Episode 2 Mary Berry's Country House Secrets


Episode 2

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Britain is world-famous for its stately homes.

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And, when it comes to food,

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our country houses were the taste-makers.

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Curry and cockles, it's an absolute first for me.

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In this series, we'll sample delicious dishes...

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They look wonderful, Mary.

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..and enjoy the lavish hospitality

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that these homes were celebrated for.

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You look absolutely stunning.

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I'll show you how to cook tasty,

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modern recipes inspired by the history of our great houses.

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This is actually Napoleon's chair from Waterloo.

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Mind you, I could do with a cushion!

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Join me as I meet the families who own these exceptional homes.

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The best thing about the staircase, obviously,

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is going down on a tray, or on your bottom.

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And find out what it's really like to live...

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That looks quite saucy.

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..work...

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-It's very like cutting a hedge.

-I think you're better at baking!

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..and party in the nation's most beautiful stately homes.

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I'm not going to drop it.

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This week, I'm visiting Scone Palace, Scotland's crowning glory...

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They were crowned on this very stone.

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..where I get to feast and party like a royal.

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This is your invitation to dine at some of Britain's grandest tables

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in some of the most beautiful houses in the land.

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I'm in Scotland,

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just outside Perth, and approaching Scone Palace,

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world-famous as the crowning place of Scottish kings.

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For over 400 years,

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this extraordinary site has been home to the Murray family,

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now the Earls of Mansfield.

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Gosh, this is a pretty impressive approach.

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A crest above, how grand is that?

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This is amazing.

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It is enormous.

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It's my great pleasure to join the family for a few days

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in the build-up to one of their renowned dinner parties,

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culminating in some traditional Scottish reeling.

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-Hello, Mary.

-There we are.

-Fantastic to meet you. Welcome to Scone.

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Just a minute, you look far too young to be the Earl of Mansfield.

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I am not the Earl of Mansfield. I am the Earl's son, Viscount Stormont.

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-Please call me William.

-Oh, hello, William. That's lovely.

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Come on inside.

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-I brought the sunshine for you.

-Yes, you have!

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Being part Scottish,

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I do know Scone Palace stands on one of the most significant sites

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of Scotland's history.

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Once an abbey, Scone has seen the coronations of all Scotland's kings.

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Welcome to our home.

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Now, I want to show you something special in here.

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This goes on forever.

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This is the Long Gallery,

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and this is where the kings processed to their coronation.

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-So a very sacred and hallowed ground.

-This is amazing.

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How many kings were crowned here?

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42, supposedly, but I believe there may have been many more than that.

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So a very, very special palace.

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Steeped in history.

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Today, this is the home of William's parents,

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the ninth Earl and Countess of Mansfield.

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William and his three sisters grew up amongst these grand surroundings,

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and, with such a royal history,

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I'm keen to discover how the family first came to live here.

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Now, there's one thing in here that I particularly want to show you.

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This is a little picture of a man called David Murray.

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He's the first man in our family to come to Scone,

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and he became the first Lord of Scone in 1608

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and was given the land by King James I,

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having foiled a plot to kidnap and murder the King.

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He was given the position of the King's cup bearer.

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Cup bearer? What does cup bearer mean?

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There was a ceremonial part to it,

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but also they had to guard against the King being poisoned.

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This was a very dangerous time in Scotland.

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And a brave chap, because if he took a mouthful,

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he'd die himself before the King, wouldn't he?

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Well, he was rewarded well for his service.

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Having proved themselves loyal servants to the Crown, in 1776,

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the Murrays were promoted to the title of the Earls of Mansfield.

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Their footing with royalty was assured

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and it paved the way for even further royal connections abroad.

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So the second Earl of Mansfield,

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he was the ambassador to Louis XVI in France

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just before the French Revolution broke down.

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This is our library.

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Now, just a minute... Where are the books?

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The books were removed, as we have our collection of porcelain in here.

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It's not our most precious thing.

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Our most precious thing is actually this table here,

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which was given to us by Louis XVI's wife, Marie Antoinette,

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who was a very close friend of the second Earl.

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You do know people in the right places.

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It went so far as the second Earl actually taught Marie Antoinette

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how to Scottish reel, how to dance.

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Talking of reels, I haven't done one since I was very young,

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but it was the Gay Gordons and Strip The Willow, because I am half Scots.

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My mum was Scots.

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-Brilliant.

-I'm very proud of that side.

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I hope you brought your dancing shoes, we'd love you to join us.

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I'm a bit heavy footed, but I'll have a go.

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Don't worry, Mary, I'll look after you on the dance floor.

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-OK.

-And it will be great for you to see the palace

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really alive in its full glory, lots of guests.

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Sorry to interrupt.

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Coffee is now served down in the private sitting room.

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Lady Mansfield is down there waiting on you both.

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-Thank you very much, Jean.

-Thank you.

-Jean is our housekeeper.

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Really, we call her our butler-ess.

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It's a very grand title to have.

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-Yes, it is.

-How long have you had that title?

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Oh, since the 19-early-80s.

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And what does that entail?

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Everything. Cleaning, serving the public...

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What Jean is trying to say is that she's in charge.

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The house... The palace wouldn't function without Jean.

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Thank you very much, Jean. We'll be down soon.

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I'm heading from the public side of the palace

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to the Mansfield private quarters,

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for coffee with William's mother, the Countess.

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Hello, Mary. Great pleasure to welcome you here to Scone today.

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Having heard of the family's close ties with royalty in the past,

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I wonder if these connections are still as strong today.

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Has the royal entertaining continued as the years have gone by?

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Yes, it has. And the latest one, which was really good fun,

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was in 2012 when the Queen had her jubilee.

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Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, she came quite a lot,

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because it was so near her own home.

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And she sort of loved Scotland.

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I always wondered, when you have something like royalty to stay,

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do they come with a huge entourage that you have to put up as well?

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Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't.

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But with the Queen, it was quite large and quite a big thing.

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-They don't come with their own cooks, do they?

-No, they don't.

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We have great fun choosing the menus and getting everything organised,

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and the royal household are very helpful in just tipping you off.

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Her Majesty the Queen Mother loved any bird,

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but she didn't like salmon so much,

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and this is the menu when the Queen Mother came

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on September 29th, 1978.

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We can see she had Oeufs Benedict.

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Canard a l'orange.

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Duck, which we know she liked, and then tarte aux pommes.

