Stories From The South Downs

Episode 1: Ashes to Ashes by Sara Sarre
A gentle tale about the dilemmas people face when left with their close relatives ashes and the weight of responsibility to scatter them in the best possible place. Julia can't decide what to do with her father's ashes, and matters are made worse when she becomes convinced that her husband, Phil is seeing another woman. Meanwhile, Phil thinks that a holiday would be a good way to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

Recorded in front of an audience at the Church of St Pancras, Kingston (near Lewes) - a little village nestled at the bottom of the Downs.

Read by Hadyn Gwynne

Director: Celia de Wolff
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

By Sara Sarre. Julia struggles to let go of her father, amid worries over her husband.

Series of three readings evoking the South Downs from writers new to radio

Episode 2: Poor Lily Never-Quite-The-Ticket by T W Robinson
Jill dreads her drive through the South Downs to Bognor Regis to visit her somewhat spiky elderly Grandmother, but after the death of her mother she is the only relation she has left and makes the journey nonetheless.

When, one day, she finds a family photograph she is unaware of the story that is about to unfold. On seeing the picture her grandmother reluctantly unravels her past and, in the telling of the story, Jill comes to understand why her grandmother is like she is. Wounds are healed and a new journey begins. Suddenly the drive to the South Downs doesn't seem so bad.

Read by Celia Imrie.

Director: Celia de Wolff
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

By TW Robinson. A granddaughter helps her grandmother to confront a truth from the past.

Series of three readings evoking the South Downs from writers new to radio

Episode 3: The Coffin Gate by Ruth Figgest
Louise is ten years older than her husband Leon and one day, while walking across the Downs with their young family, they discover that perhaps they are not the happy family they thought they may have been. Leon's controlling ways and attitudes, suggesting a spoilt mummy's boy, are enough to bring things to a head and give Louise the strength to realise her emotions have been buried in the coffin that is her marriage.

Read by Sian Thomas

Director: Celia de Wolff
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4.

By Ruth Figgest. A young couple take a walk across the graveyard of their marriage.

Series of three readings evoking the South Downs from writers new to radio