The Dwelling Place

Featuring a magisterial performance from Miss T.Whitwell as Cissie,oldest of her surviving siblings thrown out of a tied cottage on the death of their parents in the North – East of England in 1837. Determined to avoid the dreaded workhouse she takes them to a cave on the fells which she turns into their home. Loved by a kindly but weak flourmill worker who marries the miller’s daughter for her money,and raped by a weak,drunken aristo(egged on by his appalling sister – a recurring theme in Miss Cookson’s work),she becomes pregnant and gives birth to the heir to a baronetcy who becomes the object of an epic struggle. Cissie makes pragmatic decisions with everybody’s interest but her own paramount. Unlikely though it may be in our more enlightened age,she forgives her rapist and agrees to marry him,thus legitimising her son. Simple enough stuff then,put like that,but “The dwelling-place” glitters with fine performances and conveys the atmosphere of early Industrial Revolution England,although oddly.no mention is made of the new Queen,Victoria,whose reign would have just begun. “Catherine Cookson Presents” is a well – made series with good production values,fine performances and a pleasing repertory company of actors to ensure the high standard is maintained. “The Dwelling Place” is an excellent example.