Rosamunde Scott was born in 1924 in the small village of Lelant in Cornwall. She spent many happy times growing up on the cliffs and beaches, and the Cornish landscape had a profound influence on her. In 1946 she married her husband, Graham Hope Pilcher, and moved to the opposite end of the British Isles, to Dundee in Scotland.
She began publishing some of her writings in 1949, first under the pseudonym Jane Fraser, and then under her own name. Although living in Scotland, the landscape and scenery of her childhood in Cornwall provide the setting for many of Pilcher’s stories. Pilcher went on to sell more than 60 million books worldwide.
Pilcher’s books have been turned into television series and films. These programs are particularly popular in Germany, where over 160 television series based on Pilcher’s works have been produced. Sunday evenings are even affectionally known in Germany as ‘Rosamunde Pilcher Night’, and her shows attract a weekly audience of 7 million viewers.
Picher country is so popular that 350,000 German tourists visit Cornwall every year, and two-thirds of all foreign visitors who come to Cornwall are from either Germany, Austria, or Switzerland.
Below can be seen some of the scenic locations across Cornwall that serve as the backgrounds to the Rosamunde Pilcher films and television series.
Prideaux Place
If Rosamunde Picher fans were pilgrims then Prideaux Place would be the Holy Land. The Elizabethan country house has been used as a filming location in numerous Pilcher series
The house is situated near the fishing village of Padstow, and lies on the south bank of the Camel River. Built in 1592, and comprised of 81 rooms, the house sits in its own estate of 3,500 acres. The current owner of the Prideaux estate, Peter Prideaux-Brune, has featured in several of the series, his roles to date include: chauffeur, gin taster and coroner.
Prideaux Place, its grounds, the nearby town of Padstow have all been used as settings. If you are a fan and plan on visiting Cornwall then Prideaux Place is a must-see location.
More information: prideauxplace.co.uk
Padstow
Very close to Prideaux Place, on the banks of the Camel Estuary, lies the picturesque town of Padstow. This town grew as a fishing port and, while some fishing vessels still harbour here, it now accommodates more modern and luxurious yachts alongside the traditional fleet. In addition to being a stop on the Pilcher tour Padstow is a tourist destination in its own right, known for its stunning views across the Camel Estuary and as the home of Rick Stein’s fish restaurants.
Bedruthan Steps
North of Newquay, on the North Coast, lies Bedruthan Steps. Also known as Pentire Steps, or its Cornish name of Carnewas, this is probably the most awe inspiring and dramatic setting on our list of locations. It consists of a series of geological stacks, which rise out of the sands across the bay. Each of the stacks has a name, such as: Queen Bess, Samaritan Island, Redcove Island, Pendarves Island, and Carnewas Island.
The name ‘Bedruthan’ it has been said comes from a mythological giant, who used the stacks as steppingstones. The earliest records of this myth, however, indicate that it was most likely invented to entertain the Victorian tourists of the last 19th Century. The name itself is more likely to have originally been the name of one of the miners paths that lead up the cliff from the beach.
Steps leading to the beach were covered by a rock fall, and unfortunately there is currently no safe way down. However, the views from the top of the cliff are still astounding!
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