Some episodes of the show depict the wider politics, mostly as it affects their relative Sir Walter Ker, warden of the Middle March The series was described by The Guardian in 2007 as "brave and original...a kind of north-eastern western".
The setting is a particularly tense time, with Elizabeth of England and Mary, Queen of Scots, in competition.
The leading cast members were Iain Cuthbertson, Edith MacArthur and Michael Gambon.
Season One was produced by Peter Graham Scott, who had worked on The Avengers, Mogul, The Troubleshooters and would later go on to make The Onedin Line.
[4] Sir Walter Ker is a real historical figure, though little is known of him and most of what is shown in the series is invented.