The Camomile Lawn

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The Camomile Lawn
Author	Mary Wesley
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre(s)	Novel
Publisher	Macmillan
Publication date	29 March 1984
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
Pages	304 pp (first edition, hardback)
ISBN	ISBN 0333368924 (first edition, hardback)

The Camomile Lawn (1984) is a novel by Mary Wesley about wartime London and Cornwall as seen through the eyes of five cousins. In 1992, Channel 4 Television Corporation produced a television adaptation.

The title refers to a fragrant chamomile lawn stretching down to the Cornish cliffs in the garden of the main character's aunt's house. Here, in August 1939, they have gathered for their annual holiday. For most of them it is the last summer of their youth.

[edit] TV adaptation

Channel 4's 1992 adaptation had a notable cast of actors - some who were already acclaimed, and some who were to become so. Felicity Kendal played the scatty, snobbish, but endearing Aunt Helena Cuthbertson, with Paul Eddington as her husband Richard. Jennifer Ehle played the 'vampish' young Calypso, with her real-life mother, Rosemary Harris, playing Calypso in old age. Calypso remains adamant that she only married her husband for his money, while everyone else has realised that she secretly married him for love. Tara Fitzgerald played the part of Polly and Rebecca Hall was Sophy.

Film locations were at Broom Parc House, Veryan, Cornwall, and Portloe, Cornwall, UK.

The haunting theme tune for the movie adaption is based on Ravel's String Quartet in F major.