In "To The Manor Born,"� Who Lived In The Manor?

The "Grantleigh manor" in which this popular 1979-81 sitcom is set is actually Cricket St Thomas in Somerset. In the series it is the property of Mrs Audrey fforbes-Hamilton (Penelope Keith) whose initial delight at her husband's death is destroyed when it turns out that he has left her in (by her standards) poverty. Forced to sell the manor, she makes a grand exit which is cut short when it turns out she is only moving into the Lodge at the Manor gates. From there, living chastely with her devoted butler Barbinger (John Rudling) she is able to meddle in the affairs of the Manor and conduct a lengthy war with Richard de Vere (Peter Bowles) a wealthy retailer of (horror of horrors) Eastern European descent, who buys the house and lives there with his embarrassing mother (Daphne Heard.) Eventually, of course, the pair fall in love and marry, though not before Audrey has turned the tables on Richard by buying back the Manor.