The sixth and final 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 the final episode of this series John looks at monuments beginning inside Jesmond Old Cemetery in Newcastle and examples of private monuments to see what these gravestones tell us not only about those who are buried there but also the society in which they lived. In the second part of the programme a look at...

The sixth and final 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 the final episode of this series John looks at monuments beginning inside Jesmond Old Cemetery in Newcastle and examples of private monuments to see what these gravestones tell us not only about those who are buried there but also the society in which they lived. In the second part of the programme a look at public monuments from the large such as the Sir Tatton Sykes monument at Garton on the Wolds to the more intimate with the Wagoners’ Memorial in the nearby village of Sledmere. Standing in an overgrown section of Jesmond Old Cemetery in Newcastle presenter John Grundy states that this programme is all about monuments. 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 As John continues to wonder around Jesmond Old Cemetery, he explains that there are few things he like better than a wonder through a graveyard and to lurk among the gravestones. He explains that he finds them fascinating, funny, touching and informative picking up little details on the people who are buried there. He passive a gigantic gravestone now overgrown with leaves and passes an unusual one for a Victorian working woman. Another grave to the inventor(s) of ‘transparent plaster.’ As he talks about the materials that have been used to make these stone from granite to the more common local sandstone, he comes to an unusual iron gravestone dedicated to a group of workers killed in a local ironworks. As John wonders some more, he explains that this programme will be about monuments starting with private ones such as these gravestones. As he talks about the opening of this extraordinary cemetery in 1836, he comes to sit beside the grave if is designer John Dobson. Explaining that the first big public cemetery opening at Kensal Green in London in 1830, this makes Jesmond Old Cemetery one of the earliest. Over more views of John wondering around the cemetery he explains the two reasons that lead to the development of these ‘parks of death’ in the 19th century. The first was the explosion in town population during the industrial revolutions and the need for town corporations to find nice greenfield sites to help ease the pressure of traditional churchyards. The second reason was a change in taste and a desire to celebrate mournful things as well as a fascination with symbols and images of death. These new cemeteries were thus deliberately laid out like parks. Over examples of them John talks about why he likes the different styles chosen for the monuments from the draped urn taken from Ancient Greece through to the sarcophagus from ancient Roman and from ancient Egypt the obelisk. He explains that cemeteries are great places to look at the sculptural tastes of the last couple of hundred years. In his car driving through the East Riding of Yorkshire into the Yorkshire Wolds John describes the landscape as the least well known but most atmospheric landscape in Britain. In the village of South Dalton a scarecrow stands in a field of barley with the spire and church of St Mary’s parish church in the background. John comes to stop and admire the church designed by the greatest of all Victorian architects John Loughborough Pearson with its pure and noble look along with a nice spire. Standing on the steps leading into the church John explains why the parish churches of England are great places for great sculptures as the parishioners often had enough money to hire the finest sculptures to carve their funeral monuments. Inside the church John walks up to and places his hand on the Monument to Sir John Hotham explaining how he was partly responsible for starting the English Civil War. Dying in 1689 it shows Sir John reclining on a sofa as if not dead at all and being carried by four virtues. However, underneath a different sculpture this time of his skeleton, a reminder of how short life is. John finds the sculpture bizarre, but the quality is superb. It might be odd, he says, but it is unforgettable. Back in his car John explains that all the monuments featured so far have been acts of private memorials, time to move onto a brand-new world of public monuments starting with ‘posh chaps on plinths’. A montage featuring various statues of local male dignitaries standing atop plinths intercut with John attempting to re-create some of their postures along the Newcastle Quayside and on the steps of the Collingwood Monument at North Shields. Back in his car John explains that he has an ‘exceedingly public monument’ to bring to the viewer attention. Title: Grundy’s Wonders End of Part One Part Two Steps from his car John looks up at Sir Tatton Sykes monument at Garton on the Wolds. He proceeds to introduce the following montage sequence which includes views of the fancy 120ft memorial filmed from some distance away. After explaining that Sir Tatton Sykes did very little to deserve a memorial like this, John admits that he gets very little out of such structures and doesn’t admire it. As he isn’t wild about ‘posh men in plinths’ in general he decides that he will crush the Sir Tatton Sykes monument and by inference other similar monuments under ‘Grundy’s Great Boot of History’. An animation of a giant boot coming down on the monument begins put is stopped half-way through by John who confesses that he believes it isn’t fair as it is a smashing object. As the Great Boot retreats John explains that there are two other monuments to more ordinary people in Sit Tatton’s home village that he infinitely prefers. Walking through the gorgeous estate village of Sledmere John comes to sit on the steps of the Eleanor Cross. After giving a history of what the cross means he explains that it is a copy made in 1896 and given a second life in 1920 as a war memorial. John walks around the cross admiring the beautiful extra pictures and brass commemoration plaques before heading across to see the villages other remarkable war memorial. Arriving at the Wagoners’ Memorial carved by Carlo Magnoni in a comic book style John walks around it admiring its charming and homespun look making it his favourite war memorial in the whole country. Sitting beside the monument John is astonished by the stereotyping of the ‘wicked Hun’ which would be illegal now. However, you can’t censor monuments and a monument it is to the tastes of their own age, odd, foreign and fascinating. Standing at the base of Grey’s Monument in the centre of Newcastle John confesses he has one more ‘posh man on a plinth’ to show. Filmed at speed he climbs the steps inside the column arriving at the top to admit that he is going to muse on the purpose of monuments. Explaining that all monuments’ costs money he can’t imagine how much it cost to build this monument to Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey. Pointing out three of Earl Grey achievements John asks was it worth it to spend so much money on this monument? John believes it was stating that all monuments are worth it if they are good enough and in the right place. He also believes Earl Grey was not only an important local Earl but as Prime Minister as well as responsible for the Reform Act of 1832 is hugely deserving of a monument as a source of local pride. John then points out that for the past 170 years Grey’s Monument has provided a focus for the centre of Newcastle as well as an identity to the city local peoples several of whom sit on its steps chatting and relaxing. Believing that you can’t pay too much money for these qualities he is pleased that nowadays people have learned these lessons. Standing on a hill at Low Eighton in Gateshead John comments that the town has always had an image problem being seen as the poor relation to Newcastle. Now standing beside Antony Gormley’s Angel of the North John believes that the town has been smart enough to recognise that monuments create identity and change perception. Following a montage of the Angel that features children playing at its base and with John posing for photographs he states that if good monuments such as the Angels expressed in its iron, strength and solidity its industrial beauty then everything that North easterners like to think about themselves then they are worth every penny. Over views of South Shields Town Hall John explaining that even a hundred years ago South Shields learned that through a monumental piece of architecture it can raise its image and give the town a new status through the power of public art. Stepping off the beach onto a boardwalk at South Shields John comments that South Tyneside is another local council that sees the value of public art. Over views of the sculpture ‘Spirit of South Tyneside’ John explains that it is an unmonumental monument that is witty, fun as well as pretty. Standing beside one of the sculptures known as Conversation Piece by the late Juan Munoz John loves their approachability. He plays a game of football around them just like he saw a family do recently. This is his favourite piece of public art and so awards it a ‘Grundy’s Wonder’. An animation of a fanfare of trumpets over the following title. Title: Grundy’s Wonders 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 Alan Ramsay 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