Millthwaite Soap Wiki

Millthwaite (soap)
Millthwaite (working title 'Over The Hills' and previously known as 'High Peak') is a rural serial drama produced under various production company names over the years, including Equanox Media, Noxy Productions and originally Gambox Productions. There have been three incarnations of the project to date, two in 2014 and one in 2017. In addition, a secret test run of three episodes in 2016 was never published or promoted.

A brand-new version is currently in development and will be produced by Imago Productions, to be published in 2020. With the exception of the first version, which was written and produced by Chloe and MGambitt, all other versions have been written and produced by Chloe alone.

Chloe felt that 'High Peak' still had potential, yet, having never got off the ground since it first launched in 2012, she felt the name of the project had become 'cursed'. She began redeveloping it under the working title 'Greener Pastures', and renamed the village Millthwaite. After consideration however, she decided to use the name of the village itself as the name of the show, feeling that, not only is this more straightforward, but also focuses the drama on Millthwaite itself, rather than surrounding villages or the High Peak as a whole.

Chloe decided that Millthwaite would be a reimagining of High Peak, rather than an entirely new project, because several characters and settings will be carried over, including some familiar names and places.

Millthwaite is set in the fictional north Derbyshire village of the same name (known as Miller in previous versions), which itself is on the outskirts of the equally fictional market town of Malrith. Other towns and villages exist in the Millthwaite universe (for a list of these, click here), but Millthwaite and Malrith are the only two that feature regularly. In previous versions, the village was knowns as Miller, which relates to Derbyshire's Victorian association with the industry of milling and millers, and it was felt the name sounded 'homely'. Chloe wanted to keep something of the 'Mill' aspect in the name. Also mentioned is the unseen neighbouring village of  Wolvedere, usually in a derogatory manner for comedic effect. No precise location is referenced, but Miller is based in northwest Derbyshire in the  High Peak/Dark Peak area, which is north of the Peak District and Derbyshire Dales and is said to be roughly equidistant between Manchester and Sheffield. Logically this puts Miller in the vicinity of Buxton. Exterior shots of Millthwaite are filmed in and around Edale, whilst interior scenes are filmed mostly in Salford Quays.

Millthwaite is therefore located in a precarious area geographically - one some would consider to be northern England, whilst others the East Midlands. Onscreen however, Millthwaite is always identified as being in the East Midlands, albeit the very north of it.

The surnames of some (but not all) characters - Sheldon, Rowland, Fairfield - are often named after real-world Derbyshire towns and villages.

In MTW time, episodes air three times a week - on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - at 18:30. This is always the case except for Episode 1, which aired for one hour on a Sunday, the day before Episode 2. Episodes will commence shortly.

Version 1 (February-May 2012)
The project was initially conceived in late 2011. The first version launched on 14th February 2012, and was created, written and produced by MGambitt & Noxy under the name Gambox Productions. It ran for 36 episodes, although Episode 37 was written but never published. The first 20 episodes were eligible for inclusion in the WRIXAS (now the LITFAs) awards, where High Peak won five trophies. Two incarnations of it then ran in 2012. High Peak 1.0, as it is retroactively known, was published between February and May and 36 episodes were published. In April 2012, it won five Writers Express awards at WRIXAS 2, including 'Best New Project.' In spite of this, producers Gambox Productions (AKA forum members MGambitt and Noxy) cancelled it, explaining that they were unhappy with its continuity. Shortly after, it was announced that a new version would happen at some point. In September 2012, High Peak 2.0 began, this time with Noxy as the sole producer. However, despite a similarly enthusiastic response to it, the project was pulled again at Episode 30 in November 2012, with similar reasons given. Until August 2017, no more was heard about it. The first version was nominated for twelve accolades at WRIXAS 2 in 2012, and won five of them:
 * BEST EPISODE: Episode 20
 * BEST SCENE: Molly's Emotional Exit (Episode 20)
 * BEST FRIENDSHIP: Jaimee Sheldon and Luke Rowland
 * BEST NEW PROJECT
 * BEST COLLABORATIVE PROJECT (Noxy & MGambitt)

The central families were the Sheldons and the Rowlands. The mixed-race Rowland family were newcomers to the village, having relocated from Oxford, with Josh Rowland becoming the new village vicar. However, it emerged later that there was more to their move, and cracks in the family dynamic, especially with eldest daughter Molly. Molly later ran away to be with her ex-boyfriend in Oxford, with Josh later going after her and persuading her to return to Miller. However, the reasons for her unhappiness were never revealed as neither incarnation of High Peak ran long enough for fans to discover.

