The seventh episode of this ten-part series produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy about the building that people have constructed over the centuries to help themselves work, live and enjoy themselves. In this episode John travels around the Northeast visiting some of its many castles, tower, manor houses and bastle house to discover how the populous protected themselves from attack, especially during the 300-year...

The seventh episode of this ten-part series produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy about the building that people have constructed over the centuries to help themselves work, live and enjoy themselves. In this episode John travels around the Northeast visiting some of its many castles, tower, manor houses and bastle house to discover how the populous protected themselves from attack, especially during the 300-year Anglo-Scottish Wars. Over a montage of John Grundy wearing various costumes and maps of the region the opening credits. Title: Grundy Goes… On the Defensive Presenter John Grundy looks out cautiously from the back gate of his Gosforth home before closing, bolting and then locking it behind him. Heading into his kitchen he locks his back door before locking the windows around his house with a key. Before heading out the front door and locking it shut, he turns to the camera to explains that our ancestors lived in castle in order to protect themselves against attack. He comes back into the house having forgotten his car keys. On the hill overlooking the River Wear is Durham Castle in Durham City. Over a montage of both the interior and exterior of this Norman castle John provides details on its history being built in the 11th century by the early Norman Bishops. Walking through the Great Hall John points out one of the original flat buttresses explaining that once the local population had been subjugated the Normans had enough power, security and money to live in a really big way. At the far end of the hall a decorative Norman archway with John going into details about its architectural features. Ove a montage of Aydon Castle near Corbridge in Northumberland John explains how this early 13th century castle in more a manor house pointing out some if its architectural features including a chimney, one of the oldest surviving in Britain. John explains the property seemed more interested in being liveable in than defensive, that is until you step back to see the massive, fortified wall surrounding it. From the battlements John asks what went wrong? As a helicopter flies over Warkworth Castle in Northumberland, John explains that for the next 300 years a near continuous war between England and Scotland left the northern landscape scared with poverty and suffering, leaving it with nothing but a remarkable collection of castles to be found anywhere in England. A montage follows of some of these castles. Coming out of a room at Prudhoe Castle is John dressed as an Estate Agent J.G.F Grundy FRICS who asks the viewer what they want in a castle. Over a montage of the castle itself and with J.G.F Grundy taking the viewer on a tour, John provides details on some of the castle’s features and defences including security devises such as the keep and well as defended inner-gatehouse. Standing beside the outer-gatehouse John Grundy talks about the castles other notable defence its barbican or fortified gateway that shows how seriously the owners took security during the wars with Scotland. Walking up to the gatehouse leading into Warkworth Castle John knocks on the portcullis. A Medieval Retainer, again played by John, appears with John asking him what were all the defences protecting and what was it like to live in a place like Warkworth? Opening the gate the Retainer lets the viewer inside. As he walks across the outer ward he talks about how empty and bare the castle is when the Percy family, who were the Earls of Northumberland, were not in residence, but how the castle came alive with colour and ritual when they were in residence becoming both an administrative centre as well as a barracks and hotel. Locals dressed in Medieval costumes take part in the Warkworth Pageant 1995 with someone dressed as the Lord of the Manor sitting at a high table while children dance nearby. As John walks across the outer ward, he points up at the Percy Lion on the wall about the 15th century Lion Tower heading into what remains of the great hall. As John points out some of the architectural features an animation of where three doors leading of the hall went; the buttery, kitchen and pantry. This is followed by the same three door inside both Bamburgh and Durham castles. Returning to Warkworth John talks about the dais end of the great hall where the Lord sat and ate in extraordinary ceremony. At Bamburgh Castle the large, vaulted ceiling of the great hall and nearby an artistic image of the Lord of Manor being served food while sitting under a large canopy. From outside a large bay window of the great hall and behind them the private rooms of the Lord and his family, examples explain John of extra architectural splendour. Inside a montage of both the private chambers as well as the great hall which, by the middle-ages had been abandoned except for special feasts. Returning to Warkworth Castle John and the Medieval Retainer chat about feasts with the Retainer giving details of a massive feast given by the Neville family at Cawood Castle near York. He reads out the list of food that was cooked to feed the 2500 in attendance. The Retainer then provide details of the numbers who lived at Warkworth in