The first of seven travelogue programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television, this one covering rural Northumberland, in which Charlotte Allen and Kenneth Cope travel across the northern region visiting the sites, learning the history and meeting interesting local characters. This programme was transmitted 17th October 1972. The film begins showing a street corner in a village. A Range Rover comes around the corner painted with distinctive white chevrons on its side. It draws to a halt in front...

The first of seven travelogue programmes produced by Tyne Tees Television, this one covering rural Northumberland, in which Charlotte Allen and Kenneth Cope travel across the northern region visiting the sites, learning the history and meeting interesting local characters. This programme was transmitted 17th October 1972. The film begins showing a street corner in a village. A Range Rover comes around the corner painted with distinctive white chevrons on its side. It draws to a halt in front of the camera. Presenter Kenneth Cope steps out of the car and he talks to camera about the series of films to come. He also states he is in the centre of Great Britain which is eventually revealed as Allendale in Northumberland, after first prompting viewers to guess where this might be, and giving clues by stating a number of facts which he shouts to the camera from the village square. He moves closer to the camera after each statement. Back to the village corner and a Ford Capri appears painted in a similar fashion to the Range Rover. It pulls up next to the Range Rover, and Kenneth Cope walks across to greet its occupant, Tyne Tees presenter Charlotte Allen. She explains to Kenneth that she’s been waiting for him in the centre of Britain which she states to be Hexham. They decide however to begin their journey from Allendale and drive off in the Range Rover. They discuss their first destination which is Housesteads where there are the remains of a Roman camp along Hadrian’s Wall. Charlotte gives a brief history of the Roman Wall. TTravelling shots of the countryside as the car drives past. [Blank section] The camera shows a view of the receding countryside as seen in one of the car’s rear view mirrors. The camera pulls back to show the car’s progress. [Blank Section] General view of countryside from the side of a hill. [Blank Section] The Range Rover is shown making a left hand turn in the road, past a stone wall and coming to a stop at a car park. Kenneth Cope gets out and Charlotte Allen informs him that she’s driving off elsewhere, abandoning Kenneth. He sets off to explore the Roman Wall which is a little way off up a hill across open moorland. He leaps over the car park wall and heads off. Charlotte Allan takes over with her story as she has travelled a little further to a new archaeological excavation site on the wall at Vindolanda. View of the site. Charlotte Allen sits next to archaeologist Professor Robin Birley who is in charge of the project as he explains the aims and significance of the excavation and describes the functions of the site in Roman times. The film then shows members of the excavation team at work. The Professor Birley shows one of the finds from the dig, a small votive altar to a Celtic god. A Roman military standard in the shape of a horse which was found the previous year. Views follow of some of the work undertaken by the team which includes children, measuring stones and drawing parts of the site. Professor Birley says there is still more exploration to be done along Hadrian’s Wall, although access is sometimes difficult on farmers' land. A general view shows the wall disappearing into the distance across the moorland, as Kenneth Cope fighting against the cold weather, gives a brief description of what life must have been like for those who were stationed at Housesteads a remote part of the Roman Empire. General views follow of the remains of the fort including the innovative underfloor heating system. Kenneth shows some stones which have been worn down by soldiers sharpening swords. He also outlines the story behind one of the archaeological finds made at the fort, a skeleton with a knife still stuck between its ribs. He then acts out in a solo performance a fictional encounter between Picts and Romans on the wall. A cherry blossom tree stands in the grounds of Alnwick Castle, as Charlotte Allen takes up the narrative for her part of the journey introducing Alnwick Castle . A closer view shows some of the stonework on some of the castellated towers. Kenneth joins Charlotte as they look towards the castle. They walk towards one of the castle gates and Kenneth beats fiercely on the wooden door with his fist. Then they push against the heavy door and walk in. They walk along a footpath within the castle grounds, while in voiceover, Charlotte provides a brief history of the castle and Kenneth Cope adds an anecdote and then appears at another of the castle’s gates to introduce the next section. In voiceover Charlotte takes the cue to introduce a story about an Alnwick pub, ‘Ye Old Cross’ but known locally as the ‘Dirty Bottles’. The film shows the exterior of the pub as traffic goes by. On the pub’s main window, there's a pile of old