2009

 Welcome to the 

Mary Webb Society Homepage

 Shropshire Poet and Novelist 1881 - 1927

 ©

ver 7n.09

Search the web Search this site

.....+++++.....+++++ *Sun 26th July A walk in the Stiperstones area led by Gordon Dickins meet at the Bog Centre car park, Stiperstones @ 10:30 for 11 o'clock start.

Welcome from Shropshire in the Heart of England.

©  Look out for our  leaflet ©

JOIN THE MARY WEBB SOCIETY TODAY--NEW MEMBERS WELCOME CLICK HERE FOR Membership Details. 

See the  Guestbook at the bottom of the page and leave us your comments.

Programme of Events.

see also Latest news above PROGRAMME FOR 2009

2009

     Clun Castle                                        

LATEST NEWS......Music at Leasowes Bank, Ratlinghope...Launch of Lyth Hill Community book......

New Talking book of "Gone to Earth" ,

Precious Bane by Interplay at Acton Scott Farm,

New book, 

AGM talk and walk. 

New* search this web site from Yahoo(at top)

Earls Hill mp3 audio trail, 

Summer School report...Precious Bane and Birthday lunch. 

Film links, other new links.

More info on these items below...

Launch of  the Lyth Hill Community Book

at Bayston Hill Memorial Hall 1:00pm

Come earlier and listen to a talk entitled "Mary Webb at Lyth Hill" by Glady Mary Coles in the annexe  from 11:30 to 12:30

Talking Book....Mary Webb Society member Rachel Lintern of Bristol is to be congratulated for producing a talking book mp3 version of Gone to Earth, you can download each of the 36 chapters at Librivox click the link below. Total run time is approx 9h 40m 

http://librivox.org/gone-to-earth-by-mary-webb/

          

    Sally Ann Staunton as Prue      Director Steve Byrne, Cast and Gladys Mary Coles    Actors and audience

(“Autumn Sunshine and One Violet”)  >>>>>>>>

Programme for the day

• Annual General Meeting
• Talk by John Hughes development manager for Shropshire Wildlife Trust
• Lunch at the Nag’s Head, Pontesbury
• Guided walk around Earl’s Hill nature reserve lead by John Hughes
• Tea at Nag’s Head

AGM

Gordon Dickins, chairman gave his report of the year’s events, which have all been successful and very well supported. The summer school was particularly interesting as this was the first time that a literary society has held an event at the Arvon Foundation, Clun. Gordon is now on the committee at the Arvon Foundation and we hope that this will prove to be a valuable link. Gordon thanked the committee for their hard work in putting on events. Gladys Mary Coles thanked the members for their continued support and appealed for more contributions to the journal. The committee remains the same except for the position of Alliance of Literary Societies representative which will now be taken on by Wynford Wyke following the resignation of Norman Davies. Membership currently stands at 150 and Liz Stamps asked members to be pro-active in recruiting new members.

“Inspired by Shropshire” Talk by John Hughes

Gladys Mary welcomed John by stating that there was a natural alliance between Mary Webb and the Shropshire landscape and she would certainly have been interested in this organisation. Some of her happiest years were spent at Pontesbury, which also inspired the Golden Arrow.

The Shropshire Wildlife Trust is a charitable organisation, which relies on grant funding, a small staff and hundreds of volunteers to carry out its work. It is one of 47 wildlife trusts in the UK.

John posed the question” Would Mary Webb recognise the Shropshire countryside of today?” She certainly would not recognise the conifer planting on Earl’s Hill which was the Trust’s first nature reserve. She would have seen the distinctive line of larches on the summit. Lapwings, which were common in her time have all but disappeared due to changes in farming practices. The harvest mouse and wild flower meadows are also rare today. There is also far less green space with the advent of Telford new town and the growth of Shrewsbury and other towns.

The nature reserve serves to protect and preserve threatened landscapes and the Shropshire Wildlife trust have been very active with projects like “Back to Purple” on the Stiperstones and their latest acquisition of The Hollies at The Stiperstones which has 200 of Europe’s oldest holly trees, some of which are 300-400 years old. The Trust works with children and young people to engender a love and appreciation of the countryside.

