 Birkin becomes accepted into the <unk> family of Mr Ellerbeck the station master ( Jim Carter ) , with whom he <unk> on Sundays ; the hospitality of the chapel congregation is contrasted against the established church , who have <unk> the <unk> Birkin to sleep in the church <unk> . Ellerbeck 's children eventually persuade Birkin to preach a sermon at a nearby Methodist chapel . Birkin also forms an emotional , albeit unspoken , attachment to Alice Keach ( Natasha Richardson ) , the young wife of the vicar . The vicar himself ( Patrick Malahide ) is portrayed <unk> as an obstruction to the work in the church , viewing the medieval painting as symptomatic of the superstition prevalent in the community . 