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And this is also a visitor's book.

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-Yes.

-I've always wondered,

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if royalty come, or somebody very grand,

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do they put messages inside?

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No, they just sign their name, and date it.

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They just do it on one whole page of their own, and that's that.

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I'm in awe.

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When we have very special visitors,

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my parents-in-law started always asking them to plant trees,

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and if I take you to the window, we have a couple straight outside here.

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The most exciting and the oldest one is the one straight ahead of you.

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It's an oak, and that was planted by James VI and James I of Scotland.

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And that's quite some tree of quite some age.

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And to the right,

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we have a Swedish whitebeam planted by the King of Sweden.

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And then to the left, we have an acer planted by the Queen in 1967.

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And the river is the River Tay?

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Yes. The silvery Tay.

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One of the most famous salmon rivers in the world.

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We might have to take you down there for a spot of fishing.

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-Might be a bit of fun.

-I would love that.

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If we're going on a fishing trip,

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I'd better prepare something warming.

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So I've availed myself of the butler-ess

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to lead the way downstairs.

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Jean, you've spent most of your working life here at Scone.

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Yes. I've been here nigh on 40 years, and I've had a lovely time,

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and got on really, really well with the late Earl.

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You must have seen William growing up here.

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Oh, yes.

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He has turned out a very nice young man.

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Very much like his late grandfather.

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Goodness gracious!

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-Now...

-That's a range and a half, isn't it?

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Yes. It's not in use any more, but it was,

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and the staff at that time had to get up at maybe five o'clock

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-in the morning...

-I would think so.

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..to get it all warm for the cook coming in.

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That was in Victorian times?

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-Yes.

-And how many kitchen staff would be here in the heyday?

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Well, at that time, there was 40 staff.

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28 worked in the house itself, and then we had 12 for the horses.

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But when you came, how many were here?

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-Five.

-Only five.

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You must have been run off your feet.

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Yes. At times, we were.

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They call you the boss sometimes.

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Yes, William does.

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-Does he?

-Yes. But now I think it's time for you to take over

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-and do your little bit.

-Well, I had better get going.

-Yes!

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Let loose on this historic kitchen,

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I'm inspired to make a Scots classic.

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What better for a fishing trip than a warming broth?

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So, I've got a very nice chicken here

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and I'm going to first of all cook the chicken,

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then I'm going to cook the vegetables in the stock

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that I make from the chicken.

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In the olden days, they used to put the whole lot in the pot,

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and have the vegetables overcooked, but I like mine just done.

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So, to start, lift the whole bird into a large pan

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with a few bay leaves, season well, and add water.

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You really want to cover the chicken.

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Because it makes a lot of soup.

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Bring to the boil, then simmer the chicken for an hour and a quarter.

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Then leave aside to cool while you get on with the veg.

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I've got four leeks here that I've finely shredded.

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In they go.

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Now, that looks a lot of leeks,

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but they will lose their bulk as they're cooked.

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Then add a couple of carrots for colour and a few sticks of celery.

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Now for the unusual ingredient.

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Prunes.

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They're a classic for cock-a-leekie

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and north of the border they always add prunes.

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Everything's in the pot now and I'm going to simmer that

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until they're tender.

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That'll be sort of 20 minutes, but keep your eye on it.

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That gives me time to get on with the chicken.

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So I've taken all the meat off,

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and then you have the two oysters either side.

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I reckon that's the cook's perk.

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A bit of salt.

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That's pretty good.

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It's going to make a very good cock-a-leekie soup.

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Let's have a look at that.

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There's still a little bite in the carrot.

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That's how I like it. So, in goes all the chicken.

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It needs to be piping hot, and don't forget to check the seasoning.

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That's a bit of all right.

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I was a bit nervous of doing that,

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cos they have very high standards in the Mansfield household.

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But I think it'll do nicely.

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It's a thrill to be heading out with William and the family dog, Pickles,

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to the Tay.

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It's Scotland's longest river

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and world-famous for the pursuit of the elusive king of fish,

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the magnificent wild Atlantic salmon.

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So how many have you actually landed in your life?

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Not as many as I would like,

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I mean, it's quite tough!

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-Welcome, Mary.

-Good morning.

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-Can I introduce you to my husband, Lord Mansfield?

-Hello, how do you do?

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-And this is Iain, our ghillie.

-Good morning.

-Mary Berry.

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Good morning, Mary, pleased to meet you.

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As ghillie, Iain Kirk runs all the fishing trips

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on the estate's seven-mile stretch of the Tay,

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where the family have enjoyed fishing rights since 1608.

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Mary's going fishing!

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But today, he's got me, a complete novice.

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-OK?

-Yes.

-Wonderful.

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-Then onto the seat. You're good at this, eh?

-I'm... Yes!

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Right, and down we come.

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-Right.

-Wonderful.

-Now, you really do look the part of a fisher woman,

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but you don't have to worry,

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you won't accidentally catch sharks or anything,

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-cos there aren't any here.

-We'll see, we'll see!

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-Are we ready?

-I'm ready, yes.

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-Let's go and do it, then, eh?

-Woo!

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Bye-bye.

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She's very brave.

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She's fantastic.

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When you consider that she's decidedly over 21.

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It's absolutely fantastic.

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To jump into a boat like that and go tearing off upstream

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is really quite something.

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Scotland is one of the few places where Atlantic salmon

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are still thriving, and that's why people come.

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I get people here from America, Japan, Mexico, Australia.

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Because it's the best.

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Because it's the best. It's like St Andrews for golf.

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The River Tay is for salmon fishing.

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Amazingly, the salmon in this river travel back from their Atlantic

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feeding grounds to breed in the very waters that they were born.

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They can leap an incredible 12 feet

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to overcome obstacles on their journey upstream.

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Being this clever, I don't hold much hope of catching one.

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Now, I'm going to pay the line out for you.

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Do you want me to share the cast with you to begin with?

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Yes, come on, let's do it together.

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Right, up, around...

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Back, two, three, tap.

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There you are, well done!

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-Come along, friend.

-Right. So, rod tip comes down.

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This is a good spot because there's stones out here,

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the fish like to sit in here.

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If I am lucky enough to catch a salmon,

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there's a good chance we'll have to throw it back.

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Here on the Tay,

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there are strict rules for catch and release

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that ensure salmon fishing will be enjoyed for generations to come.

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Ah, wonderful. That was a good cast.

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I'm much happier when you're near me.

