In the West Country village of Summerstoke, the family at Marsh Farm are too preoccupied with living their lives to notice the farm sliding into ruin.Charlie Tucker dreams of victory in a motocross race, little sister Alison is determined to dispense with her virginity before the end of the summer, and their brother Stephen is hopelessly in love with the local am-dram star. Meanwhile mother Jenny dreams of escaping to Weston-super-Mare in the arms of the local vet.Up on the hill in Summerstoke House, unscrupulous Hugh and Veronica Lester watch with undisguised pleasure. If they can get the Tuckers turfed off the land, their dreams of owning a bigger stud farm will become a reality.And at Summerstoke Manor, in the heart of the village, the three elderly Miss Merfields and their ancient nanny have nothing better to do than pull strings and watch.