The fourth episode of the fifth 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 travels to the north of the region to find out why the transformative period in history known as the renaissance which was helping the rest of England change from the Medieval period to the modern world was taking so long to reach the region. Standing in front of a stone doorway presenter John...

The fourth episode of the fifth 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 travels to the north of the region to find out why the transformative period in history known as the renaissance which was helping the rest of England change from the Medieval period to the modern world was taking so long to reach the region. Standing in front of a stone doorway presenter John Grundy introduces this edition of Grundy’s Wonder to say that this week he will be look at what happened to the Northeast when the Anglo-Scottish Border Wars came to an end. 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 Following a brief introduction outside John heads into Carlisle Cathedral to point out both the Norman or Romanesque style architecture of the earliest part of the 12th century cathedral and examples of the Gothic style produced as the church was rebuilt in the 13th and 14 centuries. A montage of features of both styles as well as the East Window believed by John to be the grandest Medieval window in Europe. Standing beside a set of stalls built in the Gothic style John describes how this style continued for three-hundred years. Taking a few steps to his left he now stands beside the Salkeld Screen produced in 1541 and only around forty of fifty years after the stalls but being made for a very different world and an example of early Renaissance. Over views the screen John explains the word renaissance comes from the word ‘rebirth’ and started in Italy in the late 1400s where artists rediscovered the ancient learning and styles of ancient Rome. After pointing out many of the screen’s features, he goes onto comment that not only is it rare to find anything this early, but it is even odder to find it in a place like Carlisle and ask the question why is that? Following a brief sequence of men on horseback fighting with swords and what appears to be a burning castle John walks towards a fortification near the riverbanks of the River Tweed and the Royal Border Bridge at Berwick-upon-Tweed. Over views of the Medieval town wall built by Edward I in 1296 when the town was captured from the Scots John explains that after the Middle Ages towns around the country found they no longer needed defences such as town walls and began dismantling them. However, in the north along the border with Scotland places like Berwick began building proper defences. Now standing beside the remains of an artillery battery John explains that this whole new form of warfare was needed because Bamburgh Castle down the coast had become the first castle in the country to be defeated by cannon fire and so towns like Berwick needed to at the forefront of military technology. Wondering around Lord’s Mount built in 1541, the same year the Salkeld Screen was installed at Carlisle, John explains this new fortification was an addition to the old town wall and was equally as revolutionary as an early example of a whole new attire for fortifications and like the screen based on an Italian idea used in its design by Henry VIII. Views of Berwick Town Walls built by Elizabeth I was again an inspiration on an Italian design this time from northern Verona in the 1530s. These new re-constructed walls at Berwick would make them the most modern and elaborate in the whole of northern Europe and the first great renaissance castle in the British Isles. Leaning against the massive walled defences John believes it interesting that two cities right in the border of Scotland would in 1541 both get something brand-new, one a great work of art and the other to start a sequence of terrifying new walls. Over a montage of the Berwick Town Walls John explains that following the death of Elizabeth I in 1603 James I of England, the son of Mary Queen of Scots, came to the thrown and the war between England and Scotland that had lasted three-hundred years came to an end. In the churchyard of St Cuthbert’s Parish Church at Bellingham John stands beside St Cuthbert’s Well proving, according to him, that this place had been a holy site for 1400 to 1500 years. As he explains that the present church dates originally from the 13th century, he then points out certain features that suggests all is not what it seems. A blocked up south doorway, a thick slate roof and inside a tunnel vaulted nave and south transept re-enforced with stone ribs making it both strong and resistance to attack. Explaining that these defensive featured were added during its rebuild in 1608, six years after the Border War, John explains that they were built at a time when the renaissance was taking over the rest of England, but here in the north places like St Cuthbert’s felt more like a Medieval castle. Back outside John stands beside a gravestone for an individual who died in 1628 and explains in comparison with Salkeld Screen is pretty crude. Taking the programme into the commercial break John asks did the North ever catch up with the rest of the country and did the renaissance ever really arrive in the region? Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two A montage of the grounds of Chillingham Castle in north Northumberland with John pointing out some of its early features such as the remains of the tower house which became a 14th century castle. However, John admits he is here today to see what happened to the castle in around 1620-30 when the renaissance arrived and turned it into a home. Standing on a set of steps leading into the castle he points out the frontage pieces which are typical of the early renaissance. Heading into the inner courtyard he admired the Italian feel to the balcony that features seven of the nine worthies. Inside one of the remaining rooms containing any of its early 1600s renaissance features and a typical early English fireplace. Coming to stand beside its John talks about the classic biblical scene of Abraham sacrificing his son Isacc that features on it. He thinks this maybe more suitable than the other surviving renaissance fireplace in the castle that features the biblical scene of Susanna and The Elders. Over a final montage of the grounds featuring a cannon on display John explains that Chillingham has the typical renaissance features found in the extreme north of the region, fascinating but a bit rough. Going onto explains that if you wanted to find more sophisticated examples then these can be found in the south of region that had been free from warfare for longer. Views of the glorious Elizabeth and Jacobian brickwork at Burton Agnes Hall near Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire on what John describes as his very southern edge of what he is prepared to call the Northeast. Coming to sit on a bench John talks about the great Elizabeth architect Robert Smythson who designed the house, probably his last and most northerly. Walking through the ground John feels it is so very civilised and English that he hardly feels in the north. He goes onto to state that houses like this barely exist further north but is a lovely typical early renaissance English house built with symmetrical features and is perfectly balanced. After pointing out some of the exterior renaissance features, he heads into the Great Hall and is overcome by the most extraordinary early renaissance decoration in the whole of England. Going onto describe the various biblical scenes featured John believes this to be one of the great rooms of England with both energy and movement and gives it this week’s ‘Grundy’s Wonder’. An animation of a fanfare of trumpets over the following title. Title: Grundy’s Wonders Wondering through the campus of Newcastle University John admires how architects have kept re-working renaissance styling in exciting new ways creating buildings such as the Armstrong Building, the Student’s Union as well as the main university library built in 1913. Crossing the road he looks up at the Marks and Spencer’s supermarket built in the Haymarket, which while designed using some renaissance styling, is done so pathetically that John has no hesitation in awarding it this weeks ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History’. An animation of a giant boot coming down and crushing the store. Over the closing credits a montage of some of the locations featured in this programme. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Camera Simon Elphinstone, Simon Foggin, John White Sound Paul Graham, Robbie Carruthers Lighting Gordon Porteous, John Mason, John Haynes Production Manager Christine Stewart-Tilling Production Assistants Karen Sharp Graphics Dave Richardson Title Music & Dubbing John Cook Editor Mark Duncan Executive Producer Jane Bolesworth Series Producer Steve Robins Title: © Tyne Tees Television 2004 End title: ITV Tyne Tees. An ITV Production