Elsewhere, it was clear that no-nonsense Yorkshire woman Debbie Sheldon had a fractious relationship with her mother-in-law, whilst her husband Nick was more concerned about his ageing father's faltering health. Plans were afoot to introduce Nick's brother into the series, a wealthy businessman who was somewhat estranged from his family, wanted to buy out the holiday village and make it a campus of a chain called Holidale! However, the series was pulled before this ever came to fruition.

Other stories included that of sharp-tongued local councillor Kate Bagshaw reconnecting with her surly, spiky teenage daughter Emma Draycott; bright but cynical teenager Seb Sawley's reluctance for mum Gill Nicholls to marry her long-tern partner Neil McIntyre; and long-suffering deputy headteacher Mindi Singh trying to keep her school ticking over under the ailing leadership of Pippa Hardy.

Version 2 (September-November 2012)
The second version had a shorter run than the first, of 30 episodes, and was written and produced by Noxy alone under the name Noxy Productions. This version was cancelled before any WRIXAS ceremony was held, making it automatically ineligible. Unusually, both versions were removed from Lit, a decision co-creator Noxy has since expressed regret about. It was her intention to launch a third version much sooner (2014). Due to various incidences of technical loss and damage, much information about High Peak - including features and casting information - is irritrievably lost. However, all episodes from all versions remain in Noxy and Ross's possession.

Test run (2016)
In early 2016, Noxy wrote three episodes of a new version, as a test run. However, these were never published or promoted on Writers Express/Lit.

Version 3 (September 2017-February 2018)
The third version began with a 'test run' of five episodes from Monday 4th September 2017. Following successful feedback, the project was later commissioned permanently on 20th October 2017, with Equanox Media (now Frequency Media) announcing Episode 6 for publication on Christmas Day 2017. Three more episodes were published, with the final one - Episode 9 - airing on 11th February 2018. The third version, whilst familiar, introduced a significant number of changes and developemnts compared to previous versions.

In a 2017 interview, Noxy explained her logic with regards the project: "With (High Peak) 1.0, I realised we had something interesting, but structurally I didn't think it stood up. In truth I think we rushed it out there too soon and just went with it. Sometimes that works, that time it didn't. Gam (MGambitt) was reluctant to go back to the drawing board initially, but when I explained my thinking and we both discussed the different ideas we had, he was persuaded. I'm grateful to him for that. Then in September 2012 I gave it another go solo, but ultimately it stalled again. One thing I know, both from personal experience and reading other people's projects, is as a writer you just can't blag a project. If you're not feeling it, if there's not a sufficient connection then eventually that apathy will infect the project and the audience won't feel it either. I'm an all or nothing sort of person and if I'm not 100% into a project - maybe 99% at a push! - then for me it's a non-starter."

"In truth, I realised after 2.0 that High Peak was kind of beyond me at that point. The essential ingredients it needed to work long-term, I just wasn't capable of at that time. I knew what it needed but didn't know how to make that a reality. But that was five long years ago and I've learned so much both as a writer and as a person since then. And believe me, I have been over it and over it in the last few years - cast changes, name changes, location changes, you name it! - but I finally felt I had something that could work. I wasn't totally sure though, hence a test run of episodes. But I felt positive about High Peak in a way I simply never had before, so it was promising! But what I will say is that it's three strikes and you're out. The failure of 2.0 knocked my confidence in High Peak, which is partly why it took so long to revive it. If 3.0 doesn't work out, that's fine - that's life - but that's it, it's over."

