Priorsford: Scottish Historical Novel

The Priorsford Trilogy #3

by O. Douglas

Priorsford is a sequel to Penny Plain. It was published ten years after Penny Plain and the story has moved on just about the same amount of time. Jean now has three children and is living in England at her husband’s estate. It’s years since she has been to visit the folks back in Priorsford (Peebles) in Scotland so when her husband has to go away for the winter with a friend who is very ill, she takes the chance to move her family back to where she grew up so that she can catch up with all her old friends and neighbours. Mrs. Duff Whalley thinks the worst, of course, as that type always does.

Genres: Scotland, Fiction, Classics

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Born Anna Masterton Buchan, younger sister to the statesman & prolific novelist John Buchan. She began writing in 1911, and published 12 novels and a personal memoir of her brother before her death. Her novels are humorous domestic fiction, focusing on the lives of families in Scotland. Her autobiography was published posthumously, in 1960.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just a good O Douglas read for me. I much prefer some of her other books, though I do love Jean as a character and it was fun to see her ten years after Penny Plain. I think the Priorsford section was weighed down with too much of Mrs Duff-Whalley. She’s a comic character but is easily annoying with too much page time, as she has here. Her daughter is more interesting, but the acting chapters felt a bit contrived for the sake of pairing off Muriel. I prefer other Priorsford folk like Mirren Strang, Janet Hutton, Mrs Hope, and the sweet old spinster sisters, the Miss Watsons. The burglar bit was also a bit contrived. I’m not sure why we needed it. Betty Barton is a super character and I definitely wanted much more of the novel dedicated to her. Or actually a sequel. It sounds like she and David may be a better match than it seemed originally. Now, the book I really want is all about Jock and Agnes! There’s a great story waiting to be told… It’s killing me a bit that it was such a small plot point. I do think Jean and Biddy together is about the most adorable thing. The ending is perfect.

[Gina House · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25🌟 A wonderful way to end this O. Douglas trilogy!

I still love Pink Sugar best, but it was lovely to have so many characters from Penny Plain and Pink Sugar together in one place. It made this cozy story even more nostalgic and enjoyable.

It's strange—Even though I read these books one after another, I feel like I still had a little difficulty remembering who was who from Penny Plain while reading Priorsford. Besides that, the solid, down-to-earth loveliness of this series is hard to beat.

I have a list of favorite quotes that I'd like to share, but I'll have to come back and add them later. I'll be doing a full blog post review sometime soon, so make sure to check that out (link in my profile.)

WHAT I LOVED MOST:
❊ Cozy home and food descriptions
❊ Hilarious conversations between characters (especially the neighbors and domestic staff!)
❊ Scottish winters and weather
❊ Satisfying ending and things wrapped up well
❊ Compact size of this hardcover vintage book (perfect for holding in bed!)

I've read almost all of D.E. Stevenson's books and all of the republished Molly Clavering titles—and I've really loved them. I'm pretty sure that these two popular Scottish domestic fiction authors were also friends with O. Douglas during the same time they were also writing. I wish I knew more about how well they got along! Even though I've only read four O.Douglas books so far, I'm VERY excited to read more. Sometimes, I feel like her writing to calls to me even more than DES or MC (very shocking!)

Highly recommended!

NOTE: I wish I had written this review right after finishing this book (which I try to do as often as possible) because now it's been over 2 weeks and I feel like I'm missing so many important things that I wanted to share. Ugh.

[Christina Baehr]

I read this years ago and remember nothing except vibes! And also wondering if Douglas and her brother (John Buchan) discussed writing novels.

[Hope · Rating 2 out of 5]

It makes me sad to give this novel a low rating because its prequel, Penny Plain, is one of my favorite vintage novels. It could be that my expectations were too high, or that COVID-19 has soured my disposition toward unhappy books.

