Set in 1840s, Cranford revolves around genteel ladies confronting social changes brought by the railway's arrival, testing their adherence to traditions and striving to maintain decorum amidst uncertainty.

Filled with the heartwarming humor and gentle pathos of Elizabeth Gaskell's classic novel, this original four-part BBC dramatization of Cranford is set in the early 1840s in a fictional market town in northwest England. The story centers on the town's predominantly single and widowed middle-class female inhabitants who are comfortable with their traditional way of life and adhere to a complex set of social rules. However, the impending arrival of the railway puts Cranford on the cusp of upsetting social changes and the genteel ladies of Cranford struggle to face an uncertain future with dignity and 19th Century decorum.