Ref: 103/08 JSS 22 December 2008

University historian presents new BBC series The Victorian Farm

A University of Winchester PhD student is presenting a new programme on BBC 2 starting in January. The Victorian Farm explores what it was like to run a small tenant farm in rural England over 100 years ago.

The six part series begins on Thursday 8 January and charts the progress of student, Alex Langlands and a team of fellow historians and archaeologists as they attempt to live off the land for a year using only Victorian farming methods.

“Being a farmer in Victorian times was tough,” said Alex, who lives in Morestead near Winchester. “The emerging global market in cereals, dairy produce and livestock led, in the late 1870s, to the collapse of what became known as the Golden Age of Victorian farming.

“You had to be versatile and be able to turn your hand to a number of crafts and farming styles to get by. I found it very hard work physically and also mentally, having to engage with so many jobs in the farmyard and around the estate.”

Alex is no stranger to TV, presenting A Tudor Feast at Christmas back in 2006 as well as the popular 12 part series Tales from the Green Valley in 2005, set on a seventeenth century Welsh hill farm.

“I have had a lifelong passion for the British landscape,” explains the historian. “Ever since I was a boy I have been drawn to the early medieval period. When the opportunity came up to apply for a studentship at the University of Winchester, I jumped at the chance. Winchester is at the very heart of Wessex and its associations with King Alfred make it for me – the place to study.”

There is a book to accompany the series, The Victorian Farm, published by Pavilion Books and written by Alex Langlands with fellow presenters, Peter Ginn and Ruth Goodman.

The Victorian Farm starts on Thursday 8 January at 9pm on BBC 2.

Ends

Notes to editors:

Digital photo of Alex Langlands on the Victorian farm is available by clicking here or on request

The University of Winchester has around 5,600 students studying a wide selection of courses ranging from Foundation degrees, Bachelor Honours degrees through to professional development, postgraduate Masters and Research degrees. Programmes of study span the arts, humanities, social sciences, business, education, health and social care.

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