Study the setting of James Herriot’s All Creatures Great and Small with this video excerpt from the 2021 MASTERPIECE adaptation and chapter excerpt from the book. Newly qualified veterinary surgeon James Herriot, startled by the bus whistle announcing a stop, awakens to the beauty and vastness of the Yorkshire Dales, England. The isolating remoteness of the environment becomes palpable when James gets off the bus too soon and is left standing on the roadside with nothing but a boundless landscape visible in all directions.

Before students watch the video excerpt, have them read the Background Reading | Setting the Scene in the Support Materials to learn about the author and the book.