the 16th century, in total 166. Over a montage of the exterior of Warkworth Castle’s Keep, John talks about its history and architectural features; beauty and defence perfectly amalgamated. Inside the great hall he once again points out the three doors leading to the buttery, kitchen and pantry as well as other features including a minstrel’s gallery. Coming down the great stairs he explains that Warkworth has two of everything including two great halls and kitchen, but asks why? Standing nearby eating an apple the Medieval Retainer who explains there is no one single use, it is a puzzle. John asks if he as any complains about living at Warkworth, as he walks away the Retainer says he has one. The lack of women being only nine in a household of 166. Title: End of Part One Part Two Outside Langley Castle near Hexham Estate Agent Grundy attempts to sell the property to the audience as a tower, one of hundreds across the north which he describes as being one of the most characteristic building types you can find in the region. Over a montage of the exterior of the castle Estate Agent Grundy explains what is most romantic about a tower. Moving onto Belsay tower house he points out some of the towers exterior security features including its rounded corner turrets. Inside he points out some of the features of the kitchen including its steeply pointed tunnel vaulted ceiling, an excellent safeguard against attack or fire. Walking up the stairs to the first floor Estate Agent Grundy points out the thickness of the walls followed by some of the architectural features in the rooms on the first-floor room. Coming up the stairs behind him is John Grundy who stands listening to him in the great hall talking about its features and explains how these towers as well as being a castle are also medieval houses with all the same features. However, what makes Belsay interesting is they are all ‘scrunched’ together vertically. The exterior of Belsay tower house which John describes as both beautiful but also necessary in the Borders changes to a statue of knight Harry Hotspur. As John tells the story of how Harry earning his knightly spurs at the siege of Berwick Castle in 1378, a montage of what remains of the castle today. Standing in the gateway of Lanercost Priory in Cumbria John explains that at the time of this siege Harry was only twelve years old and on the surrender of Berwick Castle Harry had all 48of its surviving defenders put to death proving, as John says, that these were ‘hard times.’ Over a views of Lanercost Priory John tells the story of its ransacking by the army of King David in 1346, he goes onto explain that incidents like this happened everywhere with no one on either side of the border could consider themselves safe, even the church. A montage of other defensive structure across Northumberland built to protect the ordinary people who were often most vulnerable to attack during the Anglo-Scottish Wars such as the massive wall and tower at Hulne Priory near Alnwick, the primitive vault area underneath The Church of St Gregory The Great at Kirknewton near Wooler and a massive tower built atop the Norman church of St Anne at Ancroft near Berwick-upon-Tweed which includes a spiral staircase and defensible windows like many castle towers. Over a history of Berwick-upon-Tweed whose ownership changed hands thirteen times during the Anglo-Scottish Wars, John explains that as the town was so vulnerable for so long, that a decision was made to build it a wall the most successful of which was built under the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1552. Over views of them, John goes into detail about these state-of-the-art defensive walls. He then walks into one of the bastions and a gun emplacement passing along a passageway through the thickness of the wall. Over a montage of the north Northumberland landscape John explains that by the 1500s people had become use to fighting with attacks by cattle thieves and small-scale raiders common place. From this a new and quite unique form of defensible house emerged for the ordinary person known as a bastle house. Standing outside one of these properties is Estate Agent Grundy who again attempts to sell the house to the viewer by providing details of its secure layout. John comes over and asks what has changed 400 years on in these ‘comfy times’ we live in now? As John explains ‘not much’ a montage of large metal fences with rota-spike security topping and a new estate of houses built with a gatehouse feature. Back at home John uses a key to lock his windows and doors changing to a Close Circuit Television (CCTV) camera attached to a wall alongside security lights and burglar alarms. Over a montage of various shop shutters John explains why he dislikes them as they make you feel as if you’re under siege. Coming back into his home John locks his front door and asks what difference is there between the defences of the middle-ages and today? None explains John coming into his living room and taking a seat on his sofa and turning on his television, except his house is cosier. As an episode of Crimestoppers comes on the screen, he turns to the camera and says, ‘nothing changes does it.’ Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Title: With thanks to English Heritage Credit: Camera Mike Parker, Dave Leeder Sound Paul Graham Dubbing Mixer Charles Heath Electrician Ken Hird Costume Tom Robson Graphics Alan Davidson, Keith Dover Title Music John Cook Production Assistant Eileen Brown On-line Editor Robin Sinton Director / Producer Roger Burgess End title: Tyne Tees Television © 1996