The Village

Writer Peter Moffat conceived the series as a 'British Heimat', inspired by Edgar Reitz's German saga Heimat, and hoped it would eventually become a 42-hour drama following one extended family through the entire 20th century.

Unlike Downton Abbey, The Village was designed to portray a working-class version of history, showing details such as domestics being expected to face the walls when the master walked by.

The first series was filmed in and around Hayfield, Edale, Glossop, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Charlesworth in the Peak District, as well as in the grounds of Tatton Park in Cheshire, during October to December 2012.

The four episodes of the first series were directed by Antonia Bird, which turned out to be her last work before her death that same year (2013).

For the second series, filming began at the end of March 2014 in Derbyshire, using the stately home and grounds of Lyme Park as a new location, and wrapped on 4 July 2014 as confirmed by cast members on Twitter.

John Simm used local historian Margaret Wombwell's book Milk, Muck and Memories to research how farmers of the period lived, while Peter Moffat researched locally and at the Imperial War Museum.

A new recording of the hymn 'I Vow to Thee, My Country' by Beck Goldsmith was used for the series' trailer soundtrack.

The first series earned three BAFTA nominations, for Best Drama Series, Leading Actress (Maxine Peake) and Supporting Actor (Nico Mirallegro), and received largely positive reviews praising its epic, cinematic quality despite its small-scale story.