The Chronicles of Barsetshire is a series of six novels by English author Anthony Trollope, published between 1855 and 1867. They are set in the fictional English county of Barsetshire and its cathedral town of Barchester. The novels concern the dealings of the clergy and the gentry, and the political, amatory, and social manoeuvrings among them.

A series was not planned when Trollope began writing The Warden. Rather, after creating Barsetshire, he found himself returning to it as the setting for his following works.

Plot summary

The Warden

thumb|Portrait of the author, Anthony Trollope

Mr Harding, Warden of Hiram's Hospital, an almshouse in Barchester, is accused of enjoying an income from out of proportion to his responsibilities and the money given to the old people the Hospital houses. The accuser, a local doctor named John Bold, is actually in love with Mr Harding's daughter, Eleanor. Nevertheless, John takes the matter to the press, subjecting Mr Harding to public criticism. Mr Harding is supported by his son-in-law, Archdeacon Grantly, who insists that he maintain his innocence. Finally, following an ultimatum from Eleanor, John drops the case and apologises. Eleanor and John get married and Mr Harding resigns as Warden of Hiram's Hospital to become Rector of St. Cuthbert's Church on a much reduced income.

Barchester Towers

Following the death of Bishop Grantly, Dr Proudie is appointed as the new Bishop instead of Archdeacon Grantly (son of the Bishop), who had hoped for the post. Dr Proudie is supported by his imperious wife Mrs Proudie, and his chaplain, Mr Slope, both of whom want to steer the church away from traditional Anglican values. To fill the position of Warden at Hiram's Hospital, Mrs Proudie insists Mr Slope backs Mr Quiverful for the role. However, Mr Slope is infatuated with widowed Eleanor Bold, and instead secretly supports the reappointment of her father Mr Harding, as do the Archdeacon and Mr Arabin of Oxford University. Mr Slope eventually proposes to Eleanor, and in doing so, exposes his dealings with both sides. In the end, he is ostracised by the cathedral community, while Mr Arabin marries Eleanor and Mr Quiverful is appointed Warden of Hiram's Hospital.

Doctor Thorne

After the Gresham family has taken mortgages on the Greshamsbury estate to support itself, Frank Gresham, heir to the Greshamsbury estate, is being pressed by his family to marry a woman of wealth, such as Miss Dunstable. However, Frank is in love with Mary Thorne, niece of the Greshams' family physician, Doctor Thorne. While Mary appears to have no fortune, she is actually the illegitimate niece of the millionaire Sir Roger Scatcherd, a fact known only to Doctor Thorne. Following the death of Roger and his son Louis, Mary, being the eldest niece, receives Roger's inheritance. Despite having already consented to their marriage, Frank's family are far more welcoming of Mary after hearing she now has the wealth to restore the estate's fortune.

Framley Parsonage

In an attempt to make connections with high society, young vicar Mark Robarts foolishly guarantees a loan to a corrupt member of Parliament, Nate Sowerby. When Mr Sowerby does not repay the loan, Mark's friend Lord Lufton eventually steps in and saves Robarts from financial disaster. Mark's sister Lucy has moved to Framley and falls in love with Lord Lufton. However, Lucy rejects Lord Lufton's proposal, knowing that his mother, Lady Lufton, would refuse to accept a woman of her status as a potential wife for her son. Lady Lufton is adamant her son should marry Griselda Grantly, daughter of the Archdeacon. However, in the end, Lady Lufton changes her attitude and asks Lucy to accept her son's proposal, after witnessing Lucy care selflessly for the poor Mrs Crawley. Meanwhile, Mrs Proudie re-ignites a feud with the Archdeacon and his wife. Another subplot features the marriage of Doctor Thorne and the wealthy Miss Dunstable, who was initially the choice of Frank Gresham's family.

The Small House at Allington

Sisters Bell and Lily Dale live with their widowed mother in the "Small House" in the village of Allington. The squire, Christopher Dale, wants Bell to marry his nephew Bernard, who is heir to the estate. Bernard introduces Lily Dale to Adolphus Crosbie, who later proposes to her. However upon learning that Lily Dale is not due to receive any significant inheritance, Crosbie also proposes to Lady Alexandrina of the prominent de Courcy family, leaving Lily Dale heartbroken. Upon hearing this, Johnny Eames, lifelong admirer of Lily Dale, beats up Crosbie in an act of which promotes him to local hero. Yet despite his devotion, Lily Dale, still emotionally devastated, rejects his proposal and chooses instead to live with her mother. In the end, Bell marries a local doctor. Crosbie and Lady Alexandrina marry, but their life is unhappy, and they decide to separate.