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So, Iain, which of the fish can you take out of the river,

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and which are the ones that you've got to leave in?

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We at Scone Palace return over 90% of the fish.

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Because you're interested in conservation?

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Conservation is the key.

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Iain tells me that in the 19th century,

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the fourth Earl of Mansfield,

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another William Murray,

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could see that overfishing was endangering the salmon population.

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Back in 1852, it was all netting, netting, netting, killing, killing.

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The Earl of Mansfield decided, no, we can't do this any more,

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so he said, "Right, from now on, any salmon that you net,

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"we're going to strip the eggs from the females

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"and the milt from the males,

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"we're going to mix them up and we're going to plant those

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"fertilised eggs in the fish ponds."

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The fourth Earl built two fish ponds which were used as a hatchery

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to rear salmon from eggs to restock the river.

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This ingenious conservation programme

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saw as many as 300,000 salmon nursed into life every two years.

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Was this something that nobody else was doing?

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-Nobody else was doing.

-He was the first?

-He was the first.

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-He was way ahead of his time.

-Oh, way ahead!

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Quite remarkable, and the family like to think

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that the fourth Earl's actions 150 years ago

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helped secure the Tay as one of the best spots for salmon fishing

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in the world.

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Right, Mary, it's up to you now.

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A big friendship could go on this.

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-Oh, it could, couldn't it?

-Yes.

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-Right.

-Up, around...

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That's it.

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Back, just...

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Nearly, nearly, nearly. That was the wind that caused that.

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Do you know, Iain, I don't think our luck's in,

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and I think the fish are all smiling down there,

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thinking, "You didn't get me today!"

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-Hello, Mishka!

-On you go.

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I may be empty-handed,

0:17:400:17:42

but there's always a warming consolation of my cock-a-leekie soup

0:17:420:17:45

and good company.

0:17:450:17:47

Gosh, that looks steaming. It's a long time since breakfast.

0:17:470:17:52

-Marvellous.

-There you are.

0:17:520:17:53

Thank you.

0:17:530:17:54

So what was the biggest salmon that's ever been caught

0:17:540:17:57

on the Tay out there?

0:17:570:17:59

Oh, in the 1920s there was one that was 64lbs,

0:17:590:18:03

and it was caught by Miss Ballantine,

0:18:030:18:06

who was a...slip of a girl.

0:18:060:18:09

Was it shown to everybody?

0:18:090:18:11

Oh, golly, yes. It was put on show in the Perth high street.

0:18:110:18:15

-At Malloch's.

-Yes, the Monster of the Tay.

0:18:150:18:19

If you were wading and that swam past you,

0:18:190:18:22

you would come out the water, I'm certain!

0:18:220:18:24

I must say, this is very good soup indeed.

0:18:240:18:28

My instinct is to rush off and look for some more,

0:18:280:18:30

but I think probably we've eaten the lot.

0:18:300:18:33

No, no, there's more in the pot, I'm sure.

0:18:330:18:36

It brings out the inner pig in me!

0:18:360:18:38

With the Tay on their doorstep,

0:18:400:18:42

the king of fish has featured on royal menus at Scone for centuries.

0:18:420:18:47

Lady Mansfield, herself a trained cook,

0:18:470:18:50

is going to show me how she likes to prepare it.

0:18:500:18:53

And I'm privileged to be invited into her family kitchen.

0:18:530:18:57

I'm really pleased we're back warming my bottom here.

0:19:000:19:03

-We are so lucky because Iain has managed to find us a salmon.

-Lovely!

0:19:030:19:07

Virtually all the Atlantic salmon you can buy is farmed,

0:19:070:19:11

but the wild fish have a firmer texture and makes a rare treat.

0:19:110:19:17

What I like to do is to cook it completely naturally,

0:19:170:19:20

just baking it in the oven and with a delicious hollandaise sauce.

0:19:200:19:24

Not mucking it about.

0:19:240:19:26

Just simple and have the real flavours.

0:19:260:19:29

To keep the salmon succulent,

0:19:290:19:30

Lady Mansfield is going to wrap it in a large sheet of buttered foil,

0:19:300:19:34

and to bring out the delicate flavour, she's simply using lemon,

0:19:340:19:39

fresh dill, and a sprinkle of seasoning.

0:19:390:19:42

Can I make a cheeky suggestion?

0:19:420:19:44

-Yes!

-I find that the way you automatically do it

0:19:440:19:47

is wrap it up and do a great big roll of the foil on top,

0:19:470:19:50

which stops the top of it getting cooked.

0:19:500:19:52

But a slightly better way is to pull this over the top like that...

0:19:520:19:57

..and then imagining it's a huge Cornish pasty,

0:19:580:20:03

you just turn that round.

0:20:030:20:05

But you must tuck it in,

0:20:050:20:07

because I don't want all the juices going over your oven,

0:20:070:20:10

which I've already noticed was exceedingly clean.

0:20:100:20:13

So we've got our wonderful Cornish pasty,

0:20:130:20:16

-and none of the juice should come out.

-That is such a good tip!

0:20:160:20:19

While that goes into a hot oven for 20 minutes,

0:20:190:20:23

we're joined by Lady Mansfield's daughter, Iona.

0:20:230:20:27

-Very nice to see you.

-You too.

0:20:270:20:28

-What's that you've got there?

-This is wild garlic.

0:20:280:20:31

Wow, that's memories of walking through woods,

0:20:310:20:34

and it just knocks you back.

0:20:340:20:36

-What are you going to do with it?

-My mother's favourite sauce

0:20:360:20:38

is a hollandaise, but mine is a wild garlic pesto.

0:20:380:20:41

Have I got to say which is the best?

0:20:410:20:43

I think I'll be very tactful, I know which side my bread's buttered.

0:20:430:20:46

Lady Mansfield's traditional hollandaise

0:20:460:20:49

starts with a white wine vinegar reduction,

0:20:490:20:52

flavoured with parsley stalks, bay leaves,

0:20:520:20:55

a few peppercorns, and a large blade of mace.

0:20:550:20:59

The cooled reduction is added to four egg yolks

0:20:590:21:03

and then heated gently over a pan of hot water,

0:21:030:21:06

while adding the softened butter.

0:21:060:21:08

To make her pesto, Iona just blitzes the wild garlic with pine nuts,

0:21:100:21:15

lemon juice and a good glug of olive oil.

