Flora Poste, a society woman from London, finds herself suddenly orphaned. Without finances in the 1920s, she moves in with eccentric relatives. The Starkadders live on a Sussex farm. Flora is not daunted by any of this. She takes charge, imposes hygiene, order, and good manners onto the unkempt, superstition riddled group. Despite protests from the iron will of beridden Ada Doom (Sheila Burrell), Flora endeavours to assist all family members in fulfillment of their dreams. Rugged farmhand Seth (Rufus Sewell) is whisked off to Hollywood; Reuben (Ivan Kaye) is given the running of the farm; hell-fire preacher Amos (Ian McKellen) goes to America to spread God’s word; and Elfine (Maria Miles) is married to the man of her dreams. Even stubborn Ada joins the departures from Cold Comfort Farm and heads to Paris.