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The residents of Lark Rise and Candleford continue to delight and entertain with their comic adventures and emotional struggles in a fourth series of this warm-hearted drama. Lark Rise To Candleford is available from BBC DVD on the 7th March 2011.

The series opens with the arrival of Gabriel Cochrane, the handsome and once wealthy owner of a large Iron Foundry. But after the bankruptcy of his business and the death of his new wife, Gabriel finds himself both penniless and homeless. Moved by his plight, Dorcas (Julia Sawalha) offers him a job as blacksmith, and a room above the forge. But both she and Gabriel know that the solution is only temporary. Gabriel is determined to regain his wealth and position, and bring down the banker, Steerforth, who he believes acted illegally and unethically in repossessing his home and business.

Over in Lark Rise, Emma (Claude Blakley) is thrilled to receive a postal order from Robert (Brendon Cole), who is away working in Oxford. The hard-earned money will settle her many unpaid bills. She sends Edmund to Candleford to cash the postal order and although it is a breach of procedure, Dorcas agrees to allow him to collect the money in place of Emma. That night, on his way home to Lark Rise, Edmund is robbed. How will Emma manage with five mouths to feed and no money coming in? When she discovers the truth behind the robbery, she is faced with an agonising dilemma.

Pearl Pratt (Matilda Ziegler) meanwhile, is delighted to have her beloved sister Ruby (Victoria Hamilton) back home. Her romance with the Pontefract undertaker is apparently over - Ruby dissolves into tears at the mere mention of his name, but will not say what has happened.

A poetry competition sends everyone into a frenzy of excitement. Laura (Olivia Hallinan) has high hopes of taking home the trophy and begins writing feverishly; even Margaret (Sandy McDade) embarks upon an epic poem based on her husband's postal rounds! In some second-hand poetry books, Laura finds a letter from Gabriel's late wife, expressing regret at having married him. She confides in Dorcas who, tormented, decides the kindest and safest way to proceed is to leave it for him to discover.

As the series progresses, Alf (John Dagleish) and Minnie's (Ruby Mude) romance blossoms, but what will it mean for their relationship when Alf's mother, Caroline (Dawn French) returns? Dorcas and Gabriel's relationship develops, but can he ever leave behind the memory of his late wife, and will he rebuild his fortunes with his exciting invention?