"Secrets of the Castle" BBC2 just finished

bobnewboy

Native
Jul 2, 2014
1,318
870
West Somerset
A new series featuring the trio from Tudor/Edwardian/Victorian Farm series.

"A 25-year project to build a castle from scratch at Guédelon in France, using original 13th-century construction methods, is under way. For the next five weeks, Ruth and Tom Pinfold and Peter Ginn will join the blacksmiths, carters, masons and stone makers. Another fascinating living-history project, offering a window on medieval life."

It was fascinating to watch the ancient crafts in progress. I have now programmed the PVR to record them all.
 
Feb 18, 2012
534
10
Bedfordshire
I watched this too it was very educational and entertaining like the rest of their series. I am looking forward to watching the rest and I am sure I will watch again on iplayer.
 
Sep 28, 2014
3
0
United Kingdom
I hadn't heard of this castle they are building in France, but its great to see traditional techniques are being kept alive and also being re-learnt/re-discovered.
 

Rosahane

Member
Jan 21, 2013
29
0
Ireland
Spotted it just before it started. Great programme. Have set to record the series in case I miss one. First time I've seen a rope walk in action.
 

janso

Full Member
Dec 31, 2012
611
5
Penwith, Cornwall
Looks like a good series; really enjoyed the first episode. If I remember correctly, there's another series starting in December about the rise of castles in the UK


Sent from my hidey hole using Tapatalk... sssh!
 

MarkinLondon

Nomad
May 17, 2013
325
1
Bedfordshire
I've only seen the recent second episode and am also going to look through iplayer. Besides this show and Wartime Farm, what else have they done? These shows are brilliant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
4,494
556
55
Rossendale, Lancashire
So far, with variations in the team they have done the Stuart period ( Tales from the Green Valley ), the Tudor Farm, the Victorian Farm, The Edwardian Farm, The Wartime Farm and The Victorian Pharmacy. There's also been various Christmas specials to go with some of the series if I remember right.

On my wish list are the Iron Age/Roman Farm and the Georgian/colonial farm. I know other folk have done the Iron Age before but they were awful games show/reality TV affairs. Personally I want to see experts and academics talk not wannabe celebrities in tunics.

Atb

Tom
 

Everything Mac

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 30, 2009
3,131
96
37
Scotland
I don't know what it is about these shows - I really enjoy them but at the same time, the constant barrage of abuse that Peter seems to get is a but much.

At first I thought it was just a bit of banter between friends but it seems to happen in every series. This new series is no different. Not exactly very professional and he never seems to get a quip of his own in there.
I don't know the man - perhaps he's a horrible person to work with or maybe his retorts are not for TV? who knows, but it bothers me.

Tom is a new guy is he not?


Beyond that I'm about half way through the show on Iplayer - hard work in 30 second bursts using rig internet.

All the best
Andy
 

Hammock_man

Full Member
May 15, 2008
1,491
569
kent
Just starting to watch it and the line "taking 25 years to build a castle from scratch" or words to that effect, made me stop in my tracks! Well done the French!
 

Joonsy

Native
Jul 24, 2008
1,483
3
UK
just seen something very rare, a programme worth watching, enjoyed that :approve: , look forward to next episode :)
 

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
8
78
Cornwall
On my wish list are the Iron Age/Roman Farm and the Georgian/colonial farm. I know other folk have done the Iron Age before but they were awful games show/reality TV affairs. Personally I want to see experts and academics talk not wannabe celebrities in tunics.

Atb

Tom

The participants in both BBC Iron Age efforts were not wannabee celebrities. The first, "Living in the Past" was excellent for its time. Mistakes were made but it fitted in well with the spirit of the times. Times that had shows like "The Good Life" and "Survivors" a growing interest in history and self-sufficiency. The second "Surviving the Iron Age" suffered because of its limited number of episodes and some genuine health issues. It was interesting to see a change in work ethics from the time of the first programme to that of the second but that was really the point of both, to illuminate contemporary life against a backdrop of a very informative taste of Iron Age life. None of the participants in either seem to have sought celebrity status but, instead, for some of them, life was changed in a very real way by the experiences.
 

boatman

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 20, 2007
2,444
8
78
Cornwall
Perhaps i am biased because one of the second lot is a friend of mine with whom I built a Bronze Age boat and there is doubt of his sincerity along with some of the others I had the pleasure to meet.
 

tombear

On a new journey
Jul 9, 2004
4,494
556
55
Rossendale, Lancashire
The participants in both BBC Iron Age efforts were not wannabee celebrities. The first, "Living in the Past" was excellent for its time. Mistakes were made but it fitted in well with the spirit of the times. Times that had shows like "The Good Life" and "Survivors" a growing interest in history and self-sufficiency. The second "Surviving the Iron Age" suffered because of its limited number of episodes and some genuine health issues. It was interesting to see a change in work ethics from the time of the first programme to that of the second but that was really the point of both, to illuminate contemporary life against a backdrop of a very informative taste of Iron Age life. None of the participants in either seem to have sought celebrity status but, instead, for some of them, life was changed in a very real way by the experiences.

I've only seen extracts from the first so fair enough although it did smack of hippies wearing face paint in places but wether through editing or what ever the second was little better than Big Brother with mud and smoking fags when no one was looking. I honestly learned more about the the Iron Age from reading a slim kiddies book one of my sons brought back from school than the whole series. If the folk who did it had really wanted to know about the period they can have done the research and joined a reenactment group without being televised while they are doing it. Just not what I want from a history programme. Ruth etc do it so much better.

I'm glad your mate got something positive out of it but what aired could have been oh so much better.

Each to their own

ATB

Tom
 
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