George Eliot Country Audio Tours

Nuneaton forms the backdrop to George Eliot's first published work of fiction, Scenes of Clerical Life, and it's the publication of the three stories in this book in 1857 - 150 years ago - that we are celebrating in 2007 with numerous events and this series of podcasts. Jane Markham is joined by local historian, and George Eliot fan, John Burton, Kathleen Adams, secretary of the George Eliot Fellowship and students of Nuneaton's King Edward the Sixth College to explore the town and how it relates to the town George Eliot called 'Milby' in one of the stories in the book - Janet's Repentance.

George Eliot was born Mary Ann Evans on the Arbury Estate near Nuneaton in North Warwickshire. Her father was the estate manager to the powerful Newdigate family (who still own Arbury today). This driving tour skirts the estate and visits places that feature in her first published fiction Scenes of Clerical Life which was published 150 years ago this year. This podcast is part of 150th anniversary celebrations and Jane Markham is joined by local historian, and George Eliot fan, John Burton on a trip that takes us from Chilvers Coton Church, where she was baptized to Griff House - now a restaurant - where she grew up