Camberwick Green was created in 1966, but was being aired as a regularly part of the BBC’s daytime childrens programming until the mid 1980’s. The show followed the daily lives of the inhabitants of Camberwick Green, Trumptonshire, a quaint village, and represents a way of life in Britain that sadly seems to be in decline. The show was created by Gordon Murray, and each episode was narrated and voiced by Brian Cant.
Each episode of Camberwick Green was centred around a different character from the village, and began with that character emerging from a intricately designed wind up musical box. As a child the suspense of waiting for the character to emerge was almost too much to bare, and you sat there rooting for your favourite to appear, which for many people was Windy Miller, the mill owner and cider drinker. After the character appeared Brian Cant would ask it various questions, which were answered with a nod or shake of the characters head to indicate yes or no.
The animation has a timeless quality to it, with the various inhabitants of Camberwick Green wandering around with a strange long legged gait, that puts me in mind of John Cleese in the Monty Python Ministry of Silly Walks sketch. Some of the characters had wonderfully modelled vehicles to drive around in, which was a chance to throw in a song whilst the character drove from one place to another.