The eighth 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 visits many of the regions sporting building from cricket pavilions to football stadiums looking at both the development and history of sport as a form of recreation and business. Over a montage of...

The eighth 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 visits many of the regions sporting building from cricket pavilions to football stadiums looking at both the development and history of sport as a form of recreation and business. Over a montage of John Grundy wearing various costumes and maps of the region the opening credits. Title: Grundy Goes… All Sporty In the grounds of Close House near Wylam in Northumberland two teams of men play a game of cricket with presenter John Grundy wearing his cricketing whites sitting nearby watching. He explains that he has always been passionate about sport and fascinated by the surroundings he’s played in. As he heads out to the pitch to play, he speaks in voiceover about this picturesque scene which is archetypically English. As the match continues John talks with passion about the scoreboard built in the late 19th century by Newcastle architect Septimus Oswald. With his wickets falling John heads back to the pavilion to the applaud of his fellow players. Over a montage of the pavilion also built by Septimus in the Old English style John going through some of its architectural features. Sitting in the pavilion changing room he reminisces about his school days. Following a montage of him changing out of his cricket whites into a black and white stripped top of Newcastle United Football Club, the film changes to St James Park in Newcastle, the home of Newcastle United. Over a montage of the football pitch and stands John talks about its glossy modern engineering. Taking a seat in then manager Kevin Keegan’s seat in the stand, John looks out at over the stadium and reminisces about it before its transformation a few years earlier. As John talks about the various ends of the pitch clips from archival films of said stands in the past; the old timber West Stand built in 1905 with its corrugated iron roof and on the other side of the pitch the concrete hill of the Gallowgate End where spectators stood rather than sat watching the game. Coming down the steps inside the stadium John asks why were these changes made? He refers to disasters such as the Bradford fire of 1985 and the Hillsbrough disaster of 1989 which have forced clubs such as Newcastle to make changes on the grounds of safety. An aerial of the San Siro football stadium in Milan built for the 1990 World Cup, inside supporters waving large flags as they await a game to begin changes to supports inside St James Park also waiting on a game to begins. In voiceover John explains that during the Middle Ages cathedrals were the architectural focus of the communities’ dreams, today it is the football stadium. Over a montage showing the modern exterior of St James Park John states that it is the only high-tech building in Newcastle and is accepted by locals as it is exciting. Wearing a mackintosh, scarf and flat cap John comes out into Feethams football ground, the home to Darlington Football Club, and explains why this is his favourite of the surviving traditional grounds and why he hopes it never changes. Over a montage of the grounds and cricket pitch next door John explains this is what most football grounds looked like during the majority of the 20th century with ‘industrial style buildings for an industrial town and it’s no-nonsense prettiness.’ Walking out towards the Feethams pitch John asks the questions where did these traditional sporty buildings come from and where does the architecture of sport start? A football in thrown from the battlements of Alnwick Castle in Northumberland and the traditional Scoring the Hales or The Alnwick Shoveetide Football Match begins with players fighting over the ball on a snow-covered field. In voiceover John explains that originally grounds weren’t necessary as they were often taking place on common land, he provides details on the ritual magic of games such as these. As John walks through the gardens of Chillingham Castle in Northumberland he explains that the space could have been used previously for jousting tournaments, he points out a Medieval gateway at one end which is believed is through which an opposing team would arrive. Over a montage of the gardens John provides details of what the space would have looked like during these tournaments. As a Falconer stands in the gardens with a bird of prey on his arm, John explains how hunting was one of the earliest forms of organised sports done for fun as well as for business. Still standing in the garden John states that during the Middle Ages specially laid out deer parts were created which he sees as being the oldest surviving sports grounds with the one at Chillingham having been in existence for at least 700 years. Over a montage of Rothley Park, part of the Wallington Estate in Northumberland, John sits at a table drinking a glass of wine near to Rothley Castle, a folly built for Sir Walter Blackett in 1755 overlooking its magnificent natural amphitheatre. John provides details of what it would have been like to sit here watching the hunters’ ‘slaying deer in picturesque manner.’ Title: End of Part One Part Two As John walks up and down a tall wooden fence looking for ways to see what is happening on the other side, he explains there have always been people eager to make money out of sport. On the Common at Morpeth where occasional horseracing takes place a homeowner has converted their roof into a grandstand. At the rear of The Langley Park Hotel near Durham a grade-2-listed handball court, built to attract the drinkers in while at The Cricketers public house on Parkgate in Darlington, the sign outside is all that remains of an actual cricket pitch which was once part of the pub. A montage of Trent Bridge Cricket Ground at Nottingham which started life as a private ground. Walking along the road again beside the high fence John now carries a ladder. As he attempts to look over the fence using the ladder he talks about the idea of charging people to watch sport which began in London by Thomas Lord and his Lords Cricket Ground in 1787. Dressed as a Security Guard John looks out at himself looking over the fence explaining fences like this were created to prevent free viewing. As John comes down from the ladder, he talks about another ground in London which improved visitor facilities by creating raised seating and thus allowed for higher admission charges and, as John the Security Guard states, raise the tone of the spectators. Coming down the steps into the grounds of the Ashbrooke Sports Club in Sunderland, John explains how by the end of the 18th century most of the familiar elements of sports grounds were already in position. As groundsmen go about taking care of the grass John explains that these grounds have been used as a club since the 1880s. He then points out some of the architectural delights including its pavilion and stands. As members of the Sunderland Bowls Club play a game on their green nearby, John speaks of the club’s pavilion being the essence of late Victorian sports ground architecture. He bowls a ball himself which ends up in the gully of the boundary. As John heads into the pavilion a montage of trophies, shields and historical photographs on the walls. As he sits pouring himself a cup of tea he asks why do sports buildings like this only date back to the late Victorian or Edwardian period? Sitting next to John is Major Johnny Grundy (retired) who explains that it wasn’t until the invention of the weekend that people had time for recreation and sport. Over a montage of people playing at various bowls clubs and a couple playing tennis on a court, John explains that it wasn’t until the 1850s and 60s that people began to have Saturdays as a day off to take part in regular leisure activities such as sport. Because of this change it became feasible and worth doing to put up permanent sports ground. Sport was also gradually become respectable, as since puritan times it was looked down upon as something only the wicked did when they sneaked off from work. As John comes out of the cricket pavilion at the Royal Grammar School at Newcastle wearing his cricketing whites and makes his way across the sports field, he explains that by the mid-19th century attitudes towards sport were changing and that sport was now something good with public and grammar schools, such as the Royal Grammar, encouraging sport as a way of moulding someone into being a better person. However, Victorian sports was clearly segregated according to class. In the commentary box at Gosforth Park Racecourse at Newcastle John attempts to give a history of horseracing and the explosion in privately owned courses from the 1870s through a lip-ribbon microphone. He gives up and over a montage of the course talks about its architectural features and unique buildings including the original Victorian grandstand which he likes even though its development is a piece of architectural vandalism. Over a mixture of archival stills, he explains how it was built onto the front of a mid-18th century mansion house. Inside on the court of the Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club on Matthew Bank in Newcastle John watches as two men play a game of real or Royal tennis. He attempts to explain the bizarre rules which date back to the Medieval period being played at Hampton Court. Outside John admire the architecture of the building built in around 1900 which has been enriched with arts and crafts detailing. Near to the pavilion of the Northumberland Golf Club at Newcastle John attempt to put a golf ball into a hole without much success. Described by John as ‘the game from hell’ John finally manging to pot the ball explaining that this ‘gentle and civilized of all sporting environments should be created by this pity less game.’ Over a montage of the pavilion John provides some historical context to both the building and its architectural style. A montage of some of the sports not covered by this programme that are just as important begins with rowing and boats on the River Wear at Durham. The exterior of both the City Pool at Newcastle and the Ripon Baths in North Yorkshire with John explaining that some of the finest sporting building ever build were swimming baths. This is followed by handmade and brightly painted pigeon’s loft or cree, a slice of a traditional England hidden away amongst the allotments. On the pitch of the new Durham County Cricket Ground at Chester-le-Street in County Durham a game being played with the towers of Langley Castle dominating the skyline. Over a montage of the grounds John explains why he likes cricket grounds; but is disappointed with the new pavilion which he describes as being as ‘dull as a supermarket.’ One place that is exciting to John is the Riverside Stadium in Middlesbrough, the new home of Middlesbrough Football Club which embraces the modern with a vengeance, a new home for sport as religion. The programme ends with John coming out onto the Riverside pitch wearing a Middlesbrough Football Club strip and asking if the club will let him play in a game. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Cameras Mike Parker, John Hughes Sound Paul Graham Dubbing Mixer Charles Heath Electricians Alan Robinson, Brian Rowe Costume Tom Robson Graphics Alan Davidson Title Music John Cook Production Assistants Eileen Brown, Margaret Bramley On-line Editor Robin Sinton Director / Producer Roger Burgess End title: Tyne Tees Television © 1996