0:21:150:21:19

Then, Mary, if you could possibly start grating some Parmesan.

0:21:210:21:25

I thought you'd find something for me to do!

0:21:250:21:27

She finishes it off by stirring in the Parmesan,

0:21:290:21:31

and adding a little more olive oil to get it to the right consistency.

0:21:310:21:35

That's just perfect to put straight onto the salmon when it's ready.

0:21:350:21:39

Well, it's got another friend over there that's going with the salmon.

0:21:390:21:43

-How's that going?

-I think we're nearly there.

0:21:430:21:45

Here we are, we're going to get it out.

0:21:470:21:49

Just look at that!

0:21:530:21:55

That looks beautiful, doesn't it?

0:21:570:21:59

And the skin comes off so easily when it's straight out of the oven.

0:21:590:22:02

It is such an enormous treat to have wild salmon,

0:22:060:22:10

and this is straight out of the Tay, it couldn't be better.

0:22:100:22:13

No, it's a real, real, real treat.

0:22:130:22:16

That hollandaise is rich,

0:22:170:22:19

and it's just a classic to go with the salmon.

0:22:190:22:23

Now, new for me is your pesto.

0:22:230:22:25

Mmm! It's far more interesting than just putting crushed garlic in it.

0:22:280:22:33

The colour is amazing, and it's a good flavour.

0:22:330:22:36

But this is so delicate,

0:22:360:22:38

I think the hollandaise goes a little more with it.

0:22:380:22:42

So I think Mary's got your vote, mummy.

0:22:420:22:44

I didn't say I didn't like it, I love it!

0:22:450:22:48

The Scone Estate has always provided its royal visitors

0:22:500:22:55

with some of the finest fare in Scotland.

0:22:550:22:57

To discover why this place became such a draw for royalty,

0:22:590:23:04

William's going to show me the very spot where 42 Scottish kings

0:23:040:23:08

were crowned.

0:23:080:23:09

Now, Mary, this is the Moot Hill,

0:23:090:23:11

and this is the reason why people come to Scone,

0:23:110:23:14

to see this, and to stand on top of it.

0:23:140:23:17

This looks more like a mound to me than a hill.

0:23:170:23:20

Well, it's a very important mound.

0:23:200:23:22

Legend has it that this hill was not just called the Moot Hill,

0:23:220:23:25

but it was also the Boot Hill.

0:23:250:23:27

That's because when the kings and all their magnates came here,

0:23:270:23:31

they all brought in their boots the soil of their own land.

0:23:310:23:34

So when they arrived here,

0:23:340:23:36

they then poured that soil out to create what is now the Moot Hill,

0:23:360:23:40

and the king would be crowned on that hill.

0:23:400:23:43

So there's a huge significance around that,

0:23:430:23:45

and this is a real relic of the past,

0:23:450:23:47

a real sort of important place for the Scottish nation.

0:23:470:23:50

And it's what stands on top of Moot Hill that, for nearly 1,200 years,

0:23:510:23:56

has been at the heart of Scottish, and later British, coronations.

0:23:560:24:01

So as we walked up this hill,

0:24:010:24:02

we were leaving the secular world and coming into a very sacred place,

0:24:020:24:06

which housed the Stone of Scone,

0:24:060:24:09

commonly known as the Stone of Destiny.

0:24:090:24:11

This stone was brought here in 840

0:24:110:24:14

by the first king of Scotland, Kenneth McAlpine.

0:24:140:24:17

Some people say it is a Roman altar,

0:24:170:24:20

some people say it came from the Holy Land,

0:24:200:24:23

but what we do know, Mary,

0:24:230:24:24

is that the stone has been used for important coronations,

0:24:240:24:27

coronations of James I, Charles II, Robert the Bruce, Macbeth.

0:24:270:24:32

When you say Macbeth, is that Shakespeare's Macbeth?

0:24:320:24:35

Not specifically Shakespeare's Macbeth.

0:24:350:24:36

Shakespeare created a sort of, like, wicked and evil king.

0:24:360:24:39

Historians now think Macbeth was actually a very good Scottish king.

0:24:390:24:42

And they were crowned on this very stone?

0:24:420:24:45

Well, not this exact stone,

0:24:450:24:48

but one that looks very similar to this that's no longer here,

0:24:480:24:51

because the original stone taken from here in 1297 by...

0:24:510:24:57

what I call the bad guy in Braveheart,

0:24:570:25:00

Edward I, the Hammer of the Scots.

0:25:000:25:02

He took it to Westminster, where all coronations since have used it.

0:25:020:25:06

The Stone of Destiny is wrapped in myth and legend

0:25:060:25:10

and is a revered symbol of the Scottish nation.

0:25:100:25:13

I remember the news on Christmas Day in 1950,

0:25:130:25:18

four Scottish students stole back the stone from Westminster Abbey.

0:25:180:25:22

It caused a lot of problems.

0:25:220:25:23

In fact, they shut the border between England and Scotland

0:25:230:25:26

for the first time in 400 years.

0:25:260:25:28

After, I think, a very long chase,

0:25:280:25:30

the stone was returned to Westminster Abbey,

0:25:300:25:33

before ending up in Edinburgh now.

0:25:330:25:35

So when the next monarch is crowned?

0:25:350:25:37

It will be on the Stone of Scone, in Westminster.

0:25:370:25:40

-OK.

-With all the magnates around them and the bishops,

0:25:400:25:44

and, of course, then there'll be the grand ceremony,

0:25:440:25:46

and they will plant a crown on their fair head.

0:25:460:25:49

In this case, it would be, "Arise, Queen Mary of Cakes."

0:25:490:25:53

Well, when it really happens I shall be watching,

0:25:530:25:57

and I shall have a very special memory of coming here to Scone.

0:25:570:26:00

But William tells me

0:26:010:26:02

after the Crowns of Scotland and England were joined

0:26:020:26:05

by the 1707 Act of Union,

0:26:050:26:07

that the subsequent rebellions caused Scotland to fall from favour,

0:26:070:26:11

and not a single Royal visited Scone for almost two centuries.

0:26:110:26:17

Scotland was not a la mode.

0:26:170:26:19

So what changed all that, then?

0:26:190:26:22

That was actually partly to do with a very important visit

0:26:220:26:25

here by Queen Victoria on her Jubilee tour in 1842.

0:26:250:26:29

That must have been absolutely amazing.

0:26:290:26:32

Did she come through that arch down there?

