The Monday feature on the farm or on the fringe of the farm.
Followed by a five-day weather forecast for farmers and growers.
Producers TM FINNEY and DYLAN WINTER

A meditation for the beginning of a new day With JENNY CARPENTER , Vice-President of the Methodist Conference BBC Manchester Stereo

Presented by John Humphrys and Peter Hobday
6.30, 7.30, 8.30 News Summary
6.45* Business News with SIMON GOMPERTZ
7.00, 8.00 Today's News Read by CLIVE ROSLIN
7.25*, 8.25* Sport
With JOHN INVERDALE
7.45* Thought for the Day

A look ahead with Brian Perkins

by LEWIS CARROLL abridged in seven parts by DAVID SELF
Alan Bennett reads the further adventures of Alice.
1: In which Alice goes through the glass and encounters the White King and Queen and the Red Queen ProducerCOUN SMITH

Seven discussions in which Matthew Parris - in the company of the learned
Paul Barker , the loquacious Jeff Nuttall and various guests - considers some modest proposals for the improvement of our condition.... 2: Tradition
'We are a nation bulwarked by bogus traditions whose main purpose is to stabilise society in order that the-powers-that-be shall not be impeded in their duties....'
Researcher AMANDA MARES Producer ANNE HINDS
BBC Manchester. Stereo

Jeanine McMullen with fresh tales from deepest rural Britain. Everyone has their say as Jeanine progresses down scented lanes; the unique sheep, the portly porker, the fowl, even the makers and doers all share tips over tea on their small country livings.
Producer MARY PRICE. BBC Bristol

Ms Clip Inspects Ofingi by MICHAEL WHERLEY
Read by Maggie Steed Producer SHEILA FOX

from Knowle Parish Church, Solihull introduced by Rosemary Watts Music (mp): I heard the voice of Jesus say (85); Be still and know (16); 0 Jesus, I have promised (172)
Reading (Niv): Isaiah 40, vv 25-31 Director of Music DIANE GANJAVI BBC Pebble Mill

Taunton
Stanley Ellis, John Grundy and Dr Juliet Barker visit the historic market town with a reputation for rebellion.
They also explore the links between the infamous
Judge Jeffreys and the oldest steak bar in town and find out what a donkey was doing on top of St Mary Magdalene Church. Producer GEOFF SARGIESON BBC North East

Presented by Fleur Adcock Readers GARARD GREEN and ELIZABETH BELL
Producer SUSAN Roberts BBC Bristol. Stereo
Requests to: Poetry Please! BBC, BristolBS82LR

Presented by Debbie Thrower Editor KEN VASS
If you are concerned about health, education, housing or financial matters, or if you are the victim of incompetent or unhelpful traders or authorities, write to: You and Yours, BBC, London W1A 1AA

A nationwide general knowledge contest in which listeners compete to become this year's Brain of Britain. Chairman Robert Robinson The Final
Christopher Cooke (bank official)
Ian Meadows (van di iver)
Paul Monaghan (retired teacher) Robert Gleeson
(publisher's representative)
Programme devised by JOHN P. WYNN Questions set by IAN GILLIES
Producer RICHARD EDIS. Stereo

Presented by Nick Worrall Editor MARTIN COX

Walter Crumpton and Doris the Duck by KATE WILKINSON Read by Christopher Lillicrap Producer MARY KALEMKERIAN Stereo (R)

Are you at your peak, or about to begin the downward slide?
The programme where women share their experiences finds out whether life really does begin at 40.
Serial: The True Story of Spit MacPhee by JAMES ALDRIDGE abridged in nine episodes by SALLY SKRIMSHIRE
Read by Nigel Graham (3) Presenter Sally Jones
Editor CLARE SELERIE-GREY

A play by GEORGE DU MAURIER

HRH The Princess of Wales presents the prizes to the winners of this year's Today/ YMCA Best of British Youth
Awards. Radio 4 listeners have been voting for the past month to choose the young person most worthy of the title and Today presenter John Humphrys introduces highlights of the lunch-time ceremony. Producer PETER BURDIN

Presented by Valerie Singleton and Gordon Clough
5.00,5.30 News Summary
5.25 PM Letters
5.31 City News
Editor ROGER MOSEY continued on FM5. 50-5. 55

with PAULINE BUSHNELL including Financial Report

The Story of Radio Comedy In the first of 12 programmes Russell Davies begins his analysis of how people have fun on the radio by listening again to rare recordings of comedy pioneers including
MABEL CONSTANDUROS. A.J. ALAN
NORMAN LONG. JOHN HENRY and BLOSSOM, and a young but promising TOMMY HANDLEY.

Tony Wilkinson starts his six-part series, reporting on local newspapers and the communities they serve, in Wales. Merthyr Tydfil has some tough customers, but stories of a pit strike and a football disaster compete for the front page. Then there's the outbreak of sheep stealing....
1: The Merthyr Express
As the editor said - 'It's alive, it's warm.... and we've brought home the bacon!'
Producer JULIAN HALE (R)

by TINA PEPLER
Petra feels trapped in her marriage by love and mutual incomprehension. An uneasy, tense equilibrium is maintained until two old friends come to stay....
Directed by ALEC REID BBC Bristol. Stereo
(Re-broadcast next Saturday)

A person from the south is struck, when he enters Durham or Northumberland, with the sight of bands of women working in the fields under the surveillance of one man.... they are the bondagers ...an odd sound in fair and free
England. W.S. GILLEY
Richard Kelly draws on 19th-century accounts to present a picture of the bondager's life in the Border counties. Readers GEOFFREY BANKS and BARBARA PEIRSON Producer GILLIAN HUSH BBC Manchester (R)

Paul Vaughan and Christopher Cook explore a wordless version of Wagner's Ring cycle and a film about Van Gogh in which the artist never appears.
John Hegley has a poetic point to make, and composer
Paul Patterson arrives at
Hereford Cathedral for the first rehearsal of his most ambitious work, a Te Deum.
Producer JOHN BOUNDY

The Bible in Spain (11)

Presented by David Sells Editor BLAIR THOMSON

FM joins at 12.10