Under the Mendips: A Tale

Set in the gentle summer light of the early 1830s, the novel opens on the moss‑dappled lawns of Fair Acres Manor, tucked beneath the Mendip Hills. The Falconer family lives a slow, self‑reliant life, tending their fields and naming each animal as if they were old friends. The narrator paints the countryside in vivid detail, from daisies bright against the sky to the rhythm of a scythe’s sweep, evoking a world that feels both timeless and on the brink of change.

Yet beyond the pastoral calm, whispers of unrest stir in nearby Bristol, where riots and a looming court‑martial cast long shadows. As the steam‑driven world begins to test the old ways, the Falconers and their neighbors must confront questions of duty, honor, and survival. The first act sets a tone of quiet resilience, inviting listeners to witness how a single summer can become a turning point for a family and a region.