The audio trail around Earl’s Hill was recorded by John Harding and Gladys Mary has also contributed to the trail which can be downloaded from the web site onto an MP3 player or mobile phone and used to follow the way markers. (See web link to this site ) www.shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk This audio trail is a fascinating account of the flora, fauna and people inspired by Earl’s Hill including Mary Webb. From The main menu select nature reserves, then maps, then select Earl’s Hill from the list. The trail is under the heading “Nature’s Stories” It is well worth a listen and will greatly enhance the walk.

Guided Walk on Earl’s Hill

The weather was very kind to us as we set off from the car park . Earl’s Hill is a beautiful spot with many interesting habitats from ancient woodland of oaks,  sycamore and crab apple to meadow and scree.. John pointed out the anthill meadow where the yellow ant hills serve as microhabitats for wild flowers due to the heat generated by the colony underground. In spring you can see rare flowers such as the changing forget-me-not. Sure enough there was one violet all alone in the autumn landscape. A few of us had other ideas about the appearance of one violet, Mary Webb’s favourite flower! The anthills also provide a feeding ground for green woodpeckers.

 John pointed out interesting fungi like the purple waxcap and the………. which apparently smells of bed bugs. Earl’s Hill is also home to a wide variety of birds and butterflies such as willow warblers, pied flycatchers and redstarts.

This is a particularly pleasant walk in the spring when the bluebells and white wood anenome are spectacular, and in a few weeks time the woods will be   resplendent in autumn colour. Definitely one to return to with the audio trail.

After a welcome cuppa at The Nag’s Head it was time to head home and look forward to the next event, The Christmas Lunch at The Old Barn, Bishop’s Castle on Saturday 6^th December.        

TELLING NATURE'S STORIES Shropshire Wildlife Trust has produced its first audio trail. Fittingly, this is for our very first nature reserve - Earls Hill. Here you can listen to stories of life around Earl's Hill past and present, discover the world within an anthill and find out how to tell a hazelnut nibbled by a dormouse from one broken open by any other mammal. You can find out what birds sing here at different times of the year and hear how Earl's Hill was described in Mary Webb's novel, Gone To Earth. Producing this guide would have been impossible without the help of two vital volunteers - John Harding and Jo Darlington. John provided the technical skills of recording and editing, and Jo narrates the guide.

The audio trail is available ino d MP3 format here. To download directly to your computer, right click the link and select "save target as". Please note this file is very large (20MB) and only recommended for download via a broadband connection.

*NEW ---Stiperstones in a Rucksack? BBC link, pick up from The Bog Centre

what a brilliant idea - has anyone tried it?

Gordon’s Walk Sunday 27^th July 2008
The weather made up for the washout of previous years, must have been one of the hottest days of the year. We all met up at Haughmond Abbey car park, which is an English Heritage site. The first part of the walk was a visit to the Abbey ruins which are really quite spectacular. Quite a few of us locals had to admit we had never been before. The site is fascinating and includes interpretation panels and a museum.

We then set off over numerous stiles and electric fences to view the remains of Sundorne Hall. Gordon is renowned for finding these hidden places. After a picnic in the long grass in the shady woodlands of Haughmond  we set off for the summit. It’s quite a climb in the heat of the day but you are rewarded with the wonderful view of the surrounding hills.

A lovely walk, Gordon, thanks. 

Other news

After seeing the BBC adaptation of "Precious Bane" this month I went in search of  one of the scenes from the film. (more soon)

 The dog fight/bull baiting  scene was at Berrington Manor (1658), 3m S.E. of Shrewsbury.The churchyard scenes showing Pru as a child are opposite at All Saints church.

Many thanks to our member Norman Davies for pointing out that Sarn Mere (based on Bomere pool)was filmed at Alkmund park pool between Berwick and Crossgreen 2.5m NNW of Shrewsbury, Check this very interesting 
link " A Guide to Shropshire by Michael Raven"  available at the Bog visitor centre £20..see below.

