoilers for Episode: 08×07: Sauce for the Goose) Diesen Beitrag gibt es auch auf Deutsch. • Sam Hardwick leads a small group through the Plummer’s Relish factory where he worked until he retired – past the desks and conveyor belts where the work is done. He tells us that Albert Plummer was a young man in the Punjab when he discovered an excellent relish. When he returned to England in 1851, he brought the recipe for the relish with him and produced it. It was a great success. It is not known how Albert Plummer came up with the recipe for this delicious relish, which Tom Barnaby also enjoyed. The only clues we have are the year 1851 and the region of Punjab.