0:26:320:26:34

She didn't come through that archway,

0:26:340:26:36

because we built an entirely separate and new driveway there.

0:26:360:26:40

It wasn't the only thing they did, either.

0:26:400:26:42

They brought the butlers out of retirement,

0:26:420:26:45

they had furniture specially made, so this was a gargantuan effort.

0:26:450:26:48

-And the expense?

-A huge amount.

0:26:480:26:50

And how long did all that take?

0:26:500:26:52

It took two years.

0:26:520:26:53

But how long did she stay?

0:26:530:26:55

-Just the one night.

-And that's all?

0:26:550:26:58

-That's all, one night.

-All that effort and expense, just for one night?

0:26:580:27:01

Incredible, but she was Queen of the greatest empire that's ever been,

0:27:010:27:04

she was the number one monarch.

0:27:040:27:05

William's grandfather, the eighth Earl,

0:27:070:27:09

opened the palace to the public in 1966,

0:27:090:27:12

and now 100,000 people come to Scone each year.

0:27:120:27:16

The legacy of Victoria's visit is a huge part of the draw,

0:27:160:27:21

and William has pointed me in the direction of the very room

0:27:210:27:25

where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dined,

0:27:250:27:28

to find curator Graham McIntyre.

0:27:280:27:30

You must be Graham?

0:27:300:27:32

-Hello.

-This is a very fine dining table here.

0:27:320:27:36

This is Queen Victoria's table.

0:27:360:27:38

It was made specifically for that night.

0:27:380:27:41

And was that quite expensive?

0:27:410:27:43

In today's money, £75,000.

0:27:430:27:46

£75,000?!

0:27:460:27:49

That's an enormous amount.

0:27:490:27:51

I mean, the whole visit cost so much.

0:27:510:27:54

It nearly bankrupt the Earl, it was said,

0:27:540:27:57

but it was so important to him,

0:27:570:28:00

and everything had to be right.

0:28:000:28:01

And where would Queen Victoria sit?

0:28:010:28:04

Victoria liked the heat,

0:28:040:28:06

so Victoria and Albert actually sat with their backs to the fire.

0:28:060:28:11

-What a good idea!

-Yes.

0:28:120:28:14

Amongst the illustrious guests were the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel,

0:28:140:28:19

and the Duke and Duchess of Buccleuch.

0:28:190:28:22

Graham also tells me how the table was a feast for the eyes,

0:28:220:28:26

decorated with sugar sculptures

0:28:260:28:28

by the famous Italian confectioner William Jarrin,

0:28:280:28:32

and shortbread embossed with the Mansfield coat of arms

0:28:320:28:35

in gold leaf.

0:28:350:28:37

It's quite a special feeling to think I'm sitting on the same seat

0:28:370:28:41

as Queen Victoria.

0:28:410:28:42

Victoria was just 23 when she visited.

0:28:440:28:47

She and Albert had been married for two years,

0:28:470:28:50

and I'm told the bed the couple slept in is still here.

0:28:500:28:54

I'm hoping palace archivist Sarah Adams can tell me more.

0:28:540:28:59

-Hello.

-Hello, you must be Sarah.

0:28:590:29:00

I am, it's lovely to meet you.

0:29:000:29:02

And this is Queen Victoria's bed?

0:29:020:29:05

-It is, yes.

-Am I going to be allowed to sit on it?

0:29:050:29:07

I've been told we can.

0:29:070:29:09

Gracious. It isn't every day we can get to sit on Queen Victoria's bed!

0:29:090:29:13

I say, it's pretty hard, isn't it?

0:29:150:29:17

I know, it's not the most comfortable.

0:29:170:29:19

To reveal the true cost of Queen Victoria's stay,

0:29:190:29:22

Sarah has a ledger of the household accounts.

0:29:220:29:26

This section here's looking at the cost of the groceries,

0:29:260:29:30

and it's done in three-month periods.

0:29:300:29:33

So we can see that in the period before the visit,

0:29:330:29:36

the total amount that was spent was £51, 15 shillings and 9p.

0:29:360:29:42

This would roughly be just over £5,000.

0:29:420:29:46

But, for the period that she was here,

0:29:460:29:48

our total has gone up to £289, 17 shillings and 8.5p,

0:29:480:29:56

and this was roughly £30,000.

0:29:560:29:59

-They must have had the finest of ingredients.

-Mmm!

0:29:590:30:03

They were killing the fatted calf.

0:30:030:30:05

Yes, and the two years leading up to the visit,

0:30:050:30:08

there was a lot of work done.

0:30:080:30:09

We've got invoices for upholstery,

0:30:090:30:11

paper hanging, painting, masonry work,

0:30:110:30:14

ironmongery, and when these were all added together,

0:30:140:30:17

the final cost was £3,800 -

0:30:170:30:21

a modern equivalent of over £377,000.

0:30:210:30:26

It's amazing, really, isn't it?

0:30:260:30:28

-Yes.

-This was enormously expensive.

0:30:280:30:30

How did the fourth Earl feel? It must have worried him.

0:30:300:30:34

Well, we do know how he felt about the visit

0:30:340:30:36

because he wrote to his mother about it, just about a month beforehand.

0:30:360:30:41

"As you may easily imagine,

0:30:410:30:43

"a Royal visit this year will be very inconvenient,

0:30:430:30:48

"yet it would be perfectly inhospitable for me to decline."

0:30:480:30:54

It didn't sound as though he was that keen.

0:30:540:30:57

Do you think she appreciated coming here to Scone?

0:30:570:31:00

That's an interesting question.

0:31:000:31:02

We're told that Victoria went to bed at 11 o'clock,

0:31:020:31:05

which is an hour later than she would usually go,

0:31:050:31:08

so hopefully she was having a nice time.

0:31:080:31:10

But what we do know for certain is that Victoria and Albert

0:31:100:31:13

fell in love with Scotland on their visit,

0:31:130:31:16

and it was also not long after this that Victoria bought

0:31:160:31:21

the Balmoral Estate.

0:31:210:31:23

So they were setting the trend to visit Scotland.

0:31:230:31:26

It's a good job he spent all that money, wasn't it?

0:31:260:31:29

One of the great draws to Scotland for Victoria and Albert

0:31:400:31:44

was, of course, the landscape.