The following 7  photos  taken during the filming of Precious Bane at Berrington Manor (many thanks to the kind lady and son that provided these photos )
 

 To see 'Gone to Earth' film....Production still shots from BFI Screen online.

new link* Remembering the filming of  "Gone to Earth" from the local paper Shropshire Star 2002

new link* For a web site full of images of the film " Gone to Earth " visit the Powell & Pressburger site

new link* Copies of the DVD "Gone to Earth"  (£10 June 08) are available at  The Bog visitor centre just below the Stiperstones 

Report on The Birthday Lunch    Saturday 29^th March 2008               All Stretton Village Hall

Programme

11.15-12.15   Talk by Dr Gladys Mary Coles    “Mary Webb, A Welsh border writer”

1.00-2.15        Lunch   Prepared by Barbara Edwards

2.30- 3.30       Talk by David Woolley     “The life and writings of Dylan Thomas”

Our first event of the year was held in the beautiful Stretton hills, “Shepwardine” in the pretty village of All Stretton. 50 members attended from far and wide including several new faces.

Gladys Mary Coles gave the first lecture, “Mary Webb, a Welsh border writer”. Gladys Mary discussed Mary‘s affinity with Wales and the borderlands. It was a magical area for her; “…in the    country that lies between the dimpled lands of England and the gaunt purple steeps of Wales – half in Faery and half out of it “. (Seven for a Secret)

Mary had Welsh origins, her paternal grandfather, John Meredith migrated from Montgomeryshire to Church Stretton. She also had Scottish ancestry but was drawn to the Welsh side. Her novels have a strong sense of place rooted in these borderlands and also of their character types. In “Golden Arrow, we see strong     ” border types” in John and Deborah Arden. Hazel Woodus in “Gone to Earth”, a true spirit of “the land of betwixt and between”. Mary and Henry took a holiday into the border country to research “Seven for a Secret” They travelled in a Shawbury tub cart through the Hope valley to Bishop’s Castle to Knighton (Weeping Cross). It is not certain how far into Wales they went.   The final novel “Armour wherein he Trusted” explores the mediaeval world of the borders.

Gladys Mary finished by saying” If you can’t come to Shropshire for any reason, read “The Golden Arrow” and you’ll be there”! Sound advice.

Lunch also followed on the Welsh theme which such delights as Welsh Faggots, Anglesey Eggs and Leek and Cheese Flan.

The puddings all had Welsh names which meant trying them all to work out the ingredients.

Another of Barbara’s legendary lunches with a beautiful souvenir menu to take away. Many thanks.

We were delighted to welcome David Woolley, Director of the Dylan Thomas centre, Swansea as our guest speaker on “The life and writings of Dylan Thomas”    

David is an accomplished poet in his own right and his latest work is “Written on our Hands”

David gave a fascinating ,very honest account of the complex personality of Dylan Thomas and the many achievements of his short life. He was only 39 when he died. His works are infused with the rhythms of the Welsh language although he never wrote in Welsh and wasn’t always very complementary about the Welsh. He was certainly multi-faceted; he worked for the BBC during the war both as an actor and script writer. He was also a prolific letter writer. He suffered poor health and earned himself a reputation as a womaniser and drunkard, although David feels that this was not entirely deserved.  He was a “process poet” concerned with the themes of life, death and the natural world. He often seemed obsessed with death.

Dylan Thomas continues to intrigue, he is the second most quoted writer after William Shakespeare and the Dylan Thomas centre attracts visitors from all over the world. For more information visit the web site at  www.dylanthomas.org

With a piece of Bara Brith to send us on our way, we can all look forward to our next main event, The summer School at The Hurst, Clun which promises to be something special. Don’t miss it.

Take time to look at the University of North Texas , Mary Webb Collection ...some fascinating items   UoNT Mary Webb Collection

Archive of previous years events and Summer Schools

2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000

Walks

FOUR MARY WEBB WALKS IN SHROPSHIRE:-

For online information on the Mary Webb Trails in Shropshire go to http://www.shropshiretourism.info/mary-webb/

Trail One - Meole Brace & Lyth Hill

Trail Two - Wroxeter, Leighton & Much Wenlock

Trail Three - Pulverbatch, Thresholds & The Long Mynd

Trail Four - Pontesbury, Lordshill & The Stiperstones

There are maps showing the four walks with shuttle services and accomodation leaflets available

click on http://www.shrewsburytourism.co.uk/brochure_request/brochure_request.cfm

to obtain the leaflet "The Magic of Shropshire with Mary Webb"  by post.

