Lark Rise to Candleford

Young country girl Laura Timmins leaves her friends and family in the hamlet of Lark Rise to start her first job at the post office in nearby town Candleford. Postmistress Dorcas Lane gives Laura a warm welcome but other residents of Candleford aren't so generous. When Lark Rise residents challenge the post office's 'eight mile rule' that forces them to pay for delivery of telegrams, Laura find...

Postwoman Mrs Macey receives news that her husband Dan has escaped from prison. Before long the whole town is alight with gossip, and Mrs Macey fears that the damage to her reputation will force her to leave Candleford. Meanwhile, her son Freddy has been secretly meeting a mysterious stranger in the woods.

When local widower Old Amos announces his engagement to his maid Patty, the town become suspicious that she may just be after his money. Robert refuses to let his children sing a song in praise of the Tories at the local church concert, which results in them being banned from the concert altogether. Robert's stubbornness incurs the wrath of his children, family and even the village.

A strange old man arrives in Candleford looking for his estranged daughters - who turn out to be Ruby and Pearl Pratt. Horrified to see him out in public, playing scams on the local residents, the girls must decide whether they can forgive him for deserting them when they needed him most. Meanwhile, Caroline is being pursued by a bailiff collecting debts for the brewery.

Dorcas is thrown by the surprise arrival of a new Post Office inspector, Mr Rushton, who starts to unearth anomalies in the way Dorcas runs the Post Office. Robert has been carving a decorative angel on the schoolhouse for which he is not getting paid.

Robert takes pity on a homeless family and brings them to stay at his house for the night. In the morning the family have departed, leaving their little daughter Polly behind. Lady Adelaide meets the girl and falls in love with her, wanting to adopt her, but Sir Tim thinks that adopting Polly would be inappropriate.

The residents rally around Susan Braby when they realize her husband Sam has hit her. Meanwhile, Timothy commissions Matthew to make new gates for the manor, Adelaide becomes frustrated with how much time Tim is spending with Dorcas and decides to cancel the order for the gates, and Laura brings Phillip home for tea.

A violent storm hits Lark Rise and Candleford, and the arrival of a new teacher, Mr Delafield, causes divisions in the two communities. Mr Delafield's radical views raise plenty of eyebrows in Candleford, while in Lark Rise he endears himself to the residents. When Dorcas delivers some books to Mr Delafield they initially rub each other up the wrong way, but this tension soon turns to chemistry.

Queenie finds a beautiful embroidered panel on a grave. Dorcas and Sir Timothy try to solve the mystery of who created it. Alf's poaching leads him and Edmund into danger. Fresh out of prison, Caroline returns to Lark Rise determined to mend her ways.

Dorcas decides to sell up and leave Candleford. Philip's possessiveness causes Laura increasing concern. And there are surprises, joy and sorrow when everyone gathers at the Post Office for Zillah's birthday party.