Read Julia Jones' Recollections

PART ONE

TV investigative journalist and presenter Jemima Shore reads of the death of her childhood school friend Rosabelle, a nun at the Convent Of The Blessed Eleanor, who apparently starved herself to death in the "Tower Of Ivory". Despite the protests of her MP lover, she returns to her old school at the request of the Mother Ancilla. Upon arrival at the convent, she learns that Rosabelle (or 'Sister Miriam') had in fact been the heiress to the land on which the convent stands, and had become intent on donating it to an infamous left wing politician - Alexander Sharbeck - whom she had seen on Jemima's own programme. Shocked by this revelation, Miss Shore is even more taken aback when Mother Ancilla requests that she stay on to get to the bottom of the "disturbing" goings-on at the convent. But even that doesn't prepare her for when a nervous young nun takes her

 aside and whispers a scarcely believable secret...     [Watch the clip to find out what happens]

PART TWO

Shocked by Sister Edward's revelation, Jemima tentatively begins to delve into the lives of the members of the convent, though she confides to her lover Tony that she is reluctant to get involved. Subsequently, she is talked into staying on by Mother Ancilla herself, whom she now believes to be innocent. Later that night, while preparing for bed, Jemima hears what sounds like someone heading past her room towards the chapel. Intrigued, she makes her way to the darkened chapel but finds it to be deserted...or is it?     [Watch the clip to find out what happens]

She then discovers to her surprise Sister Lucy is also in the chapel, who insists that she had only just arrived but whom Jemima feels certain had witnessed what had just happened. The next day, after running into Alexander Sharbeck again, she discovers from Mother Ancilla that Rosabelle was Sister Lucy's cousin. Her suspicions growing, she is allowed to interview Sister Lucy, who dispassionately warns her to stay away from the convent. Understandably taken aback, Jemima is equally perplexed when the elderly Sister Boniface refuses to let her see the asthmatic Sister Edward, who had become ill earlier in the afternoon. And then, only the next morning, she is horrified to hear from one of the girls that Sister Edward is dead.

PART THREE coming soon

INTERVIEW WITH JULIA JONES

In August 2003 Simon Farquhar interviewed Julia Jones for this site, and asked for her recollections about the production...

Julia Jones' career as a television writer has displayed a great ability for heart warming storytelling, resilient spirit and occasional a tinge of spookiness. She also has a penchant for beautiful adaptations. As a writer her successes have included Still Waters and Moody And Pegg, and her adaptations of such classics as Swish Of The Curtain, The Enchanted Castle and Tom's Midnight Garden have bewitched and delighted whole generations of children.

"That production is very strong in my memory. I remember Thames Television sending me Antonia Fraser's book of Quiet As A Nun to see what I thought of it. I read it and I didn't think it was a marvellous book but I did think "my God, this would make wonderful television!" I telephoned them and said I that I would love to do it, and was then commissioned. Later I remember Antonia Bird, who is such a charming woman, speaking on the radio and saying that she thought the tv version was actually better than the book. I remember the producer asking me later what had made me want to do it, and I explained that when I read it I thought it conjured up all these marvellous pictures, the secret passages and the bleeding heart and the black nun. I thought the production was excellent. It nearly won a big prize in Los Angeles but it didn't in the end because it was about naughty nuns and some people didn't approve of that! It's so lovely to know that people remember it and like it. One sometimes thinks one's work has been all but forgotten, especially with that, as Thames so rarely repeated things. It's so nice to know that isn't the case."

Thanks to Simon, and to Julia for her fascinating comments. I'm sure she'll be pleased to know that her Armchair Thriller contribution is by far the best remembered of all!