The Last Chronicle of Barset

The main storyline follows the impoverished Rev. Josiah Crawley, introduced in Framley Parsonage, who is ostracised after being wrongly accused of stealing money. Meanwhile, Major Grantly, son of the Archdeacon, falls for the disgraced clergyman's daughter, Grace Crawley. The Archdeacon, initially objecting to the marriage, eventually consents after Mr Crawley's innocence is confirmed. John Eames continues his unsuccessful pursuit of Lily Dale, while the beloved former Warden, Mr Harding, dies of old age. Mrs Proudie also reappears, and demands that her husband, Bishop Proudie, ban Mr Crawley from holding services. However, being a proud man, Mr Crawley refuses to comply, before Mrs Proudie dies of a heart attack.

center|thumb|450x450px|The county of Barsetshire

Conception and publication

thumb|Salisbury Cathedral|328x328px

While working at the General Post Office, Trollope travelled through the English countryside, witnessing the conventions of rural life and the politics surrounding the church and the manor house. On one particular trip to the cathedral city of Salisbury in 1852, Trollope developed his ideas for The Warden, which centred on the clergy. In doing so, the county of Barsetshire was born. Trollope did not begin writing The Warden until July 1853 – a year after his trip to Salisbury. Trollope credited his brother Tom for developing the storyline. Trollope began what became Framley Parsonage. In his autobiography, he explained that by "placing Framley Parsonage near Barchester, I was able to fall back upon my old friends",

Now at the height of his popularity, Trollope wrote the fifth novel in the series, The Small House at Allington. Finally came the Last Chronicle of Barset, which Trollope claimed was "the best novel I have written". It was released serially between 1866 and 1867 and published as a 2-volume work in 1867 by Smith, Elder & Co. Rather, after developing the county of Barsetshire in The Warden, Trollope found himself frequently returning, often in response to the request of publishers. In doing so, prominent characters like Mrs Proudie and the Archdeacon could be reintroduced. It was not until he wrote Framley Parsonage that Trollope began to envision these works as a collective series. In 1867, following the release of The Last Chronicle of Barset, a writer for The Examiner called these novels "the best set of sequels in our literature". Even today, these works remain his most popular. Modern critic Arthur Pollard writes: "Trollope is and will remain best known for his Barsetshire series", However, in his response to Cockshut, Miguel Ángel Pérez Pérez argues that "Trollope disguises many of his own opinions" with critics like Arthur Pollard writing “He has created a recognisable world". Similarly, Nathaniel Hawthorne claimed it was "as if some giant had hewn a great lump out of the earth and put it under a glass case, with all its inhabitants going about their daily business". Contemporary reviewers like The Examiner (1858) also praised the realism of his fictitious world; "Trollope invites us, not to Barchester, but into Barsetshire".  Andrew Wright saw this union of the real and imaginary as being "conjured up out of an imagination that is at once fantastic and domestic". while Stephen Wall suggested the outcome of The Small House at Allington "is visible early on".

Trollope was also criticised, particularly by contemporary reviewers, for his intrusive narrative voice throughout the series. In her essay, Mary Poovey draws on an example from The Warden, where Trollope offers his own insight into the character of Archdeacon Grantly – "our narrative has required that we should see more of his weakness than his strength". The Saturday Review (1861) refers to this as his "petty trick of passing a judgment on his own fictitious personages", However, Andrew Wright notes that at the time, it was not uncommon for authors to incorporate their own voice into their stories, and thus criticism such as that of James took issue not with the "intrusiveness, but arbitrariness" The cast featured Nigel Hawthorne as the Archdeacon, Donald Pleasence as Mr Harding, Geraldine McEwan as Mrs Proudie and Alan Rickman as Mr Slope. The first two episodes primarily covered The Warden while the remaining five covered Barchester Towers.

In 2016, Doctor Thorne was adapted for television as a 3-part mini-series. In the UK, it was released on ITV between 6–20 March 2016. It was directed by Niall MacCormick and written by Julian Fellowes.

thumb|223x223px|The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral

Radio

In 1993, The Small House at Allington was released as a dramatised radio programme on BBC Radio 4. It was created by Martin Wade and directed by Cherry Cookson. Following its success, the other five novels were also adapted to this form and released between December 1995 and March 1998 as The Chronicles of Barset. This programme was created by Michael Symmons Roberts, and also covered all six Barsetshire novels.

Inspired works

Between 1933 and 1961, author Angela Thirkell published 29 novels set in the county of Barsetshire. While Thirkell introduced her own characters, she also incorporates members of Trollope's Barsetshire families, including the Crawleys, Luftons, Grantlys and Greshams. A writer for The New York Times (2008) suggested that "Unlike Trollope, Thirkell is uninterested in money and politics" but is instead, "interested in love".

Another early sequel was Barchester Pilgrimage, by the renowned priest, novelist and theologian Ronald Knox, following the children and grandchildren of Trollope's characters.

Author M. R. James also used Barchester for the setting of his 1910 short story The Stalls of Barchester Cathedral.

References

  • The Chronicles of Barsetshire at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)