Mary Webb in Much Wenlock display panel

At long last there is a permanent display panel to Mary Webb in Much Wenlock museum. The panel was commissioned by Emma-Kate Lanyon, Shropshire museums development officer and strongly supported by The Friends of Much Wenlock Museum. The panel was officially unveiled at the Friends A.G.M. on 4th April 2006 at The Priory Hall, Much Wenlock. The panel was designed by Gladys Mary Coles, Liz Stamps and Sue Higginbotham, Gordon Dickins supplied the pictures and the panel was produced by David Salter of The Design Team, Shropshire County Council. It will now be on display in the museum which has had something of a revamp and is well worth a visit.

Sue Higginbotham & Liz Stamps ....................................................Emma-Kate Lanyon & Julia Bailey (Friends of Much wenlock Museum)

Lords Hill Project and CD "Gone to Earth Remembered and Revisited"

"When Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger filmed Gone to Earth in 1949 rationing was still in place and the film brought money and more tha a little excitement into an economically depressed rural area. Over 300 local people, including three generations of one family, took part as extras on location in and around Much Wenlock, the Stiperstones, Lordshill, Apedale and Chapel Lawn. The experience remains firmly embedded in local history and folklore. More than half a century later Mary Webb's story continues to work its magic."

"The Lordshill Project was formed in 2005 to record the memories of those who took part or watched the filming from their own fields and gardens and for whom the experience is still a vital part of community and family history: even the children in the film now draw pensions instead of pictures. The complete Lordshill project recordings on compact discs will be deposited in a local archive as a resource for the future."

This excellent double CD introduced by Richard Beamond includes memories of local people, poetry, exttracts from Michael Powell's biography "Million Dollar Movie" and much more. There is a wonderful performance of Gone to Earth set to verse by Val Littlehales and performed by her in Shropshire dialect.

The CD is available price £10 ,

The full title of the new CD is Gone to Earth Remembered and Revisited and it is on sale from The Lordshill Project c/o Terry Morton, 10 Ash Close, Craven Arms. SY7 9RP. The cost is £10, plus £1.50 postage and packing.

Village halls and societies who are interested in a live presentation about the film and the Lordshill Project can talk to Richard Beaumond on 01588 680302.

Scholars and researchers will appreciate the link to the West Midlands Literature Collection. This is a comprehensive site that includes Mary Webb's books and poems as complete e-text in xhtml format and is free of charge to read or download and is ideal for cut and paste and find etc. Each works has an introduction by Gladys Mary Coles.

Remember Copyright does exist and must be acknowledged. see the Links section below

The Society would apprecite it if you have found our web site useful to make a contribution to its funds by joining the Mary Webb Society, to enable us to continue to spread the words of Mary Webb.

NEW....Also a new link for Lyth Hill Community Heritage Project...see LINKS

Exhibition of MW at the Guildhall Much Wenlock

A permanent display case features the Life of MW in and around Much Wenlock. The display board is of a very high quality and we must thank Jonathan Moor, the curator for his enthusiasm and support for the project. The panel was designed by Liz Stamps and produced by David Salter, design team, Shropshire County Council.  The display case is a permanent feature. Do go and see it.

If anyone has any  news please email details to

Officers of the Society

President : Dr Gladys Mary Coles M.A. 

38 York Avenue

West Kirby

The Wirral

Merseyside

CH48 3JF

0151 6259128

   Meet the Committee

Vice President : Mr G Dickins

Hon Vice President : Donald Meredith (Nephew of Mary Webb)

Chairman: Mr Gordon Dickins

Vice Chairman and Membership Secretary: Mrs Liz Stamps

Treasurer: Barbara Edwards

Secretary: Mrs Sue Higginbotham (E-mail)suehigginbotham@yahoo.co.uk

Committee:

Elaine Hansen

Mrs Pat Spilsbury

Mrs Frances Nicholls

Jan  Henry

Muriel Furbank

Wynford Wyke

Alliance of Literary Societies Representative : Mr Norman Davies

Sue       Muriel    Babs  Elaine  Gordon   GMC    Liz          Jan          Wynford    Frances

Membership Details

·         ·  Annual Member £11.00  (new rates 2008)

·         ·  Joint Annual Member £14.00

·         ·  Single Overseas  £14.00

·         ·  Joint overseas    £16.00

Cheques to be made payable to :-   The Mary Webb Society.

 The Mary Webb Society.

