The Village: Season 1

Centenarian Bert Middleton recalls his life as a little boy in the years before the Great War. He lives on a small farm with his bullying father John,patient mother Grace and protective older brother Joe who works as a gardener for the wealthy Allingham family,whose head,Lord Allingham,is a disfigured recluse. John is frequently at odds with kindly schoolmaster Mr Eyre for taking Bert out of class to help on the ailing farm. The village sees its first bus when Martha Lane, a Methodist school-teacher,arrives. Martha is a suffragette and,at a lunch at the Allinghams with boot-maker Arnold Hankin, the progressive-thinking Martha clashes with Clem,Lady Allingham and her elder son Edmund,who hold staunchly traditional views. She does however get on with younger son George. As war is declared Joe volunteers for the army - having sex with Clem's daughter Caro before he leaves. Grace is glad that he has escaped the confines of the village but this only exposes Bert to more disapproving behaviour from his father.

Depressed that the farm is ailing John gets drunk and meets a confused Caro,wearing only her night dress,in the woods. He returns home to find Martha waiting to take him to chapel,where her father Robin gives a sermon which is the opposite of Jingoistic. George also attends as he is smitten with Martha. Caro is revealed to be pregnant and confides in George that Joe is the father but the high-minded Edmund,embarking on a political career calls in detective Bairstow. Having confessed to Martha that years ago he impregnated a forward young woman who drowned herself John is the prime suspect in Caro's case and a posse of villagers besieges the farm. However they are dispersed by Bairstow,who has learned the truth from Caro. Nevertheless John attempts to hang himself but is prevented by Bert and Grace,who shortly afterwards gives birth.

1916:-To make much-needed cash John sells a field to neighbour Rutter but Bert is so heart-broken when the army wants to requisition their horse that he takes evasive action. At least Grace is earning a wage as,with the menfolk fighting,Hankin has taken on a female work-force at the boot factory. Edmund Allingham has come in as his partner and they hope to cash in on the need for boots by the army. Whilst sadistic teacher Ingham preaches patriotism safe in the knowledge that his lack of height renders him exempt from call up Gerald is conscripted,despite his protests that he is a conscientious objector and,before being marched away,gives Bert his camera. Edmund arranges exemption for George,who feels guilty as a result but feels he needs to stay and support Caro after her mother gave her baby away. Joe returns on leave with sad news of fallen comrades and at night Grace hears him crying.

When his baby daughter falls sick with scarlet fever John,learning that the bovine medicine 3-in-1 is a possible cure,steals some from the Allingham's cattle shed,which cures baby Mary but,following the death of one of the cows he is arrested by Bairstow,now working as Edmund Allingham's agent. Caro's mental decline leads her mother and Edmund to bring in sadistic Dr Wylie,who subjects her to a painful and austere regime. George is appalled to see his sister's spirit being broken. Grace's friend Margaret discovers that her son Paul did not die a glorious death as she was led to believe but is probably missing without trace. Such revelations lead Robin to lose his faith and ask Martha to take over as pastor,which means that she must leave Hankin's factory where she was championing the women's rights. Bert believes that if he wins the annual wheelbarrow race it will keep Joe safe and indeed he does win and Joe is seen returning to the farm though Lord Allingham kills himself.

After the discovery that Lord Allingham killed the cow before committing suicide John is released but the family is perturbed that Joe is suffering from shell shock and kindly Dr Ramsey suggests he be kept at home beyond the end of his leave period. Bert blames himself whilst John,to his wife's disgust,turns to religion. Grace is visited by union leader Chalcraft,who forces Hankin to improve working conditions at the factory and accept a union. However he is,as Bairstow appreciates,anxious to replace the female workers with men at the war's end. George has enlisted but,like his mother,is appalled at the hold Wylie has over the now acquiescent Caro. He also shocks Clem with the news of how Joe came to be in his position but neither she nor the Middletons can prevent Joe being roughly returned to the war by military police.

1920:- Gerard Eyre returns,having been in prison as a conscientious objector and stays with the Middletons after being made unwelcome in the village. Robin gives him his old job back but he is humiliated by Ingham and decides to leave. Hankin's wife Norma is organizing the war memorial for the village and Grace is distraught that Joe's name will not be included as,due to his shell-shock,he was shot for cowardice. At a village meeting she speaks up passionately and finds an unusual ally in Lady Clem,who also thwarts Wylie's plan to marry Caro. The village is struck by Spanish flu,in the aftermath of which the memorial unveiling ceremony is about to be scrapped but John persuades the community to hold it and,thanks to Lady Clem and Edmund, Joe is not forgotten.