The first episode of the third 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 opening programme John travels across the Northeast and North Yorkshire visiting and exploring the many Christian churches, chapels and holy places of the region and learning how religion has affected...

The first episode of the third 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 opening programme John travels across the Northeast and North Yorkshire visiting and exploring the many Christian churches, chapels and holy places of the region and learning how religion has affected how these structures were built and used. Over a montage of John Grundy wearing various costumes and maps of the region the opening credits. Title: Grundy Goes… To Church Sitting at a computer in his Gosforth home, presenter John Grundy explains that there are 16,000 parish church is England and Wales, and that he is trying to create a short list of the best in the region he wants to focus on in this programme. So far, he has narrowed it down to 123. Deciding to set off and see what he bumps into, the film changes to John driving along the A19 dual carriageway. As he heads south into North Yorkshire he talks about John Betjeman and a book he published in 1958 entitled ‘Collins Pocket Guide to English Parish Churches’. Having explained Betjeman’s criteria for a church worth visiting, he turns off to visit St Mary the Virgin Church at Leake near Thirsk. Walking towards the church John explains that although he had seen St Mary church many times from the road, this is the first time he has stopped to look at it. He talks with glee about how he likes to approach new buildings taking from his pocket a copy of Nicholas Pevsner’s guide to the buildings of the North Riding. Cutting between himself and him dressed as Sherlock Holmes with deerstalker hat and pipe John proceeds to ‘start snooping’ exploring the area to learn more about this small Norman country church. He provides architectural details of the building both inside and out. Over a montage of the church interior John explains that this church, chosen at random, turns out as expected to be a treasure house of architecture and art. As a sheep grazes on the North Yorkshire Moors John explains the origins of the word ‘church’ coming from the Celtic for ‘holy place’. Over views of The Lady’s Well at Holystone in Northumberland John explains how early Christian missionaries converted Celtic ‘holy places’ into Christian use. More views of both The Lady’s Well and a second well in the village known as St Mungo’s Well with John explains that both were ‘holy places’ converted by missionaries from two different branches of the Christian church, Roman and Celtic and that both branches had their own style of church building. The exterior of Escomb Saxon Church in County Durham with John explaining that this is probably the closest surviving example of the Celtic style built at the centre of a round churchyard and almost certainly a former pagan holy place. Inside John provides details on some of the churches architectural features and explains a probable reason why all Christian churches face east-west as it reflects the Celtic churches belief that the altar should be bathed in the light of the morning sun. The exterior of the Roman Catholic Church of the Holy Name at Jesmond in Newcastle with John explaining that while no early Roman churches survive in the Northeast, their shape would almost certainly be the same as this 20th century church. Inside John talks about its layout done to the basilicas plan. Sitting in one of the pews John talks about why all Catholic churches look the same and how it happened completely by accident. Over a montage of both Holy Trinity Church at Old Bewick near Alnwick in Northumberland and its surroundings, John explains why this is one of his favourite churches surrounded by Iron Age hillforts and Bronze Age burials and a stream, the Kirk Burn, flowing through the churchyard. More views of this basically Norman church and its atmospheric interior that unusually combines elements of both the Celtic and Roman churches. Outside John points out changes made to the church’s apse, an example he explains of one of the ways English parish churches gradually became distinctly English, quite different from churches anywhere else in Europe. Title: End of Part One Grundy Goes… Part Two Over a montage of the churches featured in the programme John explains how they have evolved and have been built and re-built over the centuries. However, standing outside St Mary’s Church at Thirsk in North Yorkshire he explains sometimes a church will be built to one consistent plan. Looking over the church John believes it is a work of art and provides details on its perpendicular Gothic style, which is seen not just in the building itself, but in also its interior fittings in both stone and wood. Standing outside St Agatha’ s Church in the village of Easby near Richmond in North Yorkshire John tells her story of Agatha and her sainthood explaining why she is the patron saint of bell makers. Inside he talks about the church’s wonderful collection of 13th century wall paintings explaining their important in telling the local illiterate population stories from the bible. Standing in the nave John explains that what he has tried to show the viewer so far is an incredible range of things to look at in a church. As he talks the film changes to a brass plaque on a church wall listing the names of its previous vicar’s followed by a montage of various fonts with John explaining how they can be used to tell the true age of a church. The sequence ends inside All Saints Church at Rothbury in Northumberland and its font which is built into part of the shaft of one of the finest Anglo-Saxon crosses in existence. Sitting in the nave of St Cuthbert’s Church in Darlington John states that the font was traditionally placed near the main door to symbolise child coming into community. However, in Darlington the font is in the transept. John goes on to talk about the architectural symbolism of the transept and using the example inside St Cuthbert’s. He moves on to talk about the church screen which traditionally separated the congregation from chancel. In the chancel itself he takes a seat in one of the 15th century stalls hinged with Misericords. Walking back into the nave John tells a funny story about a vicar who fell out of his pulpit, the happiest moment of John’s childhood he explains. Walking over to the pulpit he provides a history of its development starting in the 14th centuries when sermons began to get popular. After talking about the Victorian candyfloss creation at St Cuthbert a montage follows of other pulpits and what can be found in them such as a heating rail, carpets and in one a clock. Standing in the pulpit of St Mary’s Church at Carlton Husthwaite near York John explains why this church is a near perfect example of a 17th century church with a large pulpit for preaching the gospels and comfy pews where John is also snoozing. By the 17th century taste in religion had changed as a reaction against the mysterious religion of the past and the rise of sects such as the Baptists and Quakers. The layout of 17th and 18th century churches reflects these changes with no chancel arch and with everything open, similar to non-conformist chapels. Views of both the interior and exterior of Hamsterley Baptist Church in County Durham with John explaining why he loves chapels like these for their absolute simplicity providing a different kind of spirituality. Another montage, this time of the interior of the Victorian era St George’s Church in Jesmond, Newcastle which John explains was a reaction against the reactionary churches featured previously, taking inspiration from the Middle Ages these churches are an explosion of decorative energy with stained glass windows and brass lecterns and communion rails. A third montage this time of what John describes as one of the finest examples of arts and crafts churches, St Andrew’s Church at Roker in Sunderland built in 1902 and part of a reaction against the Victorian churches with a stripped down Gothic exterior and a dramatic but beautifully simple interior with decoration that is almost modern in its simplicity and plainness. Over a final montage of churches some of which have not featured in the programme, John laments those he hasn’t mentioned as well as features such as steeples or monuments he also hasn’t been able to talk about. Returning to him sitting at his computer, the programme ends with John tells the audience to go out and look at churches themselves. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Photography Mike Parker Sound Paul Graham Electrician Ken Hird Graphics Alan Davidson Dubbing Mixer Charles Heath Editor Bernard Helm Director / Producer Roger Burgess Title: © Tyne Tees Television 1999 End title: A Tyne Tees Television Production. © Tyne Tees Television MCMXCIX