Mrs Liz Stamps

15 Yew Tree Road

Madeley

Telford

Shropshire

TF7 5TE

ENGLAND

Ring Liz on 01952 419078 or e-mail at 

The Mary Webb Society Journal. (Editor Gladys Mary Coles)

Issue No. 1 1995 (1995 Headland Publications) Priced 3 Pounds (USA $9) .
Make Cheques payable to Mary Webb Society (address as for membership above) Selected Contents include:-

Gone to Earth the novel and the film..... Mary Webb & Roman Shropshire.

Memories of the Webbs of Ironbridge...Rowland Hilder OBE.

Issue No. 2 1996 (1995 Headland Publications) Priced 3 Pounds

Selected contents include:-

Living at "Roseville"... Mary Webb and Weston-Super-Mare...

Summer School......... Shropshire Dialect words used...

Issue No. 3 1997 (Headland) Priced 3 Pounds

Contents include:- Poems by the Mary Webb School, Shrewsbury.
  Dialect expressions. Much Wenlock and Mary Webb.
Letters from America. Webb on the WEB

Issue 4 1998/9
Contents Include:- Mary Webb and Sheila Kaye-Smith  Kindred Spirits?...Brian Graebe.
Traditional formulas in Precious Bane.....Dr J.B.Smith.
To Henry Webb (poem).......Dr GM Coles.
Underground at Snailbeach.....Chris Richards.
Report from Mary Webb school year 10 pupils and other young writers.
Tributes to Peter Mastin. .

Issue 5 1999/2000.  Contents include -
Mary Webb, Trees & Adrian Bury .....Colin Neville
Mary Webb's London......Norman Davies
Appointed Journey..........Amy Griffin Ouchley (USA)
The Plaque ....................Sue Higginbotham
Memories of Harcourt Manor ..Sue Roberts

Issue 6 2001/2002. --------OUT NOW--------
Contents include-
Discovering Mary Webb ..........Kenneth Downward
Shropshire and the Pull of the Western Hills.....Patrick H. Stewart Haworth
Remembering Gillian.................Margaret Austin
Much Wenlock Festival ............Helen Bray
Tributes to Ian Meredith & Raymond Poynton .........Gladys Mary Coles
Price £3.50

* New issue out now (June 08)

About the Society.

The Mary Webb Society was established at a public meeting at Meole Brace, Shrewsbury, England in 1972. Its aims are:

To honour the memory of Mary Webb.

To further the reading and appreciation of her works.

To liaise with other organisations.

To foster appreciation of the Mary Webb Country.

To encourage scholarship and education in the spirit of Mary Webb.
 

The society attracts members from throughout the UK and overseas who are devoted to the literature of Mary Webb and appreciate the Shropshire scene which was so essential to the author's creative spirit. At present there are 160 members (Oct-01).

The committee plans a programme of about four events a year. These always include a birthday lunch, and a two-day summer school which includes lectures, tours and entertainment.

Events are held at various Shropshire locations related to the life and literature of Mary Webb.

The AGM is held each year in September.

The society has a rota for placing fresh flowers on Mary Webb's grave at Shrewsbury Cemetery each month. 

LOTTERY GRANT

The Society has been awarded a grant from the lottery fund to develop an educational project. An education pack has now been produced for schools, further education and libraries. It includes study notes on Precious Bane and Gone to Earth in addition to articles on the landscape, folklore and dialect of Mary Webb

Other special events have included, the planting of a Mary Webb rose in the garden of Leighton Lodge, Mary's birthplace in March 1993, and the     commissioning of a plaque depicting the Mary Webb countryside to commemorate the society's affection for its late founder chairman, Dennis Pursell.

The society has also compiled a Mary Webb archive from information previously held by individual members. This archive now has a permanent home at Lythwood Road, Bayston Hill (formerly Bayston Hill Library) near Shrewsbury, and can be viewed by request, as can the Mary Webb garden at the same location.

Newsletters are sent out periodically as well as details of forthcoming events.

The society is affiliated to The Alliance of Literary Societies. In 1997 the Mary Webb society hosted the A.G.M. in Birmingham

The society is proud to have as its president, Dr Gladys Mary Coles, author of the Flower of Light, The definitive biography of Mary Webb, as well as other works on Mary Webb and her own extensive writing and poetry. Dr Coles is available to lecture to other literary societies and interested groups.

Biographical Notes.

