The Edwardian Country House
Encyclopedia
The Edwardian Country House was an acclaimed British
mini-series in the reality television
genre, produced by Channel 4
. It was first aired in the UK in April, 2002 and was later broadcast in the U.S.
on various PBS
stations in 2003 as Manor House, where extra footage was added. It is third in a series of historical reality shows produced by Channel 4, preceded by The 1900 House
and The 1940s House
.
In the series the Olliff-Cooper family are given the identities
of turn-of-the-century aristocrat
s and housed in Manderston
, an opulent Scottish country house, where they live for three months in the Edwardian style. Mr. and Dr. Olliff-Cooper become Sir John Olliff-Cooper, and Lady Olliff-Cooper.
Interest and conflict is provided by the 14 servant
s, portrayed by individuals from several paths of life. Chief among these was Hugh Edgar
, an architect
from Surrey
, who was cast in the role of the butler
.
Participants received instruction and a set of rules by which they were expected to abide for the duration of the experiment. Most of the "upstairs" participants enjoy their time in the house
, which is meant to represent the years 1905–1914. Those "below stairs" have a different experience; for those in the lowest ranks, particularly the successive scullery maid
s, life appears to be intolerable.
The mini-series is available for purchase on both DVD and VHS. Manderston is open to the public during the summer, and also offers accommodation to paying guests.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
mini-series in the reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
genre, produced by Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. It was first aired in the UK in April, 2002 and was later broadcast in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on various PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
stations in 2003 as Manor House, where extra footage was added. It is third in a series of historical reality shows produced by Channel 4, preceded by The 1900 House
The 1900 House
The 1900 House is a historical reality television programme made by Wall to Wall/Channel 4 in 1999. The show is about a modern family that tries to the live in the way of the late Victorians in 1900 for three months in a modified house...
and The 1940s House
The 1940s House
The 1940s House is a British historical reality television programme made by Wall to Wall/Channel 4 in 2001 about a modern family that tries to the live as a typical middle-class family in London during The Blitz of World War II. It was shown on Channel 4 in the UK in 2001, and in 2002 on PBS in...
.
In the series the Olliff-Cooper family are given the identities
Personally identifiable information
Personally Identifiable Information , as used in information security, is information that can be used to uniquely identify, contact, or locate a single person or can be used with other sources to uniquely identify a single individual...
of turn-of-the-century aristocrat
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
s and housed in Manderston
Manderston
Manderston House, Duns, Berwickshire, Scotland, is the home of Adrian Bailie Nottage Palmer, 4th Baron Palmer. It was completely rebuilt between 1901 and 1903 and has sumptuous interiors with a silver plated staircase...
, an opulent Scottish country house, where they live for three months in the Edwardian style. Mr. and Dr. Olliff-Cooper become Sir John Olliff-Cooper, and Lady Olliff-Cooper.
Interest and conflict is provided by the 14 servant
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
s, portrayed by individuals from several paths of life. Chief among these was Hugh Edgar
Hugh Edgar
Hugh Edgar is an English architect who worked on several archival projects in the United Kingdom and as a consultant around the world. He completed the design for the National Museum of Antiquities for Scotland...
, an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
from Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, who was cast in the role of the butler
Butler
A butler is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some also have charge of the entire parlour floor, and housekeepers caring for the entire house and its...
.
Participants received instruction and a set of rules by which they were expected to abide for the duration of the experiment. Most of the "upstairs" participants enjoy their time in the house
Great house
A great house is a large and stately residence; the term encompasses different styles of dwelling in different countries. The name refers to the makeup of the household rather than to any particular architectural style...
, which is meant to represent the years 1905–1914. Those "below stairs" have a different experience; for those in the lowest ranks, particularly the successive scullery maid
Scullery maid
In great houses, scullery maids were the lowest-ranked and often the youngest of the female servants and acted as assistant to a kitchen maid. The scullery maid reported to the cook or chef...
s, life appears to be intolerable.
The mini-series is available for purchase on both DVD and VHS. Manderston is open to the public during the summer, and also offers accommodation to paying guests.