The Owl Service

- Season 1

(1969)

Following their parents' recent marriage, teenagers Alison (and her new stepbrother Roger) arrive at a remote Welsh country cottage to spend a three-week honeymoon with them, in the hope the new family will bond. But, following an investigation after Alison hears a strange scratching noise in the attic, they find a mysterious set of forgotten patterned dinner plates left there - the 'owl' service. Alison becomes oddly obsessed with the plates and their pattern, and this somehow seems to draw the new family unit into the start of a mysterious set of unexplained events.

Following the strange events of the previous day, Alison and Gwyn explore the local legend of Blodeuwedd. She was a beautiful mythical woman created out of flowers - but later turned into an owl as punishment for being unfaithful. Could there be a connection between this and the plates? Roger also becomes fixated with the mysterious standing Stone of Gronw - named after the lover of Blodeuwedd in the story. Later that evening the mystery deepens further as Gwyn and Roger's father witness a strange revelation in the billiards room.

Alison has hidden the plates in a treehouse in the house's grounds, which Gwyn discovers - they later meet up there for a secret night-time liaison. She's still obsessive about the plates, and is still making paper owls. Huw starts to act very strangely and becomes hysterical - convinced supernatural powers in the valley have been reawakened and that the three youngsters are now possessed.

Roger develops his photos of the hillside copse - and they seem to reveal a strange silhouetted figure. Meanwhile, Huw Halfbacon is convinced that the three youngsters have become entangled into a re-enactment of old events which previously resulted in tragedy. Nancy also reveals how, had circumstances been different, she would have inherited the house - had her relationship with its former owner (Alison's father's uncle) been allowed to continue.

Despite her mother's warnings to stay away from Gwyn, Alison meets up with him for a romantic walk among the mountain scenery. They meet again later at the house's derelict stable block, where Alison hears strange noises from a locked shed - similar to what she'd previously heard from the loft before discovering the plates. Roger meanwhile becomes even more disheartened, and pleads with his dad for them to cut the holiday short and leave.

After Alison was forced by her father to snub him at the stable block - and following repeated criticism from his mother - Gwyn feels downhearted. His mother threatens to leave the cottage in 48 hours, but Gwyn wants to stay, and feels helpless. He finally confronts Alison to air his feelings, and explain to her how Bertram was killed in the motorcycle accident. Roger interrupts their meeting and taunts Gwyn - hoping to finally drive a wedge between them. Gwyn now feels as if he has nowhere left to go and, in desperation, heads alone for the mountains.

Gwyn is wandering alone in the mountains, happy and singing to himself. Later, Huw finds him, and reveals a secret hollow beneath a tree containing mysterious artifacts. One of these is the brake-blocks from Bertram's motorbike - and Huw finally reveals to Gwyn that he is his real father, and that he sabotaged the bike years ago in a jealous rage when both men were in love with Nancy. Meanwhile, Roger's father suggests they break the lock and see exactly what's behind the outhouse door.

Roger finally breaks in to the old stable, finding a mysterious stuffed owl hidden there in a glass jar surrounded by paper owls - plus Bertram's broken motorbike. He's then set upon by Nancy, who clearly didn't want him to find them. Nancy then keeps to her word, and hurriedly leaves the cottage with Gwyn and their packed cases. Huw gives Alison the old stone owl pendant from the tree hollow as a gift on Gwyn's behalf, but it has a very strange effect on her - as the powers of the valley legend appear to finally possess her.