Mary Webb was born Gladys Mary Meredith on March 25th 1881 at Leighton Lodge, Leighton, a village south of Shrewsbury. Her father, George Edward Meredith was a teacher and became a great influence in her life. She shared his love of literature and of the countryside. The Celtic influence of her parentage was strong. Her father was proud of his Welsh descent. Her mother, Sarah Alice Scott was from an Edinburgh family reputedly connected with Sir Walter Scott. Mary was the eldest of six children and her earliest writing consisted of plays and stories to amuse her brothers and sisters. The young Mary loved to explore the local countryside and was fascinated by the wonders of the natural world. She developed an extraordinary perception for minute detail in nature and this is reflected in the richness of her poetry and prose. At the age of twenty she developed a thyroid disorder, which was to cause her ill health for much of her life and lead to her premature death. She became very self-conscious due to the disfiguring features of the disease and began to retreat into her own solitary world. At the age of twenty one, Mary was writing essays and poems with nature as the main theme (published in 1917 as The Spring of Joy). In 1910 Mary met Henry Webb, a teacher who shared her interest in writing. They married in 1912. She and Henry first lived in Weston-super-Mare, but Mary was never really happy living away from Shropshire with which she felt a spiritual bond. At this time she began her first novel, The Golden Arrow, based in the Church Stretton area. The Webbs returned to Shropshire in 1914 where Mary completed The Golden Arrow (published 1916). Mary's second novel, Gone To Earth, from which a film was later made, was written in response to her sadness at the cruelty of war. In 1917 Henry secured a job at the Priory School in Shrewsbury and Mary was able to realise a dream when they acquired a small bungalow at Lyth Hill called Spring Cottage. She loved Lyth Hill and would spend hours in quiet meditation of her surroundings, gathering information to include in later novels or poems. It was here Mary wrote The House in Dormer Forest in 1920 and many of her poems. In 1921 Mary and Henry moved to London in the hope that she would receive more literary recognition. Although pining for her native Shropshire, she completed her forth novel, Seven For A Secret in 1922, set in the borderland of South West Shropshire. Also, whilst in London she wrote her most famous novel, Precious Bane in 1924. This, like her other novels, is rich in folk lore and humour, with beautifully drawn characters. For this work she was awarded the Prix Femina Vie Heureuse. This confirmed the opinion of her admirers in the literary world that "Mary Webb is a Genius"(Rebecca West). However the general public had not as yet discovered her. In 1927 Mary's health was deteriorating, her marriage was failing and she returned to Shropshire alone. Her final novel Armour Wherin He Trusted remained unfinished. She died at St Leonards on Sea at the age of forty six. Although her literary output was comparatively small she leaves a rich legacy of intense creativity and natural mysticism. Posthumous success came in 1928 when the Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin acclaimed her work, which was then gathered and published in successive editions by Jonathan Cape. "Her relevance as a writer is increasing, and the truths she expresses, her reverence for the natural environment and perception of it, are particularly valuable to the late twentieth century".(Mary Webb, Gladys Mary Coles, Seren Books 1990).

Review

 Webb, Mary. Gone to Earth, Dial Press, original copyright 1917 by E.P.Dutton. Reminiscent of Thomas Hardy but with a rawer, more passionate and emotional edge to her writing, Mary Webb tells the story of Hazel Woodus, a Shropshire girl more at one with nature than with humanity and its veneer of "civilization. "Hazel, like nature itself, is inevitably destroyed by the misunderstanding and arrogance of society's rules and mores as two very different men -- a pastor and a crude and sensual member of the gentry -- try to "take dominion" over her. Melodramatic and lush in description, it challenges you to think about the nature and values of society vs. nature. They just don't write them like this any more and I think that is a tragedy in its own right.[copyright Jacqueline Haun]

Desert Island Books:

Richard Pierce of the Bath Literary Society chose Gone to Earth. The vitality of old England meeting insurgent Welsh border country is found in "Gone to Earth". The primrose path to seduction is free of clichés here, and Squire Reddin, Vessons, Sally Haggard and Hazel burn with life. The Under Hall of Reddin recalls Poe's "House of Usher" and there is horror, guilt, poetry and the music of lost time. On a desert island "Gone to Earth" would recall an England now dying thro' concrete, car exhausts and spy cameras.