Penny Plain was full of charming people and crammed with literary references. Jean Jardine is penniless but that doesn’t keep her from being loving and generous. In Priorsford she has married into money and it is causing no end of trouble for her. Thank goodness for Jean’s no-nonsense secretary, Miss Barton, who keeps people from taking complete advantage of her. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but this second book has none of the light-hearted feel of the first. And it lacks the delightful bookish quotes that were sprinkled throughout Penny Plain.

I was thankful for the built-in Kindle dictionary, which explained some of the Scottish and antiquated words. (muckle, pukka, brae, grig, etc.) My favorite expression from this book (also used in Penny Plain) was the word “Cranfordy” to describe anything comfortable and home-like, which is a reference to Elizabeth Gaskell’s Cranford books.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

3rd book in the Priorsford series.

I love O. Douglas's books, they're simply lovely domestic novels of great comfort. This book is the tiniest bit disappointing because there are a couple of sobering, sad storylines. Still a wonderful read, just not as comforting as I've come to expect from this wonderful author.

4.5 stars

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was lovely to get a chance to revisit characters from the prior two books. These books are gentle and cozy - but there are plenty of happenings in the small town of Priorsford. It was nice to see Jean’s family and spend time at The Rigs. I love books that center around a small area, although sometimes I had to jog my memory a bit about who was who.

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've just about gone off O. Douglas. Yet again the first third of the book was a good, cosy read but by the halfway point it got awfully preachy about "woman's role in life" (marriage and babies). Throw in a lot of thinly-disguised political conservatism and "concern" for the lower orders that doesn't actually affect the privileged characters of the book. Jean's response is to throw money at the problems, but her secretary is always there to stop her doing that. Then it morphed into a long drawn out episode of The Archers from the 1980s; they go on country walks and talk about how lucky they are that they're back in Scotland. Even throwing in a spate of burglaries and two serious injuries to the MC's family couldn't rescue this book from terminal dullness. I can't imagine why I trudged through to the end. Everyone flutters and twitters around Lady Jean like she's Glinda the Good, though I suppose being stinking rich now and having a title helps.
There's a woman character who's an author of many novels, who doesn't really like the books she writes but basically grinds them out because they sell. She claims she has no plan or plot, she just writes them and sends them off. I wonder if Douglas was putting herself in the story? I forget the title of one of this character's novels that "little Jean" praises to the skies, but it was reminiscent of Penny Plain.
I got very tired of five year old Alison being constant fat-shamed; even her father, after nearly a year's absence, refers to her as "my square daughter." Come on, she's five! If Mummy and Daddy spent more time with her and encouraged her to take up the physical activities they themselves engage in instead of engaging with their kids, she'd be more shapely.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sequel to "Penny Plain". Lady Bidsborough, formerly Jean Jardine of The Rigs in Priorsford, is now the mistress of Mintern Abbas, a stately home in England. She is also the mother of three children. When her husband, Biddy, feels a moral obligation to accompany the friend who saved his life during WWI on a long trip, Jean decides to spend the winter in her beloved Priorsford. With a menagerie of children, pets, maids and a secretary, she returns to The Rigs. As usual in O. Douglas' novels, nothing much happens except a continuous round of visits, tea parties, dinners, lunches. We meet the characters from "Penny Plain", now 10 years older, as well as some characters from "Pink Sugar". Jean and her secretary spend quite a bit of time on charity work, and there is an amateur theatre club, presided over a snobby tartar, whose only daughter just can't seem to land a husband. Jean's sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pamela and Lewis, are close neighbors and flit in and out of the story. In the end, some tension develops when Jean's oldest son develops a dangerous infection and a cable arrives that Biddy was involved in a car accident in Australia. But of course everything is fine in the end.

These books are cozy reads, not demanding at all, but warm and comfortable.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cozy and enjoyable book, however not quite as good as Penny Plain. Priorsford reads more like a collection of short stories, with the point of view changing from one character to another. A whole chapter may be spent on what you think will be a plot point, like the town putting on a play, or Jean being burgled. Then it all comes to nothing, the view changes to a different character and activity. It's a bit disappointing.There is a thread of plot connecting the chapters, but overall this felt disjointed. Characters are as enjoyable as in Penny Plain and I love reading the Scots dialect and unusual words. It was nice to revisit characters, meet Jean's children and see her brothers grown-up, yet it was a bit unsatisfying overall.