0:31:440:31:46

The Scone Estate is spread over 27,000 acres

0:31:480:31:53

and its prime position at the very beginning of the Highlands

0:31:530:31:58

made it an important first port of call

0:31:580:32:01

for visiting royalty and nobility.

0:32:010:32:03

Much of the region became a vast outdoor playground

0:32:040:32:08

for the upper classes,

0:32:080:32:09

with deerstalking seen as the pinnacle of country sports.

0:32:090:32:13

Here they come, it's about time!

0:32:170:32:18

I would love to catch sight of these magnificent wild animals,

0:32:200:32:24

and to help us are the estate's own gamekeepers, Roddy McIntosh,

0:32:240:32:29

and his son, Stewart.

0:32:290:32:30

Good morning! Roddy Mansfield, nice to see you again.

0:32:300:32:33

-Nice to see you.

-Here we go.

0:32:330:32:34

Young Mary Berry, welcome to Logiealmond.

0:32:340:32:37

My, you look smart!

0:32:370:32:38

You're all in the same tweed. Is it a special family tweed?

0:32:380:32:42

It is, yes.

0:32:420:32:43

It's nice, it's warm.

0:32:430:32:45

-It's really...

-It's quite waterproof.

0:32:450:32:47

Is it? I was just thinking, should you have a Mac on top of it?

0:32:470:32:51

If it keeps the sheep dry, it's good for us as well.

0:32:510:32:54

Well, you look the part, certainly.

0:32:540:32:56

-So, if we're all feeling fit, it's on foot from now.

-Right.

0:32:560:33:00

It's not the hunting season,

0:33:010:33:03

so we're just going to have a look for the herd

0:33:030:33:06

and see how close we can get.

0:33:060:33:08

More of a deer safari, really.

0:33:080:33:11

Stalking, historically, has been the sport of kings.

0:33:120:33:17

Yes, it goes way back to the 11th and 12th century,

0:33:170:33:21

when it was the king's prerogative,

0:33:210:33:23

and they developed various royal forests

0:33:230:33:26

and anybody else caught poaching deer had severe, severe penalties.

0:33:260:33:32

Well, coming right up to date, venison has become really popular.

0:33:320:33:37

Of course, it's very good for us, it's lovely and lean, no fat.

0:33:370:33:42

-And it's simply delicious, too.

-Ooh, it is!

0:33:420:33:45

It's a very good thing that we can now all enjoy venison,

0:33:450:33:49

and it's because landowners like the Earl of Mansfield

0:33:490:33:53

maintain these huge areas for deer and grouse

0:33:530:33:57

that we can still have this wild landscape

0:33:570:33:59

that has remained unchanged for centuries.

0:33:590:34:02

Roddy, I think Stewart and I are going to hold back now, aren't we?

0:34:020:34:05

-Yes, yes.

-I think your best chance is to go off on your own.

0:34:050:34:09

OK. Right.

0:34:090:34:11

By keeping the group to a minimum and staying in line,

0:34:120:34:15

there's less chance of the stalker being seen by the deer.

0:34:150:34:19

Roddy makes sure that we're downwind of their very sensitive noses.

0:34:190:34:24

I saw the head of a deer walking there, Mary,

0:34:310:34:34

so I don't know where they've gone just now.

0:34:340:34:37

We just need to keep creeping up here.

0:34:370:34:39

-We'll carry on and we'll see what we can see.

-OK, I'll keep close.

0:34:390:34:42

Look, look, look at that!

0:34:560:34:58

Wow, look at its little white tail.

0:34:580:35:01

Isn't that beautiful?

0:35:060:35:07

There are another two up here,

0:35:110:35:13

we'll need to say low.

0:35:130:35:15

We'll go up to the top of the ridge here

0:35:150:35:18

-and hopefully get a better view.

-OK, OK. I'll keep close.

0:35:180:35:21

-WHISPERING:

-Now, Mary, have a wee seat here.

0:35:290:35:32

The deer have laid down in front of us.

0:35:350:35:37

Are they?

0:35:370:35:38

They're lying down like us, so we can't see them,

0:35:380:35:42

so we'll need to wait here for a little while,

0:35:420:35:44

to see if they'll stand up.

0:35:440:35:46

And will you see their heads just come up first?

0:35:460:35:48

Yeah, you'll see the ears and they will always find you

0:35:480:35:51

before you see them most of the time.

0:35:510:35:54

And you were a gamekeeper for William's grandfather?

0:35:540:36:00

Yes, yeah, that's right.

0:36:000:36:02

And how many years were you with him?

0:36:020:36:04

I was 40 years with him, yeah.

0:36:040:36:06

40 years. Did you ever travel to other estates with Lord Mansfield?

0:36:060:36:10

Travelled all over Berkshire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland.

0:36:100:36:14

Most of the times you were told where you were going.

0:36:140:36:17

There was only once when we were going away

0:36:170:36:19

and I said, "Where are we going, my Lord?" and he wouldn't tell me.

0:36:190:36:22

So we started heading east, then we started going a bit north,

0:36:220:36:25

and I was starting to twig a wee bit.

0:36:250:36:27

I said, "This wouldn't involve some corgis by any chance, my Lord?"

0:36:270:36:31

And he said, "Don't stand on them!"

0:36:310:36:33

So we knew where we were going then.

0:36:350:36:37

Now, tell me about it, who was there?

0:36:370:36:39

The Duke of Edinburgh and the Queen.

0:36:390:36:41

How did you get on, did they talk to you?

0:36:410:36:43

Oh, yes. They were the same as Lord Mansfield,

0:36:430:36:45

it's total relaxation for them.

0:36:450:36:47

You're in the hills like this, peace and quiet, no-one worrying you.

0:36:470:36:51

-What an honour.

-It was an honour, yeah.

0:36:510:36:54

Since the extinction of the wolf, deer have no natural predators here,

0:36:540:36:59

and Scottish Natural Heritage recognise

0:36:590:37:03

that, in order to sustain a healthy deer population,

0:37:030:37:06

culling is necessary,

0:37:060:37:08

but William explains that it has to be done right.

0:37:080:37:12

You pick out the old, or the ones that are weak or ill,

0:37:120:37:16

and that's an effort to conserve the greater whole,

0:37:160:37:19

the greater body of animals, to keep them all stronger.

0:37:190:37:22

Well, that's quite right.

0:37:220:37:24

Well, Mary, you're looking a wee bit cold, would you like a wee dram?

0:37:300:37:34

I'll never say no, especially when there's a bit of wind coming up.

