The fourth episode of the sixth 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 listed building asking what makes one building better than another. Standing with Trinity Square Car Park in Gateshead behind him, presenter John Grundy asks the question if listed buildings are a good thing should Trinity Square be included? An animation of a book with its pages...

The fourth episode of the sixth 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 listed building asking what makes one building better than another. Standing with Trinity Square Car Park in Gateshead behind him, presenter John Grundy asks the question if listed buildings are a good thing should Trinity Square be included? 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 Along the Newcastle Quayside the modernist Sage Gateshead, now The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, and both the Swing and Tyne bridges crossing the River Tyne. With the music turning ominous views of the brutalist concrete Trinity Square Car Park in Gateshead with John appearing in front of it to state that there are those who want it demolished while other want it listed, who is right? Before making any decision, he suggests the viewer take a look at a building that is ‘truly repulsive’. Standing on the steps of a yet unidentified cathedral John reads an architectural review of Westminster Abbey written by the 18th century critic Robert Morris describing the building as ‘a monstrosity’ and ‘simply ghastly.’ Believing he was referring to any Medieval Gothic cathedral John thinks Robert Morris would have hated Ripon Cathedral, where he is standing, as much as any other. Over views of the cathedral John reads another critics description of Gothic arched windows which feature prominently at Ripon that are described as ‘barbarous.’ Explaining that today people like their cathedrals ‘nice and Gothic-y’ he believes people see the same structire not as barbarous but ethereal, spiritual, perfect. Over views of Ripon Cathedral from Kirkgate, John makes the points that tastes changes and that old ideas are replaced with new ones. Using the west front of the cathedral as an example John begins a tour of the church with its early English style west front dating from around 1220 before moving around the side to point out a completely different style that of around 1500 in the perpendicular Gothic style. However, continuing his walk he passes a Norman doorway which is even earlier than the west front with ‘tarted up’ Gothic style windows above it. The point John is making is that in the past no one cared about changing what was done before, the effect according to John is a gorgeous mixture that he can’t imagine anyone would ever want to demolish. However, the downside to this they had to destroy what was there before. It’s a balance and a worry exclaim John, and sometime the balance gets upset. Taking a walk along the Newcastle Quayside John passes several historical buildings including a number of splendid Medieval merchant houses such as The Cooperage public house and Bessie Surtees House on Sandhill. As he makes his way towards the Side he asks where are they today? Except for a few most have been washed away in the tide of progress and towns such as Newcastle were changing because of the railways. As he heads up the Side towards the city centre, he passes the massive railway bridge cutting through the city and wonders what the locals at the time of its construction must have thought of it, a monstrosity. As he continues his walk up the Side towards Newcastle Castle he wonders again what people would have thought when the railway was cut right through their Medieval castle all in the name of progress. Standing beside The Black Gate with Newcastle Castle Keep in the background, John explains how the building of this new railway line sounded the first alarm bells as people began to wonder if change ought to be controlled and following a national outcry over a proposal of putting a railway through Stonehenge organisation such as The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings was formed. Arriving at the Parish Church of Saint Bartholomew at Whittingham near Alnwick in Northumberland John points out the Anglo-Saxon tower and other exterior features of this ancient church. Inside he looks around pointing out its Anglo-Saxon features in the tower and the South Arcade that dates from the 13th or early 14th century. However, looking at the North Arcade John sees something strange and explains that in 1840 the then Reverend of the parish, a Reverend Goodenough, along with a noted architect John Green made the decision to pull down and replaced the original Norman arcade as they felt it wasn’t neat and tidy and didn’t match the South Arcade. This, explains, John is just one example of what happened to a lot of Victorian churches all over the country, a wholesale tidy-up and a ‘restoration to death.’ Back outside John points out that with the exception of the tower much of the stonework doesn’t look old as it has been cleaned up and scrapped smooth. Over views of the church John provides details on The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings which was founded in 1877 by William Morris who was shocked by excessive restoration taking place all over the country. Given the nickname ‘anti-scarpers’ they hated the kind of work that had been done on Saint Bartholomew’s as they believed it was taking away the building’s ancientness. Standing with the church in the background John talks about how the society lead to some of the happiest days in his life as well as the movement to list the Trinity Square Car Park in Gateshead. Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two Driving a long a Northumberland country road John talks about starting work as a Listed Buildings Officer in the Spring 1984. Arriving back in the village of Whittingham he wonders around with his trusty clipboard talking about the kinds of buildings he did and did not list as well as talking about the many interesting situations he got himself into. As men work to restore the 15th century Whittingham Pele Tower John talks about the slow start of The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings and the limited government support that was available in the early part of the 20th century. As he walks and looks over a granite fountain dedicated to Elizabeth Goodenough, wife of the Reverend featured earlier, John explains that it wasn’t until the 1944 Planning Act that the listed building process began. Walking again through the churchyard of Saint Bartholomew’s John provides details on the three categories of listed building with the top tier able to access government grants. Sitting on the steps of the village war memorial he states that while Listings Officer was his job, his reasons for doing the job was a touch more ‘gutsy and contentious.’ Over a phantom car ride around both Newcastle and Gateshead featuring the Will’s Cigarette factory on the Coast Road, a drive across the Tyne Bridge and along the Newcastle Quayside John talks about a decision made in the early 1980s by the then Minister of the Environment Michael Heseltine to speed up the listed building process that meant by 1987 any building older than twenty-five years old could be eligible for listed status. Arriving back at Trinity Square Car Park he explains that now even this structire is eligible, as long as it is good enough. Dressed in a smart suit a version of John stands on the roof of the Trinity Square Car Park explaining why it isn’t suitable for listing as it is impossible to judge a building in such a short space a time, it needs to stand the test of time before you can be certain of its quality. Standing on a level below another version of John disagrees believing that the problem with nearly all buildings is that they go out of fashion for a while after being built with many getting lost before they have a chance to prove themselves, they need protecting he concludes. The two John continue to argue their points to ‘knock it down!’ or ‘save it!’. Walking along a slip road out of the car park John comments that the debate has raged for thirty years over whether Trinity Square Car Park should either be pull down because it is so big and intrusive or be keep it as it is an almost perfect example of a particular time, a time that just happens to be unpopular at the moment. As he walks around the car park again and around the defunct restaurant on the roof with its large oval windows John gives his opinion on the structure giving both positive and negative points of view, but at the end of the programme still doesn’t have an answer about whether it should be listed or crushed under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History.’ Over the closing credits a montage of some of the locations featured in this programme. Credit: Written and Presented by John Grundy Camera Alistair McKenzie Sound Paul Graham, Gail Westwood Lighting Ken Campbell Production Manager Christine Stewart-Tilling Graphics Dave Richardson Title Music John Cook Sound Dubbing Andy Ludbrook Editor Mark Duncan Executive Producer Graeme Thompson Series Producer Steve Robins Title: © ITV 2005 End title: Working Wonders. ITV Tyne Tees. A Working Wonders TV production in Association with ITV