England in the turmoil of the Industrial Revolution: After her father turns his back on the Church of England for reasons of conscience, the young and sheltered Margaret Hale is forced to move with her family from the idyllic South to the industrial North of the country. She quickly befriends the union-committed weaver Nicholas Higgins and is deeply shocked by the ongoing conflict between the exploited industrial workers and the wealthy cotton manufacturers. Soon, the headstrong Margaret clashes with the young and charismatic mill owner John Thornton, who embodies everything she despises: industry, the power of money, and the rising merchant class. Despite her aloof demeanor, he falls in love with her. When a general strike paralyzes the city and Margaret's mother...