Set in 1821, Jamaica Inn sees the actress head the cast in an earthy adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s dark gothic novel of doomed romance, murder and crime
Trudging over the mud-strewn moors with damp, dishevelled hair and no make-up, Jessica Brown Findlay’s latest period role is a far cry from the immaculate and perfectly presented Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey.
Set in 1821, Jamaica Inn sees the actress head the cast in an earthy adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s dark gothic novel of doomed romance, murder and crime.
“I look very grubby and really enjoyed it,” laughs Jessica, who plays the heroine, Mary Yellan.
“It’s such an exciting part. It wasn’t just fluffy, boring, girlie stuff.”
The three-parter tells the story of headstrong Mary who, following the death of her mother, goes to live with her Aunt Patience, played by Joanna Whalley, in Cornwall.
However, when she arrives at the remote Jamaica Inn, she is alarmed to meet her abusive Uncle Joss (Sean Harris), whom Patience is terrified of.
Worse still, Joss is using the Inn as a front for an illegal smuggling business.
While deciding whether or not to report her uncle to the police, Mary then meets Joss’s younger brother Jem (Matthew McNulty), a thief whom she slowly starts to fall in love with.
Realising that she is stuck at the Jamaica Inn whether she likes it or not, Mary is gradually drawn into the dangerous smuggling trade – risking her life to collect black market loot from ships which sail into the secluded Cornwall coves in the dead of night.
“Mary believes that her father was murdered by smugglers,” explains Jessica, 24.
“So initially she has a zero tolerance towards them.
"But unless Mary co-operates and keeps her mouth shut, she won’t survive, so she has to take part in things she hates.
"If she reported Joss to the authorities, Mary would incriminate herself and risk the hangman’s noose.
“The smuggling scenes filmed in the sea were exhilarating. There was a certain level of fear.
"I felt like I might actually drown when I was under the water and couldn’t tell which way was up.”
Jessica became a household name playing posh Lady Sybil in Downton Abbey before her character died giving birth in 2012.
Although Jamaica Inn is another period drama role, Jessica is quick to stress that they are entirely different projects.
“Lady Sybil and Mary are both strong female characters,” she explains, “but any further comparisons to Downton are totally irrelevant.
"It’s just a completely different story in every way.”
Jamaica Inn is on BBC1 - Monday to Wednesday at 9pm