The sixth and final episode in 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 final programme John travels across both North Yorkshire and the Northeast to undercover the real villages of the region and asking where did they come from, who built them and why? An animation of a book with its pages turning revealing different buildings and architectural styles ending on...

The sixth and final episode in 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 final programme John travels across both North Yorkshire and the Northeast to undercover the real villages of the region and asking where did they come from, who built them and why? 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 Sitting beside a fire in one of the cottages in the 1900s Pit Village at Beamish: The Living Museum of the North in County Durham, presenter John Grundy explains how many people yearn to live in a cottage like this in a quaint little English village. A montage of the village featuring both the local school and chapel changes to John explains as he comes out of the cottage that this is a museum, it isn’t real. Back inside John points out a collection of books and tourist brochures laid out on the table explaining how they give an illusion of village life, but as this programme and series is focused on real places John makes the decision to give tourist brochures the ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History’ and a giant boot comes down crushing the scene. Standing overlooking a real Durham mining village only a quarter-of-a-mile away from Beamish, John provides details on both No Place and Cooperative Villas. As a small boy plays in a terraced street and views of allotments set up nearby, John talks initially about how mining villages such as these have moved on before providing details of how they were initially set up first and foremost as places to live and work during the Industrial Revolution. But what about other types of villages? Over a montage of several traditional country villages in Richmondshire, a local government district of North Yorkshire, John asks the question what were the original settlers first considerations when setting up a village? Walking along the Waterfell Beck in the village of Melsonby John explains why water was the most ancient reason why any village came into existence. Over a montage of the houses in the village John explains why well drained and easy to build on land was also important. He then explains that English villages are supposed to look like these, he admits that Melsonby and other villages in the area are nothing special and were selected at random. A montage of other villages in the area including Ravensworth, Kirby Hill and Gilling West. As John drives between villages along deep and warn lanes that look really old, he explains that it is really difficult to know how old many of these villages are. Over another montage of houses built in some of these villages John gives a probable history of their development starting with the arrival of the Anglo-Saxon’s at the end of the Roman period. Walking over to the road sign for Gilling West John provides details on how it is in its name that he knows it to be one of the very earliest examples Anglo-Saxon settlements. Standing beside the road sign for the village of Barningham he explains the relevance of ‘ingham’ in a place name. Over a montage of said villages John gives details on the Viking origins of the villages of Gayles and Ravensworth. Sitting in a bench on the village green at Ravensworth John comments on how this classic English shape hasn’t changed in more than a millennium but everything else around it has. A montage of the varied houses and building built around the green ending on John explaining again that this is just a nice typical village, nothing special. However, he takes the programme in the commercial break by inviting the viewer to join him on a visit to three villages that are not typical but as fine as can be found anywhere one of which is only a short distance away. He turns and points up to another village built atop a nearby hillside. Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two Walking along the road towards Kirby Hill in Richmondshire John describes it as a remarkable village with an unusual situation atop a hill. Passing the dramatic ancient parish church of St Peter and Felix with its mid-Victorian vicarage next door the place appears at first glance to be very ordinary. Arriving at the village green John explains that you are hit with its ‘un-typicalness’, a place that hasn’t changed in hundreds of years and a genuine place with sense of old worldliness. A montage follows of many of the houses in the village described by John as ‘a village replete with interest.’ Standing next to it John points out one particular house in the village built in 1556 and with a wonderful quality that has never been tided up just added to, altered or built on. At the rear a mass of window from several different time-periods. To John Kirby Hill is utterly Northern, rough, raw and stoney. But, he says, not necessary pretty. Walking through the village of Staindrop in County Durham John points out some of the similarities with Kirby Hill such as their names which are both Viking, before pointing out the many differences. Walking past houses built around its vast green John explains why he sees Staindrop as an archetypal northern Georgian village, adventurous and with an entirely satisfying use of colour making it a vibrant place to look around. A montage of many of the houses pointing out many of their architectural features follows. Sitting in his car parked along a coastal road John explains that while he likes both Kirby Hill and Staindrop, neither will be getting John’s vote for the best. As he drives towards it John explains why it is important that when you see the village over the crest of the hills you go ‘ooh!’. As the car does drive over the crest to reveal the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland and its castle those in the car do go ‘ooh!’. A montage of the village including the castle, the parish church of St Aidan’s as well as the nearby sandy beach. Standing near the intersection of Church and Front Street, John explains that while the views of the castle are startling, there is also a real village here as well with some deeply satisfying architecture of its own. A montage of houses and buildings follow featuring some of these architectural features. Standing in field overlooked by Bamburgh Castle John points out the two types of stone used in the construction of houses in the village that feature in the rock on which the castle is built: dolerite and sandstone. Nearby Bamburgh House build using both types of stone with John going into some of its architectural features made from well-dressed dolerite. Walking along Front Street John passes a row of cottages built in the gothic revival style by the Foster family and the Lord Crewe Arms Hotel where John and his wife had their honeymoon. Standing again in the field overlooked by the castle John talks about the contribution made by Lord William Armstrong, the great Victorian industrialist who not only renovate the castle but also contributed to the development of the village as well. A montage follows of Armstrong cottages, a series of wooden cottages built by Lord Armstrong for the workmen restoring the castle, and Armstrong House a kind of rest home for his workers in the Scotswood factory in Newcastle built in the arts and crafts style. Standing on Bamburgh Beach with the castle in the background John provides brief details on some of other architectural delights he hasn’t been able to talk about. A montage follows of said location including the remains of Dominican friary and an ancient Medieval dovecote. He explains the motives for picking Bamburgh as his ‘Grundy’s Wonder’ of the week as well as it being his last pick of this series. An animation of a fanfare of trumpets over the following title. Title: Grundy’s Wonders As he attempts to walk away a voice calls out asking him why he hasn’t crushed loads of things under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History’ as he promised at the start of the programme? With a smile John replies that he lied, stating that he couldn’t find a village he didn’t like before walking off along the beach. Over the closing credits the phantom car ride again into Bamburgh. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Camera Dave Dixon Sound Paul Graham, Peter Rossiter Lighting Lew Hedley, Gordon Porteous, Alan Robinson 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