Noxy stated that for the third attempt at High Peak, under her stewardship, she wanted to strike the right balance between old and new. "I wanted fans to feel like they are coming back to something that is familiar, but also noticeably different to before. And for total newbies, it will be something completely fresh and original. It really is a balancing act. I wanted it to feel homely and traditional, but still modern and fresh. A bit of something for everybody sort of thing. There are more families this time round and they are more diverse. There are some completely new characters, whilst others have switched families, and so on. The show will be mid-paced most of the time. There were complaints from some quarters originally that the pacing of High Peak was too slow and the episodes repetitive. I'm determined not to allow that to happen this time. There are also some new sets such as Hike Peak - which is a hiking business, surprise surprise! - and the way certain characters and storylines developed before will be done a little differently or in more detail than last time. This is to ensure that first and/or second-timers don't feel like they are just reading the same thing as before, and newbies are getting stories and characters which have been improved and developed. So this isn't exactly what it was, but at the same time it has that essence. I used this strategy when launching the (now defunct) second version of These Days, and that certainly turned out well." Below is a non-exhaustive list of significant changes made to the 2017 incarnation of High Peak, compared to the 2012 versions:
 * The 'main street' running through Miller was known as 'Buxton Lane'. It was due to be renamed 'Meadow Lane' in the contemporary version, but as the farm is called 'Meadowgrove', Noxy settled on Laburnum Grove
 * The elder Sheldons have been renamed as Frank and Helen, with their son Nick now called Dan, and their grandson Olly now known as Noah. In the 2012 versions, Dan and his parents were originally southerners, but now the whole family is northern
 * Rather than being a new family to the area, the Rowlands are in fact returning to Miller to live after a seven-year absence following a move to Oxford. Parents Josh and Tess are actually from Oxford, whereas their children Molly, Luke and Flynn where all born in the High Peak area
 * The Crown Tavern public house has been renamed The Mulberry Arms. Previously it was the home of the now defunct Kaminski family, and run by the husband and wife of that family. However, the pub is now run by one half of the village's largest family, the Fairfields
 * In previous versions, daughter Flick was blind, whereas in this version she is deaf
 * In the original versions, the ailing high school was on the brink of becoming an academy, whereas now it has just become an academy offscreen
 * Headteacher Pippa Hardy - originally a widow - is now called Ruth Hardy and is married to husband Alan
 * Kate Bagshaw was originally a councillor who had long aimed to but never actually become, an MP. Now she is a long-term independent MP, who also has a side business running the horse sanctuary business High Horses - a business which did not exist in 2012 versions
 * In 2012 versions, Gabz Aston and her daughter Sydney (now Ania) were in a family unit with father/husband Keiran, and Gabz was having an affair with defunct character Mark Walton. This time, Gabz and Ania's circumstances are markedly different
 * In 2012 versions, Neil McIntyre and Gill Nicholls were just about to marry, whereas this time no marriage is on the horizon; they are however a long-term couple. Neil ran the garage and Gill was a swimming instructor at a leisure centre. This time, both run hiking business Hike Peak. Gill's surname is now Seymour. They still have a daughter together called Courtney McIntyre, but rather than being there at the outset, Courtney is away at university
 * The garage is now called Singh Motors, run by Deepak Singh
 * In 2012 versions there was no farm set. Now there is Meadowgrove Farm, run by an entirely new branch of the Fairfield family
 * The market town of Malrith and the surrounding villages of Bellfield, Greenchapel and Wolverdere did not exist in previous versions
 * In 2012 versions, residential sets were not named or numbered, as is the case with sister soap These Days. This time however, all the sets have names and addresses. The majority of characters live on the main street that runs through Miller, which is called Laburnum Grove. This name was inspired by the name of a road near to where Noxy herself grew up, although it is a very common residential road name in England

Frequency Media plans to release all episodes of all previous versions in a 'nostalgia' thread, around the time of the contemporary version's launch.

More to follow

Version 4 (TBC)
A fourth version is currently in development, and will launch on an unspecified date.

