The first episode of a second series of ‘Grundy Goes’ 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 across Northumberland to admire its many farm buildings which help to tell the story of agricultural change from the Bronze to the modern age. Over a montage of John Grundy...

The first episode of a second series of ‘Grundy Goes’ 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 across Northumberland to admire its many farm buildings which help to tell the story of agricultural change from the Bronze to the modern age. Over a montage of John Grundy wearing various costumes and maps of the region the opening credits. Title: Grundy Goes… Down on the Farm Near Langleyford farmhouse in the heart of the Cheviot Hill sheep wonder along a farm track. Sitting outside the farmhouse near to the Harthope Burn presenter John Grundy is dressed as Sir Walter Scott sitting at a small table writing and reading aloud a letter written by Sir Walter in 1791 while on holiday to the area about it being in ‘a beautiful place full of simple chaps, ancient and unchanging’. As Sir Walter gets up and walks away John Grundy stands nearby and explains that this programme is going to look at almost the opposite of this statement, to show that farms are practical places run by practical people, that the countryside has been changing for hundreds of years and never more so that today. Over a montage of Langleyford John explains how hill farm like this became successful being built at the end of a fine valley with relatively fertile land and how it was created by hacking it out of the wilderness. Over a montage of the surrounding landscape John describes how different it looked in ancient times with peat bogs and open woodland. In the Ingram Valley near Alnwick a hillside marked with terraces created by Bronze Aged man to create farmland. Over views across moorland John explains how during the Middle Ages these moors were used for the grazing of cattle during the summer. Dressed as a peasant from ancient times, John explains that these earlier farmers spent most of the year in the valley lived in clans and owning bits of moorland for grazing known by them as ‘shieling grounds.’ John reads a section from a book written in 1599 which mentions these ‘nomadic farmers’ and their cottages called shield or shielings. While none of the original sheilings survive in their original form John explains that their names have, an example of which is a road sign which reads ‘Wood Shield.’ At High Meadows near Bardon Mill John walks into a late 18th century barn with heather roof, an example he explains he explains of first generation of settled farms. Inside he admires the cuck roof structure which he describes as rough and primitive. Outside John talks about the plan of the building before changing to show another farm building built on a distant hillside with John explaining that early upland buildings were known as long houses, single buildings to be shared by animals and people. Over a montage of various farm ranges John explains that while none of these long houses exist today unaltered, the spirit of them remains in ranges such as featured. As John explains that as time went by people began to expect a bit more in the accommodation, a farmhouse with a rear roof that swoops down at the back known as a catslide roof to accommodate extra rooms such as kitchens and sculleries on the ground floor. A range of byres or cow sheds and a granary built above a stable showing how the accommodation of animals also got better over time. John sits on a rock overlooking a nearby Northumberland upland farm that started out as a shieling. A montage of some of the farm building including the shelter shed or Hemmel used to house cattle with granary above it that features slatted windows. One feature pointed out by John in that it has no windows other than a ventilation slit as it was traditional to house cattle in the dark. Out in the fields grazing sheep and while John explains that no buildings were built for them on the farm, in the pasture a sheep fold one of many which dot across the hills of Northumberland and known locally as a ‘stell’ from the Scandinavian word for stall. Beside one stell a lambing hut and leaning against a nearby wall John who explains what these buildings were used for and why he likes them so much. Returning to the farm a Dutch barn where bales of hay are being stored. As John explains the importance of hay for all farmers, in various fields round bales of hay with some being loaded by tractor onto the back of a flatbed lorry. In a hay meadow horses and cattle grazing with John talking about the yearly cycle of making hay with animals providing ‘natural manure’. Standing on a country road John looks at the soles of his shoes explaining ‘dirty beasts!’ Title: End of Part One Grundy Goes… Part Two Leaning against a farm gate and sniggers at the book he is reading John asks the question ‘what is the connection between Ladybird books and the agriculture of Northumberland?’ The answer is the book he is reading ‘The Enormous Turnip.’ Over sheep feeding on turnips in a field John explains that during the 17th and 18th centuries farmers discovered that turnips were a brilliant way of providing winter feed for their animals. As John provides details on some of the ‘adventurous farmers’ who brought about changes in agriculture, he appears dressed as 18th century farmer George Culley herding a gaggle of geese from his farm at Fenton new Wooler into a field. As he walks along the driveway leading to his farmhouse, he provides details on how he revolutionised farming in the district by growing turnips and clover as winder feed and by breeding new animal stock including the short-horned cattle and cross-bred Border Leicester sheep. An argument breaks out between George and John over the ‘not very tasty’ sheep meat that George sold to the industrial workers on Tyneside and that his farming techniques drover smaller farmers off their land. Over a montage of farm buildings at Broomhouse Farm at Chatton near Alnwick John explains that farmers like George Culley had revolutionised farm building. Coming to stand beside it, John explains that the biggest revolution was the barn which was used for the storage and threshing of grain for winter feed. After explaining how until the 18th century threshing was a slow and back-breaking job, he comes to stand beside a threshing machine providing details on how it works. Outside gin gang or horse engine shed with John explaining how it was used to power the threshing machine. Looking around the building John explains why he likes these beautifully made buildings. Returning to the barn John points out another sophistication where the threshed crop could be stored in the granary directly above the animals. This was an efficient use of space as there was hardly any distance to travel in order to feed the animals, John goes into further details on how it worked. Examples of other forms of power that were used to work thresher machines follow including a mill pond at Newstead that use to power a watermill and on Chollerton Farm the remains of both a windmill and chimney for its steam engine. Another montage of other farm buildings at Chollerton reflecting the farms wealth including it range of farmworker cottages and a coach house, smithy and farmhouse all, explains John, solid workaday buildings. Leaning against a farm gate with the windmill at Chollerton Farm in the background John asks the questions is this his favourite farm? Over a montage of various Northumberland farms, he explains that it is hard to talk about formal architectural beauty with regards farms, but they do have a charm and an accidental beauty that is rich in atmosphere. Another montage inside a farm workshop with old photographs handing on the wall and old cabinets for storing tools. Standing in a dairy built onto the side of a farmhouse near Acomb, John points out its architectural features including its white tiled walls and marble shelves and a fountain in the middle to help keep the room cool. Standing at New Horton Grange at Dinnington just north Newcastle John explains how this massive farm came as close to factory farming as the Victorians ever got. Over a montage of the farm itself John talks about some of its architectural features as well as its extra subtleties such as a turnip house and dovecot. Coming into a field in front of New Horton Grange John reminisces about his old job travelling around Northumberland looking for farms and buildings to list as architecturally significant. Dressed as a modern farmer John has an argument with himself with the farmer complaining that building of farms such as New Horton Grange are useless for modern farming as they are too small for modern farm machinery and predicts that they will all be gone in ten years. A modern combined harvesters work in a field; John confesses that he does agree with the farmers complaints having seen how tractors have become mega-tractors. As he talks about a second revolution in farming a montage of vast new sheds including one which fits ‘cunningly into the old farmyard’ as it is attached to an old barn. Returning to John he asks if the dire prediction of the farmer will come true? Over a montage of various farms buildings at Chollerton Farm, Blagdon, Doxford and Glanton he says no as imagination is being used to turn redundant buildings into shops, holiday cottages and workshops as well as housing the best of which respect for existing building architectural quality. Over a final montage of farms and farm buildings John states that farm builders in the 18th and 19th centuries produced buildings of ‘real quality’ and deserve to be preserved and respected. Farming communities today contain lots of people with a flare and a determination to confront change and find new and interesting uses for these exciting buildings. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Photography Mike Parker Sound Paul Graham Electrician John Mason Costume Tom Robson Graphics Alan Davidson Dubbing Mixer John Cook Editor Charles Slater Director / Producer Roger Burgess © Tyne Tees Television 1998 Title: © Tyne Tees Television 1998 End title: A Tyne Tees Television Production. © Tyne Tees Television MCMXVIII