To the Manor Born
When her husband dies. Audrey fforbes-Hamilton is shocked when she realizes that she must leave Grantleigh Manor, where her family has lived forever. The new owner is Richard DeVere, owner of a major supermarket chain. Audrey makes sure she's on hand to keep an eye on him by buying The Old Lodge on the edge of the Manor grounds. In time, Richard and Audrey realize that they are falling for each other, but both are too shy to do anything about it. Richard's mother, Mrs. Polouvicka (he changed his name to help him in his business), knows the situation between Richard and Audrey and is determined to see that Richard does the right thing. Audrey's friend Marjory Frobisher and butler Brabinger are on hand to help if necessary.
- 1979-2007
- 3 seasons
- PBS
- Comedy, Drama
When her husband dies. Audrey fforbes-Hamilton is shocked when she realizes that she must leave Grantleigh Manor, where her family has lived forever. The new owner is Richard DeVere, owner of a major supermarket chain. Audrey makes sure she's on hand to keep an eye on him by buying The Old Lodge on the edge of the Manor grounds. In time, Richard and Audrey realize that they are falling for each other, but both are too shy to do anything about it. Richard's mother, Mrs. Polouvicka (he changed his name to help him in his business), knows the situation between Richard and Audrey and is determined to see that Richard does the right thing. Audrey's friend Marjory Frobisher and butler Brabinger are on hand to help if necessary.
Season 3 Episode Guide
7 Episodes 1981
Episode 1
The New Scout Hut
After her picnic with Marjory is disrupted by a bull, Audrey sponsors the local scouts in their raft race to raise funds for a new meeting hut and is annoyed to hear--erroneously--that Richard has refused sponsorship. In fact he has bought the boys a new hut and a grateful Audrey accompanies him on a riverside picnic, which is rudely interrupted by the raft race, which lands Richard in the water.
Episode 2
Station Closing
29 mins
When British Rail announces that the local railway station will close, Audrey opposes the plan and is angry that Richard intends to turn the building into the site of his new Cash and Carry. However, the station gets a reprieve when it is chosen to serve the new school building. At least this gives Richard the opportunity to use the old school building for his business instead, and Audrey is not amused.
Episode 3
Horses Vs. Cars
Having censured Richard for polluting the environment in his new helicopter, Audrey is unable to pay for her car to be repaired. After agreeing to run a friend's riding school, she sees the answer to her transport problem: getting about on horseback. But she has a run-in with an officious traffic warden for illegally parking the horse. Horsepower does, however, offer an opportunity to give the pensioners' outing a pleasant surprise.
Episode 4
Birds Vs. Bees
28 mins
Audrey takes up beekeeping and starts to do well selling her own honey until a rare bird turns up at Grantleigh. She's not happy because it's a bee-eater, but its rarity and its protected-species status ensure that people will flock to see it--providing Audrey with a steady flow of customers for her honey.
Episode 5
Cosmetics
29 mins
Richard is about to sign a lucrative deal with cosmetics-firm boss Mademoiselle Dutoit, but to fend off her advances he claims to have a wife. When Marjory volunteers to impersonate 'her' for Dutoit's weekend stay, a previously-reluctant Audrey quickly jumps in, using the masquerade to have a few alterations made to the estate as the rightful lady of the manor. Richard's mother almost ruins the deception, but Mademoiselle Dutoit owns that she has known all along and is impressed by Audrey's apparent assumption of an alien role.
Episode 6
Connections in High Places
30 mins
Seeing him as a foreign upstart, Richard's board of directors opposes his plans to build a refrigeration plant in Argentina and use it as an excuse to try to oust him as chairman of Cavendish Foods. Sympathetic, Audrey enlists her Uncle Greville's aid, telling him that she's about to marry Richard and persuading the old gentleman to get his influential business friends to launch a rescue package and save Richard's job. A grateful Richard gives Audrey a share in the company as a thank-you.
Episode 7
Back to the Manor
30 mins
Richard's position at Cavendish Foods is saved but he still needs money to keep going after buying the Argentinian plant and feels that selling the manor is his only alternative. But Audrey has had a far-better reversal of fortune: Uncle Greville has died and left her a huge sum of money. This enables her to buy back the manor as its lady twice over, as she also proposes to Richard, who accepts.
