'Glorious' period drama adapted from 'wonderful' books streaming for free

Audiences are praising a beloved BBC period drama series, hailing it for its superb storytelling and cast performances, after many have fallen in love with a sublime costume drama and others with one hailed as an "alternative Austen" drama.

The programme was based on a series of novels and fans can’t get enough of the show.

Many have showered the programme in praise with raves reviews on IMDb.

One user posted: “The epitome of charm and heart- really entertaining and very relaxing to watch.”

They went on to say: “I love period drama series, I love "Cranford" as it is just divine, and I have loved BBC dramas such as "Pride and Prejudice"(1995), "Bleak House"(2005) and "Little Dorritt"(2008). I even love "The Darling Buds of May" for its sheer sense of escapism and entertainment value.”

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A second 10/10 review described the show as “My One Weakness” and the person explained: “After Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre and this winter's Cranford, I thought that the BBC couldn't do any better: that it had reached its peak. Boy, was I wrong.”

They went on to say how they “immediately” fell in love with all the characters.

A third person gave 10/10 and commented: “I think this is wonderful!” and went on to say: “I have not read the books and so do not know how true it is to them but as a drama in itself i think that it is brilliant!”

A fourth top-tier review described the series as a “gem” and went on to elaborate: “I was hooked right away. I was drawn in by the innocent drama and its colorful [sic] characters.

“Unlike, Downton Abbey, which I adore, this period drama captures more of the reality of what life was like in a time of hard times for residents.

“Every character had a story to tell whether a happy one or a sad one. So, why was this wonderful and endearing series not made into a movie.”

Lark Rise to Candleford is adapted from Flora Thompson's trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels Lark Rise (1939), Over to Candleford (1941) and Candleford Green (1943).

The books follow Laura Timmins, representing the author, from her childhood in the rural Oxfordshire hamlet of Lark Rise to Candleford Green, where she starts working in the local post office.

The novels also gave small portraits of the residents of Candleford Green as she went about her job.

The TV series first aired in 2008 on the BBC in the UK and PBS in the USA, running for a total of four seasons and concluding in 2011.

Much like the novels, the series followed Laura Timmins (played by Olivia Hallinan), who moved from Lark Rise to Candleford where she was taken under the wing of her mother’s cousin Dorcas Lane (Julia Sawalha), who served as postmistress in the village.

Lark Rise to Candleford saw many praising Sawalha for her performance, with some even suggesting it surpassed her iconic turn as Lydia Bennet in Pride and Prejudice (1995).

The series also starred Father Brown’s Claudie Blakley, Downton Abbey actor Brendan Coyle, Call the Midwife’s Linda Bassett, Friday Night Dinner star Mark Heap, Jane Eyre actress Sandy McDade, Dawn French, John Dagleish of Starlings fame, Poldark’s Ruby Bentall, The Royle Family’s Liz Smith, The Outlaws’ Matilda Ziegler, and The Crown’s Victoria Hamilton, among others.

Happy Valley and Last Tango in Halifax actress Sarah Lancashire served as the narrator of Lark Rise to Candleford as the older incarnation of Laura Timmins.

Lark Rise to Candleford is streaming for free on UKTV’s U now