 The following plot synopsis of the film "Gone to Earth" is used with permission from James Howard. From his book 'Michael Powell',Published by BT Batsford 1996.

...

1897.  Shropshire girl Hazel Woodus lives with her father Abel and Foxy, a half tame fox rescued from the hated foxhounds, her life ruled by the superstitions of her dead mother. Walking late one night, she believes herself pursued by the 'Black Huntsman' and accepts a lift from Squire Reddin who takes her to his home at Undern Manor and attempts to seduce her. Hazel escapes with the help of the squire's manservant Andrew Vessons. After meeting Hazel at the local fair,new minister Edward Marston proposes to her. Having vowed to marry the first man who asks her, Hazel accepts. An infatuated Reddin begs that she marry him instead but she cannot break her word, and the wedding takes place. Reddin haunts Hazel until, guided by her mother's book of spells, she secretly meets him and returns to Undern as his mistress. Edward arrives to reclaim his bride and during the violent quarrel Reddin - himself a hunter-threatens to harm Foxy. Hazel is repulsed and returns with Edward. When a delegation of church elders demand that he turn his unfaithful wife out, Edward decides to leave the church and start afresh. Meanwhile Hazel, hearing the local hunt in the adjoining fields, rescues Foxy but is herself pursued by the hounds. Reddin follows, trying to lift her out of the hounds reach but Hazel refuses to drop the fox in the path of the dogs. Edward races to meet her as she approaches the house, but midway she and Foxy plunge to their deaths in an open, disused mineshaft: as the call from the hunt leader echoes across the fields: 'Gone To Earth'. Gone to Earth was released in the UK to mixed reviews- New Statesman dismissed it as 'the worst bit of kitsch its makers have yet produced' - and Selznick announced plans the following March to reshoot the film for American release, partly, it was claimed, to satisfy the US censors, but mainly 'to improve the picture' which would be retitled Gipsy Blood. Although Powell was approached to direct the new sequences, Christopher Challis says,'Micky didn't want anything to do with it', which placed the cameraman in a quandary when invited to go to Hollywood for the reshooting. 'I talked to Michael and Emeric', he says,'and asked, "What am I going to do? Isn't it disloyal if I go?" but they said" Well we'd much rather you did because at least there'd be somebody there to make sure it looks the same if nothing else". Rouben Mamoulian directed the new footage while, as Challis recalls,' tremendous arguments about the script caused a lot of reshooting- pretty well the whole of the end sequence and additional scenes too'. Selznick eventually discarded all but 35 minutes of Gone to Earth, even eliminating some characters altogether until - with yet another new title, The Wild Heart, and running at only 82minutes- it was finally released in May 1952. This version differs from Gone to Earth by the addition of a spoken prologue (by Joseph Cotten)-a typical Selznick device-and a few non-essential plotlines, but loses much of the poetic imagery and mystical quality of Powell and Pressburger's version. Pam Cook, in a 1986 Monthly Film Bulletin, asserted that 'Jennifer Jones' utterly convincing performance as the complex and divided heroine...is transformed in the reshot sequences into a virtual reprise of Pearl's steaming sensuality in Duel in the Sun'. Despite his undeniable reputation as a quality film maker, the ever-meddling Selznick was sorely lacking in terms of subtlety when preparing a screenplay, milking dialogue from literary works for the sake of 'authenticity' at the expense of the overall spirit of the piece. This clumsy, verbose approach is apparent even in his masterpiece Gone with the Wind. Powell's direction of Gone to Earth, aided by the handsome camera work of Christopher Challis and Freddie Francis, made prologues and explanatory titles wholly unnecessary. Despite Seiznick's efforts, The Wild Heart failed with US audiences although, perversely, this version was released in the UK on home video in 1980, with the original unavailable until the NFA's glorious new print was seen at the 1985 London Film Festival. Gone to Earth was finally recognised as one of The Archers' most beautiful movies with stunning photography, superb performances and a terrific, evocative music score by Brian Easdale. In 1971 Powell considered the picture a disaster.. except for Jennifer's performance which I thought was absolutely wonderful', feeling that they had 'never licked the script...it is doubtful if Mary Webb can be licked.

          A video is currently available (seen in Shropshire tourist offices).

"Hollywood Comes to Shropshire" 75 mins

Salisbury Media Productions, in which local film extras from Gone to Earth tell their stories, and locations used in the original film are revisited.

