A new dramatisation of the Thomas Hardy classic, ‘Tess Of The d’Urbervilles’, transmitted as the BBC Radio 4 Classic Serial.

 John Durbeyfield learns that he is descended from the Norman family of d’Urbervilles. He and his wife Joan encourage their daughter Tess to befriend the family of Stoke d’Urbervilles. In doing so she is seduced by their son Alec, and she bears him a child which dies.

In order to make a fresh start, Tess goes to work in Wessex on the Talbothays farm, where she meets Angel Clare, the younger son of a parson who asks her to marry him – and after some uncertainty she agrees.

However, when Angel learns of her past on their wedding night he rejects her. When he goes to Brazil, Tess begins work at another farm, in the employ of the tyrannical Farmer Groby.

She once again meets Alec d’Urberville – and so begins a chain of events which culminate in tragedy for all.