Archaeology of a Storyteller

Original version

BBC Radio 4 LW

BBC Radio 4 FM

Documentaries

Factual: Arts, Culture & the Media: Arts

BBC Radio 4 - Archaeology of a Storyteller

Excavating author Alan Garner’s inspiration in the small patch of Cheshire he calls home.

Sifting through layers of interviews, archive and readings to excavate the deep historical inspiration behind the stories of Alan Garner in a small patch of Cheshire he calls home.

The author Alan Garner has spent all his life living within the same few square miles of Cheshire and can trace his family's history in this area back to the 16th century. Digging down into his novels, Archaeology of a Storyteller uncovers the historical inspiration behind the stories written by the man who many authors consider to be their favourite writer.

All his novels, from The Stone Book Quartet, to Treacle Walker, and his famous children's books, The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath, mine this area for history and legend, truth, and imagination. These stories are literally embedded in the archaeology and geology of the land - in the mysterious caves and tunnels under Alderley Edge. Although Garner is highly regarded by writers like Philip Pullman, Neil Gaiman, Susan Cooper and David Almond and Frank Cottrell Boyce, he says his closest friends are archaeologists!
 
Since 1957, Garner has lived in an old medieval house a stone's throw from the gigantic radio telescope at Jodrell Bank. In 1972 his house was joined by the Medicine House, an old timber-framed building the Garners saved from demolition 18 miles away, now protected by their organisation The Blackden Trust. 

Alan Garner knows the stories told by every stone, timber and protective mark in his home - and every inch of the surrounding land. Sifting through layers of interviews, including the archaeologists Mark Edmonds and Tim Campbell-Green, archive recordings and extracts from his work, Archaeology of a Storyteller sets out to uncover how Garner found his creative inspiration in a small patch of Cheshire. 

Music composed and performed by John Dipper
Reader: Robert Powell
Producer: Andy Cartwright

A Soundscape production for BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Archaeology of a Storyteller

Genres

Formats

BBC Radio 4 LW

About BBC Radio 4