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For the first item Tony Francis visits Ledbury in Herefordshire at the time of the annual poetry festival last summer. Shots of people reciting poetry in various locations including the town crier Mike Evans, Eric Freeman who is a local ploughman, and policeman Derek Curtis. Vox pops in the town about poetry. Views of Ledbury town centre. Interview with the festival organiser Peter Arscott about the event. Tony then looks at local poetry connections beginning with John Masefield who was born in Ledbury followed by library pictures of Hope End where Elizabeth Barrett Browning lived. We then see views of the village of Dymock in Gloucestershire which had a small community of poets prior to the First World War including Rupert Brooke (stills are used). Tony then considers the now closed Aldestrop railway station in Gloucestershire which was the subject of a famous poem by Edward Thomas.
The next item is about the artist Julie Reid from Trefecca in Powys who produces pictures by melting coloured wax with an electric iron. We see her at work in her converted loft.
Continuing the literary theme Wendy Nelson next looks at the Oxfordshire born author Flora Thompson best known for 'Lark Rise to Candleford'. In her home village of Juniper Hill Wendy talks to Christine Bloxham about Thompson's inspirations from the countryside (b/w rural archive photos are used) and to local man David Morris. Children in Victorian costumes recreate Thompson's travels from Juniper Hill to nearby Cottisford. Views of Cottisford village, and the Post Office at Fringford where Thompson worked. Wendy talks to Wilfred Dunn and David Watts who are descendants of people who appear in Thompson's novel.
Returning to the Ledbury Poetry Festival we next have a contribution from the local poet Sharon Hood. Tony then visits Tilley Printing in the town which is a traditional print shop that produces the Ledbury Almanack. He talks to the compositor Martin Clark and owner Derek Tilley about the business, and we see the printing press running.
Back at the festival Tony meets the professional poets John Cooper Clarke and Mark Stevenson, and we see Cooper Clarke performing some of his act from a stage at the Feathers Hotel.
Camera: Barry Gregory; Glen Armstrong; Chris Senior
Sound: Michael O'Flynn; Peter Bunting; Darren Tate
VT Editors: Justin Eely; Peter Mason
Graphics: Martin Greenbank
Dubbing: Robin Ward
Research: Jill Fraser; Laura Martin; Holly Tatham; Lynn Todd
Prodution Co-ordinator: Sue Freeman
Location Directors: Wendy Nelson; John Dickinson
Series Producer: Tony Francis
Production number CEN/25820/005