[Mystica · Rating 4 out of 5]

A domestic novel set in the hometown of Jean's childhood to which she has returned
as a Lady, with three children and an entourage for a long vacation whilst her
husband travels overseas. For Jean herself the stay is bittersweet - separated
from the husband she adores she has to take on responsibilities previously shared
and it is onerous.

There is the shadow of end of the Great War and all the economic hardships it has
brought on the populace apart from the loss of life and structure in Britain. The
true British grit, the want to survive and overcome is very much part of the character
of the story itself and this was the tone throughout.

I am very appreciative that I first heard of this author through Cornflower Books.
It was such a good and gentle introduction to Scottish life.

[Gypsi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Priorsford takes place about four years after the events of Pink Sugar, and ten after Penny Plain, bringing back and blending the stories of characters from both. It was a bit uneven to me, with some dull places that weren't quite outweighed by the good parts of the story. It's obvious that the author was quite concerned with the state of Britain at the time, as she inserted discussions of issues here and there, but in a way that didn't feel natural. Priorsford also finished in an unfinished way, for lack of a better term, seeming to be setting the scene for a fourth book that never came. I still enjoyed reading it, but it wasn't on par with the previous two of the series.

[Rachel White · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Sweet and Enjoyable!

Since I have retired, I am reading all kinds of books that I never had time to read before. I have been reading alot of old classics and this sweet, simple story is one. I really enjoyed reading of British and Scottish lives during this time period. I do want to read more of O. Douglass books. I enjoy her writing. There was such a simple endearment to it!

[MeMyself&I · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a Journey Into a Past Time and Place

Mostly a quietly enjoyable look into a life gone by. Very detailed and sometimes a bit exhausting look into characters and places like those in the old books I used to read from the 30’s. Not what I expected from the “Scottish Historical” label. Pleasant and bucolic rather than Outlander style richness of character and adventurous plot.

[Loudon McAndrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought that since I enjoy reading her brother John Buchan that I would give her a try. As a portrait of a “County Set “ I couldn’t fault the book but that was the only enjoyment I got from it.
It made me aware of what a waste of space they all were with their constant luncheons, invitations to dine and their attitude to the working class who were the lifeblood of the country.

[jean dowall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old book

I first read this book about 50 years ago. It was old fashioned even then but I enjoyed the book about another Scotland. It was a pleasant read but this kindle edition ended abruptly before the end.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last book in the Priorsford trilogy. It leaves me wanting more, but there are hints as to how things will turn out for Jean and her family. Such a good book and a good series. If you read them in order, things will make more sense for you. I read them a little too far apart, don't you.

[Teresa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Following on from Penny Plain this book picks up the lives of the characters from her first novel. It's all very mannered which makes it an interesting read when compared with lives of today.

[Catherine Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comfort reading!

The end of this book seems to be missing. Disappointing not to be able to reach the conclusion of this tale.

[M Sue P Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfectly charming!

This book made me long to be in Scotland! The little town sounds quite charming; I’d like to visit all the dear people who live in such a town. Lovely!

[Anne Herbison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Comfort reading.

[Jon K. Dance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy read.

This was a relaxing read. In the chaos of world events , this book was calming as well as comforting. I will try another.

[Bronwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½

[Christine McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting revisit to Priorsford and the characters of Penny Plain about a decade on. The remarks ave the Great Depression are interesting for contemporary insight from the middle and upper classes. I liked that not all of the stories were brought to completion, which felt more natural.

[Cera · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cozy novel about a family living in a small town in Scotland in the early 1920s, with a definite Cinderella-story aspect to it. A better review once I find my notes!

[sslyb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The coziest of books, but read Penny Plain first.