Of the Archers, the Manor and a lot of the Bull

It is a sad state of affairs when the pub that gave it’s name to the “Bull Inn” in the pilot programmes of “The Archers, an Every Day Story of Country Folk” is currently closed compliments of a buyer who, after signing contracts, never exchanged – so we have been lead to believe.  We have been pub-less in Rippingale ever since Sue’s leaving party on 23rd June.
 
In this shot you have the entrance to “The Manor” just opposite the Bull.

Godfrey Baseley (the father of ‘The Archers’) first came to Rippingale in 1946 and recorded an episode of “Farm Visit” looking at the ‘unusual farming methods’ of a local farmer Henry Burt.  In 1948 at a BBC/Government farming conference Henry Burt came up with a suggestion which became “The Archers”, and the first scripts followed bits from the original “Farm Visit” programme with characters clearly based on Henry Burt and his family and his workforce, and of course pubs and property in the area.  It was after “The Archers” had moved to a prime BBC slot in the 50’s that Inkberrow, which is close to the BBC Studios in Birmingham, became Ambridge so that they could take publicity photos.
 
Our local historian Jim Latham has written about it on our village website.