 Now available from (amazon.co.uk) is the Video and DVD of the  Film : Gone to Earth.

-Feature from IN BRITAIN magazine (Aug 2000)

 Shropshire Webb Site by Malcolm Pratt

Click this link...... In Britain

     Interview with Gladys Mary Coles...Click here

A Bouquet of Emotion. Interview with Gladys Mary Coles by Amanda Gillies

  Selected Bibliography   

The Works of Mary Webb

The Golden Arrow (1916 Constable)

The Spring of Joy (1917 J.M.Dent)

Gone to Earth (1917 Constable)

The House in Dormer Forest (1920 Hutchinson)

Seven for a Secret (1922 Hutchinson)

Precious Bane (1924 Cape)

Armour wherein he Trusted (1929 Cape)

Poems & the Spring of Joy (1928 Cape)

Fifty-One Poems (1946 Cape)

A Mary Webb Anthology (1939 Cape) Edited by Henry B L Webb

The Essential Mary Webb (1949 Cape) Edited by Martin Armstrong

Mary Webb : Collected Prose & Poems (1977 Wildings) Edited by Gladys Mary Coles

Mary Webb Selected Poems (1981 Headland) Edited by Gladys Mary Coles

Works on Mary Webb

The Shropshire of Mary Webb (1930 Palmer) W Reid Chappell

Mary Webb a Short Study (1931 Palmer) Hilda L Addison

Mary Webb her Life & Work (1932 Cape) Thomas Moult

The Shropshire Haunts of Mary Webb (1948 Wildings) W Byford-Jones

Goodbye to Morning (1964 Wildings) Dorothy P H Wrenn

The Flower of Light. The definitive biography of Mary Webb (1978 Duckworth) Gladys Mary Coles

Daughters & Lovers (1986 Wesleyan) Michele Aina Barale

Mary Webb (1990 Seren) Gladys Mary Coles

Available now The Flower of Light [Headland] (New Paperback Edition) a biography of Mary Webb (1998 ) Gladys Mary Coles.Members of the society can purchase this book at the special price of 12 Pounds + 50 Pence postage USA $30. Send your order to : Headland Publications, 38 York Av, West Kirby, Wirral, Merseyside. L48 3JF. NB NORMAL PRICE IS 14.95 Pounds. ... Also the Society Journal is available from this address.

BOOK SOURCES  

A good selection  of Mary Webb novels and biographies always available from Colin Neville (Society member) at the address below

Woodbine Books

15 Stone Street

Bradford

West Yorkshire

BD15 9JR

Tel. 01274 824759     or check out his web site  Woodbine Books

  Virago Books for NEW copies of Precious Bane & Gone to Earth

***"Gone to Earth" ***digitally re-mastered Technicolour version . Starring Jennifer Jones is now  available on DVD and Video  by The Film Collection, PT VIDEO (www.pearsontv.com) Only UK/European versions for Pal videos and Zone 2 DVD appear to be available.

The DVD is very good, and includes many extra features including behind the scenes footage.

Shop around on the internet for thebest prices.

NB Precious Bane is NOT available commercially anywhere. Only personal copies of the TV series exist.See our guestbook below for help.

Links

Precious Bane Quotations

"It made me gladsome to be getting some education, it being like a big window opening."

"Saddle your dreams afore you ride 'em."

"The more anybody wants a thing, the more they do think others want it."

"When you dwell in a house you mislike, you will look out of a window a deal more than those that are content with their dwelling."

What to do & Where to Stay in Shropshire.

Check online at

Accomodation:

Lyth Hill: Orwell House www.orwellhouse.co.uk

 Lyth Hill House click here http://www.lythhillhouse.com

The Mary Webb Society Home Page is maintained and updated

by Jim Stamps. Your Webb weaver 

If you need or have further information, e-mail  Liz or Jim,   

Our Guestbook

[ Read / Sign my guestbook ]

Get a free Guestbook

  Please write in our guestbook, we'd love to hear from you. Tell us how you discovered MW, books you have read, any stories or anecdotes you wish to share with us.

All images are Copyright

Now in it's 13th year and updated monthly. V7.09
200+ visitors every month since 3/12/96

This page was created with Nvu

 ©

Bye for now from Beautiful Shropshire

GTE