Title Card
The forthcoming version's title card uses a picture of a cosy, cobble-cottaged, leafy village (actually on the Isle of Wight) blurred out in the background. In front of it, and clear, is a gradiented, country green box in the centre, with the words 'high peak' - in lower case with the 'peak' placed beneath the second 'h' of the 'high' - in the middle of the box, written in Trebuchet MS font. The title card is designed by Frequency Media, which is owned and run by Noxy. Explaining the design, she said: "The image used is ideal as it evokes pretty much every main trope of the countryside into one picture. But whilst the village looks traditional, the logo looks modern. The font, Trebuchet MS, is unusual in that it looks both modern and traditional at the same time. And that sort of epitomises High Peak as a project really; equally modern and traditional, and often exploring the tension between the two."

Theme Tune
All incarnations of High Peak have used an instrumental version of 'Talk' by Coldplay. It is felt that the 'gentle but vibrant riffs' in Talk 'suit the project down to the ground.' There are no plans to change this at present.

Premise
The initial premise of High Peak was that of a compelling but down-to-earth rural drama about the trials and tribulations of its residents' lives. Noxy originally had concerns about it being 'These Days in the countryside', and - with it being set in a northern village - unfavourable comparisons to the long-running countryside serial Emmerdale. To quell some of these fears, the decision was taken to have the holiday village (Chalet Peaks) as the main location, and to exclude any sort of farm set. In addition, one of the main families in the soap - the Rowlands - would be southerners; essentially urban fish out of water in a low-key northern village. However, Noxy had a change of heart and decided to include a farm set in the new version after all. She also countered that, rather than being northern, Millthwaite actually straddles the Greater Manchester/East Midlands border. As such, some of its characters are northern and some are from the Midlands. In contrast, Emmerdale has no Midlands characters.

In a 2017 interview, she explained: "Farming is now an element of High Peak, but not the fundamental premise, as it was in Emmerdale pre-1994. I don't think any of the sets dominate actually. The farm, the pub, the holiday village, all form parts of a whole and none take precedence. Also, farming is essentially meaningless in Emmerdale now, which I think is sad. Emmerdale has also become urbanised and not really about life in a village anymore, which I also think is a shame. It's moved a long way from its roots, and what I wanted from High Peak is not some sort of fan fiction Emmerdale, and not some kind of dated, misty-eyed nostalgic view of the countryside either. Something modern and contemporary, but also something that makes the beautiful surroundings just as important as the dramas within it." Aside from the mention of several local, fictional villages, High Peak has two significant settings. The first is the fictional market town of Malrith - which the village is on the outskirts of - that is occasionally seen and mentioned, and where a small number of characters work or learn. But the central location is the village of Millthwaite where the vast majority of characters live and events take place. In addition, there are several distinctive landmarks in the show. These include the following:

BUSINESS/EDUCATION

 * Chalet Peaks - a holiday village owned by Frank and Helen Sheldon, but run by their son Dan and his wife Debbie. Frank and Helen do not live there, but Dan and Debbie do - as do their three children: grown-up Olly, the only one of the children who also works there, adult teenager Kayley and young teenager Jaimee
 * Derbyshire Bank - a rarely seen or mentioned financial institution in Malrith
 * The Feathers - an often mentioned but never seen rival pub to The Mulberry Arms
 * Hardy's - a hybrid business which operates as a newsagent's and also has a small area for hot beverages. This is based on a similar shop in the mid-Derbyshire town of Matlock, and is owned and run by retired doctor Alan Hardy
 * High Horses - a horse sanctuary which operates as a business within the unseen Mossthwaite Manor (sometimes mockingly referred to as 'Misselthwaite Manor,' the gloomy mansion in the famous Frances Hodgson Burnett novel, The Secret Garden). It is a multi-faceted operation, caring for both regular and race horses, as well as offering riding lessons to locals. It is run via Mossthwaite by the unseen Ormerod family, who inhabit the manor. High Horses is run by local independent MP Kate Bagshaw on behalf of the Ormerods. The exact number of Ormerods is unknown, but sometimes mentioned are husband and wife Hugh and Marion, and their son Tobias
 * High Tea - a punnily-named tearooms owned, run and lived in by Frank and Helen
 * Hike Peak - a punnily-named hiking company with a shop, owned and run by long-term unmarried couple Neil McIntyre and Gill Nicholls
 * Malrith College - a post-16 educational establishment, attended by students including late teens Kayley Sheldon, Molly Rowland and Seb Seymour
 * Malrith High Street
 * The Mary Mackworth Academy - an ailing high school in Malrith which had only just been renamed and converted from a comprehensive school into an academy at the start of High Peak. This is to the disapproval of conservative, long-term headteacher Ruth Hardy, but the approval of  the more liberal deputy head, Mindi Singh. Indifferent is the then new head of English, Tess Rowland, who worked at the school years earlier when it was known as Barton Road Comprehensive. All three women live in Miller. The academy itself is named after Mary Mackworth, a fictional Victorian philanthropist who lived in the area in the late 19th century. Mackworth is also a village near Derby
 * Meadowgrove - livestock farm owned and run by the other side of the Fairfield family. Living there are Stuart's elder brother Patrick, his wife Niamh and their three children: grown-up Drew and Charlotte, who also work on the farm; teenager Isaac; and a young male border collie called Milo
 * The Mulberry Arms (known as 'The Crown Tavern' in previous versions): a cosy country public house owned by Stuart Fairfield and his estranged ex-wife, Leah McIntyre. However, Stuart divorced Leah some years previously and she disappeared to Málaga. Whilst she is still legally landlady, Stuart ostensibly runs it with his dad Pete, who acts as a pseudo co-landlord. Also living there are Stuart and Leah's three teenage children of varying ages - Aiden, Casey and Flick, who is deaf
 * Singh Motors - garage owned and run by Deepak Singh
 * St. Peter's C of E Church - the local Anglican church, which is part of vicar Josh Rowland's parish

RESIDENTIAL

 * Acacia Cottage, Laburnum Grove - the Rowland home. Resident there are Josh Rowland, Tess Rowland, Molly Rowland, Luke Rowland, Flynn Rowland and Rocco Rowland (male labrador puppy)
 * Blossom Wood Cottage, Lydgate Lane - the Sheldon home and Chalet Peaks holiday village. Resident there are Dan Sheldon, Debbie Sheldon, Olly Sheldon, Kayley Sheldon, Jaimee Sheldon, Tigger Sheldon (male ginger cat) and Bella Sheldon (female West Highland Terrier)
 * Derwent View, Laburnum Grove - location of the McIntrye/Seymour family home. Resident there are Neil McIntyre, Gill Seymour, Seb Seymour and Seb's two male bearded dragons, Ant and Dec
 * Dove Cottage, Laburnum Grove - location of the Aston/Hardy family home. Resident there are Gabz Aston and her young daughter Ania Aston. However, the cottage actually belongs to Gabz's estranged boyfriend, who is absent
 * Ivy Rose Cottage, Lydgate Lane - location of the Bagshaw/Draycott family home. Resident there are horse sanctuary manager and independent MP, Kate Bagshaw. Kate also uses it as her parliamentary address, though she holds her surgeries in Malrith. This is the closest set to the holiday village
 * Meadowgrove, Bellfield Road - location of Meadowgrove Farm, the family home of Patrick Fairfield, Niamh Fairfield, Charlotte Fairfield, Drew Fairfield, Isaac Fairfield and Milo Fairfield (border collie)
 * Millbrook Cottage, Laburnum Grove - location of the Hardy family home. Resident there are Ruth and Alan Hardy
 * Sunnyside View, Laburnum Grove - location of the Singh family home. Resident there are Deepak Singh, Mindi Singh, Ashwin Singh, Bina Singh and their three rabbits Buster, Babs and Bugs

OTHER

 * Malrith MRT is the fictional mountain rescure service which covers Malrith (where it's unseen headquarters are based), Bellfield, Greenchapel, Miller and Wolverdere. Several characters work on an ad-hoc, voluntary basis for Malrith MRT, including Ashwin Singh, Dan Sheldon, Gill Seymour, Mindi Singh, Neil McIntyre and Niamh Fairfield