The Bagthorpe Saga is a series of 10 novels by Helen Cresswell published between 1977 and 2001 winning two International Reading Association awards published in the UK and the United States by Faber and Faber. The first two novels formed the basis of a BBC TV comedy series in 1981.

Background

The saga follows the farcical, satirical and blackly comic lives of the eccentric, ultra-competitive, friendless, relentlessly self-absorbed and largely disloyal Bagthorpe family, who live at Unicorn House in the fictional village of Passingham, near the small market town of Aysham.

Books in the Saga

Main characters

Parents

Children

Three of the four children are held chiefly by themselves to be genii and work assiduously at the many 'Strings to their Bows'. The view of their stellar intelligence and conduct is not shared by their headmaster who leaves blank his comment boxes on their reports since "If he said anything complimentary he would be perjuring himself" so the Bagthorpe children steam open the envelopes to forge flattery.

Other family members

Other characters

Television series

The Bagthorpe Saga, a six-part adaptation of the first two novels (Ordinary Jack and Absolute Zero) was broadcast by the BBC in 1981. The character of Rosie was eliminated and some of her dialogue and character attributes were given to Tess. The series was filmed in the summer of 1980 in Tetbury, Gloucestershire; Manor Farm on the Chavenage House estate was used as the Bagthorpes' home, Unicorn House. Each episode ran for 30 minutes.

Cast