This chapter brings an uneasy meeting with Parson Chowne, whose reputation already casts a long shadow. What begins as a polite visit soon reveals tension beneath the surface — courtesy masking calculation, and hospitality edged with menace. Blackmore’s writing here is rich in atmosphere, blending Devon’s rural calm with the disquiet that follows when power and morality collide.

Encounters like this one reflect Blackmore’s fascination with the moral authority of the clergy and the misuse of influence in small communities. In creating Parson Chowne, he drew from local tales of domineering country parsons who ruled their parishes through fear as much as faith — a theme that resonates far beyond its Victorian setting.

In this chapter, Blackmore uses the term “naked people” in a way that reflects the language and social attitudes of the 19th century rather than our own. The phrase does not refer to nudity in a literal sense, but to individuals seen as uncivilised or lacking refinement according to Victorian standards. Such expressions were common in literature of the period and often carried undertones of class or racial prejudice that are unacceptable today.

The unabridged reading preserves this language for historical accuracy, allowing modern listeners to understand how everyday speech once reflected the biases of its time. We include it here with the clear understanding that these views are not endorsed, but are part of the cultural record from which we can learn.

For listeners in Porthcawl, Kenfig, and North Devon, this episode continues the thread of local realism mixed with moral drama — where the church door may open not only to faith, but also to fear.