The fifth episode of this first series of ‘Grundy’s Wonders’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy. In this programme John looks at what makes a good high street and travels across both the Northeast and North Yorkshire to see examples of both the good as well as the bad that he will be crushed under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History.’ An animation of a book with its pages turning revealing different buildings and...

The fifth episode of this first series of ‘Grundy’s Wonders’ produced by Tyne Tees Television and written and presented by architectural historian and broadcaster John Grundy. In this programme John looks at what makes a good high street and travels across both the Northeast and North Yorkshire to see examples of both the good as well as the bad that he will be crushed under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History.’ An animation of a book with its pages turning revealing different buildings and architectural styles ending on presenter John Grundy holding the programmes title card. Title: Grundy’s Wonders Stepping out his Gosforth home presenter John Grundy makes his way towards Gosforth High Street. On the way he talks about how different places have different names for their high street, however while the name changes the place remains the same being a main shopping street in the middle of town. After asking if there is a best or worst high street John wonders past the range of shops in Gosforth from a Woolworth Local to Katherine’s Florists and the famous Thorpes of Gosforth hardware store. John asks the question what makes a good high street? His answer is having a range and variety of shops. Another montage of shops in Gosforth including Micheal’s the greengrocers, H. Dunn ‘My Butcher’ and ‘Made in Italy’ an Italian restaurant. Driving along the main street through the town Alnwick in Northumberland from the entrance to Alnwick Castle to the Hotspur Gateway or Bondgate Tower John points out some if its features. He explains that while it may look random, it was if fact laid out by the Dukes of Northumberland as plots with narrow frontage facing the high street and a long garden or burgage plot at the rear rented out to tenants under a system known as burgage tenure. Coming to stand outside Christine’s House of Flowers on Bondgate John takes out a tape measure and with the assistance of the cameraman measures out the size of the frontage at 28ft, pretty much the same as every other on the street and a boundary that hasn’t changed in nearly 800 years. Over a montage of shoppers and shops on the street John states that no shop is larger than three plots in size due to the expense of facing onto the street, this includes The White Swan hotel and Lloyds Bank. Again, John measure out the banks plot to prove his point. Walking along an alleyway leading of the main street John explains that while the frontage may have changed many times over the centuries, back alleys like these haven’t so can be used to uncover the real age of a building. Above a window a 15th century window piece and nearby a bracket from an old gas lamp. What John also points out is that the garden plot at the rear of the properties have been filled in as the town expanded. Back on the main street, as John walks across Alnwick Market towards the market cross, he explains it was these ancient plots that make high streets of small English towns the lovely places they are today, rich and varied rebuilt many times over the years by different owners and using different materials only restricted by the size of the plot. A montage of the village of Warkworth also in Northumberland with pedestrians and traffic moving along its main street Castle Street. At the bottom of the village the parish church of St Lawrence with John pointing out its superb 11th and 15th century features and at the top Warkworth Castle described by John as one of the masterpieces of English castle building. A montage of many of the houses on Castle Street with John pointing out that like Alnwick all have burgage plots, but unlike Alnwick the gardens at the back have not been filled in with some still stretching down as far the River Coquet. After explaining how lovely Warkworth’s high street is, a voice asks John why it isn’t his favourite high street? Lack of shops is his reply. The market town of Barnard Castle in County Durham with its distinctive Market Cross, a contender explains John for ‘number one spot of Grundy’s Roll of Honour’ for best high street in the Northeast. A montage of plots, alley ways and shops along Market Place and Horse Market with John admiring the way the streets are shaped similar to Alnwick. As John wonders along Market Place, he explains that shops like these only became common at the end of the 18th century, before that many of them were houses. Outside a shop called ‘Kents’ also on Market Place John encourages the viewer to admire not only the delightful Victorian shopfront, but also look up at the distinguished early 18th century house it was built into. A montage follows of similar properties not only on Market Place and Horse Market, but also Galgate. Taking the programme into a commercial break John states that while Barnard Castle was a contender for number one high street, he knows one better. Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two Walking along Gateshead High Street John admits that in this edition there won't be any crushing under 'Grundy’s Great Boot of History’ any high street, he explains why. Over a montage of buildings along the street John comments that it contains some really nice ones including St Edmund’s Chapel which features genuine 13th century church architecture. However, coming up outside Trinity Square and its brutalist concrete architecture John provides details on why he believes it is the nastiest building in the Northeast before crushing it under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History.’ Driving through North Yorkshire with Roseberry Topping in the distance John talks about his recent discovery of the county and its lovely unspoiled landscape with lots of lovely small towns. Pulling up on Stokesley High Street he talks about how he accidently found the town and over a montage of the varied red brick and red roofed tiled houses and building there about explains why he likes it variation. Standing outside a local jeweller’s John asks the viewer to remember what his criteria for a really good high street was? ‘Shops!’ cry voices from the other side of the camera. A montage follows of pedestrians walking along the High Street passing various local shops. Walking into a local fish and chip shop John buys himself a fish and chip meal and explains the importance of shops needing to fit reasonably well into the buildings they have taken over. Over another montage of the shops John explains that like Barnard Castle the shops here are former houses with shopfronts ‘punched’ into the older wall but the character of the building itself has been retained. Outside a local branch of Johnson’s Dry Clearer’s John goes into detail about the shopfront and its lovely decorative detail. Coming out of the fish and chip shop he explains how it has nearly all criteria he has been talking about of a good shop with a dolly-house quality. Sitting on a nearby bench two small girls eat a tray of chips purchased from the chip shop changes to John placing his finished food tray in a bin and explain why Stokesley has a better high street the others featured in the programme. With clipboard in hand John wonder along the high street pointing out the six little thinks that make it a pleasure to be here such as the police station on Market Place, possibly one of the oldest surviving in north, the discovery of a Rococo iron gateway dating from around 1750 down one if it’s may alleyway and the English village feel of the 18th and 19th century houses built at the far end of the High Street. Bringing the programme to an end John explains that he sees Stokesley as a complete place, a town within a town that keeps up with the times without losing site of the past. Because of this it is this weeks ‘Grundy’s Wonder.' An animation of a fanfare of trumpets over the following title. Title: Grundy’s Wonders Over the closing credits a final montage of the Stokesley’s High Street. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Camera Mike Parker Sound Andrew Bennett Lighting Lew Hedley, Ken Hird, Ron Angus Production Assistants Margaret McKie Title Music and Sound Dubbing John Cook Graphics Dave Richardson Editor Mike Pounder Executive Producer Jane Bolesworth Producer & Director Steve Robins End title: A Tyne Tees Television production. © Tyne Tees Television MM