bottles covered in dust and cobwebs in the window. A framed text sits on top of the bottles. Charlotte explains that some 150 years ago the landlord was arranging the bottles into a display when he collapsed and died. The story in the framed text says that the bottles have never been touched since, as there is a superstition that the same fate may happen to anyone who disturbs the bottles. Charlotte joins four locals at a table in the pub for a drink. They talk about their feelings regarding the old story. Charlotte tries to provide an incentive by offering money to anyone bold enough to move the bottles. Kenneth Cope appears in the pub and greets the group, brandishing an old bottle. The group at the table take fright and leave quickly. He sits next to another local having a quiet drink. He spots Kenneth opening the old bottle and leaves, Kenneth pours himself a drink, samples the contents, and then keels over. A large old clock is set into a stone wall set above an arched gateway.  Sitting on a park bench nearby, two musicians play Northumbrian pipes. Kenneth and Charlotte appear through the arched gateway, which is at Wallington Hall, and stop to listen to the music. The film shows a close up of the man and woman playing the pipes. As they walk along Kenneth describes to Charlotte the differences between the familiar Scottish bagpipes and the lesser known Northumbrian pipes. A close-up follows of the hands of one of the musicians as they play. Kenneth and Charlotte walk along a roadway next to an area of open grassland. They stop to look at the exterior of Wallington Hall, which cuts to a grand dining room within the hall, then a smaller living room followed by a large sitting room or saloon as Charlotte describes it as she walk in. Close-ups follow of the ornate plasterwork on the ceiling by the Italian Francini brothers. Decorative porcelain also features as an important collection at the hall. General views show some other rooms, followed by a view of an ornate and lavishly decorated dolls house. Charlotte outlines its history and points out some of the features in its 28 rooms. She points out the miniature coal scuttle from the dining room fashioned in precise detail. The miniature dining table is laid with genuine Meissen china. Kenneth Cope sits at a grand dining table complete with candelabra and places an ‘order’ from the menu he’s reading. Charlotte, in the kitchen, lifts a large iron kettle from the stove. She walks past a large wooden dresser laden with crockery and metal pots. She picks up a large wooden pole with a larger piece of wood attached to the end which was used to mash potatoes in a large marble pot. She proceeds to demonstrate how it was used. The tour of Wallington Hall then moves to a bathroom where Kenneth Cope appears from a bath which has the appearance of a large metal boot. His imagination seems to think it’s some sort of submarine as he emerges from the bath announcing he is going to sink Wallington Hall. [Blank Section] Taking a lift in the back of a Land Rover Kenneth and Charlotte take a trip to see the Chillingham White Cattle, which live on the estate of the Earl of Tankerville. The brother of the Earl drives the Land Rover and he talks about the history of this unique wild herd. The Land Rover bounces its occupants about as it negotiates a rough track. They eventually reach an open field and the elusive cattle. A couple of them graze, one with a two week old calf, as the Land Rover approaches. The film cuts to a view of a tree silhouetted against a brooding grey sky. Standing next to a stone wall with a haystack behind him, Kenneth relays a sinister incident which happened in a barn nearby. The barn is near the village of Elsdon. Kenneth climbs the exterior steps to an entrance on an upper floor as he relates how an old woman who lived in the barn was murdered and robbed. A general view follows of the hills nearby where the perpetrators made their escape. Ken walks across the moor silhouetted against the evening sky, as he relates how the criminals were caught, and their leader William Winter was hanged, his body hung on a high gibbet, known as Winter's Gibbet overlooking the old woman’s house. The high gibbet appears on film with a wooden head hanging from it. Kenneth speaks on camera giving his version of local reaction to the gibbet and its hanging body on public view. An old mail coach pulled by four hoses carries passengers dressed in the costume of the 18th century. Some wave to camera. The carriage has London as its destination painted on it, and the words Border Union on the back of the carriage. A footman at the rear plays a post horn. Charlotte has joined a group of enthusiasts retracing the old coaching route from London to Edinburgh and sits in period costume next to the driver. A view shows the coach making its way along modern roads busy with traffic. They ride past Kenneth standing with two cases next to him, trying to hitch a lift. He picks up the two cases and runs after the coach. He gives up the chase and stops in the middle of the road. The programme ends as the carriage pulls away and the forlorn figure of Kenneth recedes into the distance. End Credit: Tyne Tees Television logo and the words ‘Tyne Tees Colour’