0:37:340:37:38

There we are. William?

0:37:380:37:40

Yes, please! Thank you.

0:37:400:37:42

-Don't spill any.

-A Scotsman doesn't spill it!

0:37:420:37:45

There we are.

0:37:450:37:46

This will warm the cockles of our hearts.

0:37:490:37:52

Yes.

0:37:520:37:53

Here's to your very good health, anyway.

0:37:530:37:56

Cheers.

0:37:560:37:57

-If I blew and you lit a match, it would go up.

-It would go up!

0:37:590:38:04

As we head back from the hills,

0:38:100:38:12

Lady Mansfield tells me venison will be the fuel for our dancing

0:38:120:38:17

at the upcoming party.

0:38:170:38:18

But first, I want her help,

0:38:180:38:21

with my take on a dish that has long been a favourite on the menu

0:38:210:38:25

for royal visitors at Scone Palace.

0:38:250:38:28

Well, Mary, we are so lucky.

0:38:280:38:30

Roddy and Stewart have managed to provide us with some fillet.

0:38:300:38:33

It looks amazing. It's quite big.

0:38:330:38:35

What kind of a deer is it from?

0:38:350:38:37

This is red deer, the Monarch of the Glen.

0:38:370:38:39

-That's the great, big, fine one that we see pictures of?

-Yes.

0:38:390:38:43

Start off by sealing the meat in a very hot pan.

0:38:450:38:48

Pepper and salt on the top.

0:38:480:38:50

Gosh, you can smell it already.

0:38:520:38:54

Then I'm going to turn that over.

0:38:550:38:57

-That's just what it should do, isn't it?

-Perfect.

0:38:590:39:02

When the venison is nicely browned, leave to one side to cool.

0:39:020:39:06

Instead of the usual mushroom or pate topping,

0:39:060:39:09

I'm going to use caramelised onions to crown this wellington.

0:39:090:39:14

Gently cook the onions in the same pan and, once soft and golden,

0:39:140:39:19

set aside half for the gravy.

0:39:190:39:21

Then add chopped thyme, light muscovado sugar,

0:39:230:39:26

and balsamic vinegar.

0:39:260:39:28

That's it.

0:39:280:39:29

Smell it. Have a smell.

0:39:300:39:32

Mmm!

0:39:340:39:35

You want both onions and meat completely cool

0:39:350:39:38

before you wrap them in pastry,

0:39:380:39:40

and I'm using puff pastry, rolled out nice and thinly.

0:39:400:39:44

Now, normally you would put beaten egg when you're sealing it,

0:39:460:39:49

but brushing mustard not only adds to the flavour,

0:39:490:39:53

it means that it will stick.

0:39:530:39:55

That's a really good tip, I didn't know that.

0:39:550:39:58

It sticks like mad.

0:39:580:39:59

This is where it all comes together.

0:39:590:40:02

I've got a really neat way to wrap the venison in the pastry.

0:40:020:40:06

Simply cut two rectangles from either side.

0:40:060:40:10

There we are.

0:40:120:40:13

I'm going to turn those in like that, and then roll it over gently,

0:40:140:40:20

like that.

0:40:200:40:22

Like that.

0:40:230:40:24

And then the fold is underneath,

0:40:240:40:28

and the top is where all the onions are.

0:40:280:40:33

That looks fantastic.

0:40:330:40:35

If you see a little bit of a gap there,

0:40:350:40:37

there's nothing like a little pinch to get it together,

0:40:370:40:40

because we don't want the juices coming out.

0:40:400:40:43

Use the pastry you've cut off to make some decorations for the top

0:40:430:40:48

and give it all a good brush with some egg wash.

0:40:480:40:51

Pop it in the fridge to chill right down before cooking.

0:40:510:40:55

While we're ladies-in-waiting,

0:40:570:40:59

Lady Mansfield has an amazing culinary surprise

0:40:590:41:02

from the palace archives.

0:41:020:41:04

It's a letter from the Duke of Wellington

0:41:040:41:06

to "my Dear Lady Mansfield",

0:41:060:41:08

dated September 11th, 1833, with his signature at the bottom.

0:41:080:41:14

So, isn't that fun?

0:41:140:41:15

-Absolutely amazing!

-The other most extraordinary thing

0:41:150:41:18

is he's enclosed a recipe,

0:41:180:41:21

and it's a recipe for how to make butter.

0:41:210:41:24

"Put the cream into a strong linen cloth.

0:41:240:41:28

"Dig a hole and let the bottom be large enough

0:41:280:41:31

"to allow the cream to lie almost four inches deep all over it.

0:41:310:41:36

"Cover up with the earth.

0:41:360:41:38

"Let it remain 24 hours.

0:41:380:41:40

"Take it out, and pour the cream, which will be very thick,

0:41:400:41:44

"into a bowl, and stir it well with a wooden spoon or ladle.

0:41:440:41:48

"It is in bad weather that this mode of making butter

0:41:480:41:52

"is particularly advantageous."

0:41:520:41:54

I think the letter is worth an awful lot more than the recipe!

0:41:540:41:59

I think the recipe's barking!

0:41:590:42:01

This Wellington goes in the oven at 200 fan for about 15 minutes,

0:42:040:42:09

while I get on with making a gravy worthy of the man himself.

0:42:090:42:13

Stir in a tablespoonful of flour to the remaining onions,

0:42:140:42:18

before gradually adding hot beef stock.

0:42:180:42:21

And in goes a dollop of redcurrant jelly.

0:42:210:42:25

There's another ingredient that's going in which is very important,

0:42:250:42:28

and that's the port.

0:42:280:42:30

Then let it bubble away until it looks rich and glossy

0:42:330:42:37

before sieving out the onions.

0:42:370:42:39

Well, Mary, here it is,

0:42:440:42:46

and the smell's so good that I met two people outside

0:42:460:42:50

who are very keen to be allowed to try some.

0:42:500:42:53

Lovely to see you again, Roddy.

0:42:530:42:55

Well, nobody knows more than you about venison and deer.

0:42:550:42:58

Roddy is joined by head gardener Brian Cunningham,

0:42:580:43:01

and I hope they're in for a treat.

0:43:010:43:04

I think it's best to do it in thick slices.

0:43:040:43:07

-You'd rather have a thick slice than a thin one, I bet!

-Definitely!

0:43:070:43:11

It's going through like butter.

