Channel 4's wartime period drama The Camomile Lawn has been hailed as 'excellent' and is now available to stream free on Channel 4, 34 years after its original broadcast. The miniseries, adapted from Mary Wesley's second novel, broke records as Channel 4's highest-rated drama at the time, attracting more than 7 million viewers and capturing one-third of the entire television audience.
Plot and Setting
The story follows five cousins and their families in Cornwall as they face the onset of World War II. Set between London and the South West coastline, the narrative begins in the summer of 1939, with war looming but not yet declared. The family takes a final holiday at their aunt's grand house, where a chamomile lawn sweeps down to the cliffs, serving as a backdrop for pivotal moments. Nearly fifty years later, they gather again for a funeral, confronting the profound impact the war has had on their lives.
Cast and Production
The series stars Felicity Kendal as Helena Cuthbertson, Toby Stephens as Oliver Ansty, Jennifer Ehle as Calypso, and Tara Fitzgerald as Polly. Mary Wesley, who launched her writing career at age 70 with her debut novel Jumping the Queue in 1983, wrote The Camomile Lawn after her second husband's death left her in financial hardship. The novel's sexually explicit themes sparked outrage among critics surprised by such content from an older author. Wesley went on to write 10 bestsellers in the final two decades of her life.
Critical and Audience Reception
According to The Guardian, The Camomile Lawn became Channel 4's highest-rated drama, with only Humans and Russell T Davies's It's a Sin approaching similar viewership. One Rotten Tomatoes user wrote: 'THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST CLASSICAL SERIES EVER WITH THAT HUMOUR RADIATES THROUGHOUT.' An IMDb reviewer called it 'A perfect TV world to lose yourself in,' while another described it as 'Compulsively watchable and great fun.' A fourth viewer commented: 'Excellent, The Camomile Lawn is one of my favourite British TV adaptations.'
Streaming Availability
The Camomile Lawn is now available to watch free on Channel 4's streaming service.
