Bristol Bells: A Story of the Eighteenth Century

In the gentle hills of the Mendip countryside, two sisters grow up under the watchful eye of their cantankerous grandfather. Bryda, the spirited elder, longs for adventure beyond the farm’s orchard, while her younger sister Betty balances her dreams with a quiet, caring nature. Their days are marked by the rhythm of rural life—blossoming trees, wandering lambs, and the distant silhouette of Bristol on the horizon.

When a chance notice from a Bristol household reaches Bryda’s ears, she sees a chance to escape drudgery and prove herself in the bustling city. The tale intertwines her personal hopes with the larger tapestry of eighteenth‑century Bristol, where real figures such as the tragic poet Thomas Chatterton cast long shadows over ordinary lives. As Bryda prepares to step toward the unknown, listeners are drawn into a world of youthful yearning, family loyalty, and the stark contrasts between country and city.