Do you remember this early 80's period drama?

[bookit]

Unlikely I know because I only remember one tiny bit - there was an old lady, it was a big Manor House and it caught fire. The lady was a bit of a cow if I remember correctly and I have a feeling she wore white (maybe!).

I was only about five or six but that scene really stuck with me

Sounds like this could have been Miss Haversham in Great Expectations - was there an early 80s TV adaptation of that?

Jane Eyre ? There was a fab series in the 80's

Exactly the scene I thought of TeaandHobnobs

It sounds like Great Expectations, and there was a 1981 miniseries.

www.imdb.com/title/tt0196254/

I also thought of Great Expectations straight away.

There was a miniseries with Joan Hickson (Miss Marple) as Miss Havisham, I think?

Great Expectations. There have been various TV and film adaptations.

Wow! That was quick! Thanks everyone. I love Mumsnet!

I'm pretty sure it was a mini series and 1981 sounds about right.

I feel the fire was caused by a candle and I remember a huge dining room with lots of white (could be a table cloth but white features heavily)

There was a TV series in the 80s called Maelstrom and I'm sure the house burns down but can't remember much more. I also get it mixed up with another show where the family convince a woman she is mad and lock her in a room at the top of a house. Fairly sure she throws herself out the window at the end.

Here's a picture of the bit you are describing from the 1981 Joan Hickson version. Does it look familiar?

It does sound very much like Great Expectations, when Miss Havisham catches fire in her wedding dress at the end.

@heymammy bloody hell! I remember watching Maelstrom. Big blast from the past!

Sounds like Great Expectations to me!

It was filmed at my brothers school !

@DaisyWaldron YES!! That's it! I almost put in my OP about a boy in a cap and lots of cobwebs but wasn't sure if I was getting muddled!

After 40 years of wondering I've finally found it! Thanks everyone, I don't know the full story so will see if I can find a version on Netflix or Amazon to watch