A sweeping tale of love, hate, and ambition centered on the Cornish estate of Penmarric, with Mark Castallack torn between his wife Janna and his mistress, leading to family conflict and tragedy.
First episode of the adaptation from the novel by Susan Howatch. Penmarric is the compelling story of the passionate loves and hatreds of a Cornish family.
1890: Mark, now aged 20, has learnt he is heir to Penmarric. Weary of Maud's obsession with the Inheritence, he quarrels with her.
1890: Janna has firmly rejected Mark's attentions. He finds his subsequent involvements with Rose Parrish brings its own problems.
1890: Janna and Mark have fallen in love. Janna tells Mark about her early life and about her love affair with his father.
1890: Janna and Mark have married and Mark has finally inherited Penmarric. They have moved, but Janna's frequent pregnancies have caused a rift between them.
1903: Although Mark has promised he will not see Rose Parrish again, he has left Penmarric to continue his studies, leaving Janna with the children.
1912: Janna has refused Mark a divorce. In turn, Mark has been granted custody of their children, who have gone to Oxford to live with him and the Parrish family.
1915: Mark has returned to Penmarric with the Parrish children. Philip tries to blackmail Mark.
1926: The demand for tin falls and the mine suffers critical setbacks. Mark decides to close Sennen Garth.
1927: Mark has died, making Philip the unexpected heir to Penmarric. He and Helena have married.
1932: Philip's relationship with Helena remains troubled. To Jan-Yves anger he has made Jonas, Rebecca's child, heir to Penmarric.
1937: Helena and Philip are subsequently reconciled. Rebecca has accused Philip of assaulting Jonas. As a result, Philip alters his will and Jan-Yves is heir to Penmarric.