0:43:140:43:16

I hope that it's beautifully pink.

0:43:160:43:19

Oh, just look at that, isn't that fantastic?

0:43:220:43:26

-Is that how it should be? You're the expert.

-Lovely!

0:43:260:43:29

On this occasion, it's not going to be ladies first, it's boys first,

0:43:300:43:33

because you're jolly hungry.

0:43:330:43:35

Come on.

0:43:350:43:37

It's funny, all the chaps like the gravy, don't they?

0:43:390:43:42

But we have put quite a lot of port,

0:43:420:43:44

and I know you like a wee tipple from time to time.

0:43:440:43:47

It's not often you get Mary Berry to come and cook for you, is it?

0:43:480:43:51

I love to see the smile on their faces, that's what matters to me.

0:43:510:43:55

It's very nice. I think I'll have some more.

0:43:550:43:57

That's right, come on.

0:43:570:43:59

I think I've won over the head gardener, Brian, with my Wellington.

0:43:590:44:03

And in return, he's kindly agreed to show me

0:44:070:44:09

the estate's eight-acre Pinetum,

0:44:090:44:12

a rare collection of majestic trees.

0:44:120:44:15

Planted back in 1848 by the fourth Earl of Mansfield,

0:44:170:44:21

it's a magnificent example of the Victorian craze

0:44:210:44:25

for collecting plants from around the world.

0:44:250:44:28

But it all began in 1810,

0:44:280:44:30

when the third Earl employed an 11-year-old boy

0:44:300:44:35

who would go on to become one of the most renowned plant hunters of all.

0:44:350:44:40

So do you know the name David Douglas?

0:44:400:44:42

-I think I do.

-We've got strong ties with him,

0:44:420:44:45

because he was actually born here in the old village of Scone,

0:44:450:44:48

and he served his apprenticeship here, before moving on

0:44:480:44:51

and eventually working for the RHS and doing a bit of plant hunting

0:44:510:44:54

and exploration in the north-west of America.

0:44:540:44:56

And, of course, that's a huge journey in those days?

0:44:560:44:59

All to just bring us back some treasures.

0:44:590:45:02

But what he's most famous for is his trees, and his forest trees in particular.

0:45:020:45:05

So, maybe we should get out now and show you some of these, Mary.

0:45:050:45:10

So we've got some noble firs...

0:45:100:45:13

..some grand firs...

0:45:140:45:16

..but this cracker here, this is the tree that I was wanting to show you.

0:45:170:45:21

And what is it?

0:45:210:45:23

Well, this is one of David Douglas' most important introductions.

0:45:230:45:26

Must be a Douglas fir.

0:45:260:45:28

That's right.

0:45:280:45:29

And it's not just any old Douglas fir,

0:45:290:45:31

this is one of the first Douglas firs in the country,

0:45:310:45:35

planted in 1834 by seed sent back from America by David Douglas.

0:45:350:45:41

If you imagine Scotland from the 1600s onwards,

0:45:410:45:45

our trees were being decimated for the wars, for shipbuilding,

0:45:450:45:50

the Industrial Revolution,

0:45:500:45:52

and David Douglas noticed that these trees were growing straight,

0:45:520:45:56

they were going to be perfect for timber.

0:45:560:45:58

Brian explains that, along with the Sitka spruce,

0:45:580:46:01

the Douglas fir became the backbone of Scottish timber production,

0:46:010:46:06

helping the country's woodland coverage recover from 4% in 1900,

0:46:060:46:11

to almost 20% now.

0:46:110:46:13

So, we have to thank David Douglas?

0:46:130:46:16

-We certainly do.

-But he never saw the result?

0:46:160:46:19

If he looked at Scotland now,

0:46:190:46:20

and the whole landscape is lots of forests of pines,

0:46:200:46:24

he'd be very proud?

0:46:240:46:26

He would be, and quite right.

0:46:260:46:28

But thanks are also due to the likes of the third Earl,

0:46:280:46:32

who supported David Douglas,

0:46:320:46:34

enabling him to transform Scottish forestry

0:46:340:46:37

into the billion pound industry it is today.

0:46:370:46:42

-OVER WALKIE-TALKIE:

-Hello Brian, it's Lady Mansfield. Have you

0:46:420:46:45

-still got Mary with you?

-I sure do.

0:46:450:46:47

Please could you bring her to the Royal Garden? Thank you!

0:46:470:46:50

We're on our way!

0:46:500:46:51

Today, Brian and the family are carrying on the spirit

0:46:530:46:56

of the third and fourth Earls, with plans to reinstate the orchard

0:46:560:47:00

in the four-acre Victorian walled garden.

0:47:000:47:04

-We've got here, it's been quite a trek!

-That's marvellous!

0:47:050:47:08

You know I said that when we had important people to come and visit,

0:47:080:47:12

we really liked it if we could manage to get them

0:47:120:47:16

to plant a tree for us?

0:47:160:47:18

There's a lovely, great hole there, looks perfect.

0:47:180:47:21

So, it would be just fantastic if we could ask you to plant a tree.

0:47:210:47:27

-Come on, let's get going.

-If I give you the planting spade...

0:47:270:47:29

Gosh, that's beautifully shiny.

0:47:290:47:31

And Mary, we've chosen a William pear.

0:47:310:47:34

Oh, it's got a good root.

0:47:340:47:36

Getting into this now.

0:47:410:47:43

-Fantastic.

-In she goes!

0:47:440:47:47

-Is that OK?

-That's beautiful, thank you.

0:47:490:47:51

That's absolutely perfect.

0:47:510:47:53

Well, I feel in very good company with all the royals at Scone Palace.

0:47:530:47:58

Let's hope it grows to be a very fine tree.

0:47:580:48:01

As my visit draws to an end,

0:48:090:48:11

the Palace is gearing up for what will be a real treat -

0:48:110:48:14

a grand dinner for 40 of Lord and Lady Mansfield's great friends,

0:48:140:48:19

followed by traditional Scottish reeling.

0:48:190:48:22

Now, I've got to get my bearings here.

0:48:250:48:27

This must be where the dancing is, but last time I saw it,

0:48:270:48:31

there was a table the whole length of the room.

0:48:310:48:34

I hope all those statues stay like that,

0:48:340:48:37

with the bouncing up and down of the reels,

0:48:370:48:40

because it certainly will make the floor bounce.

0:48:400:48:42

I can see that you're busy, Jean.

0:48:450:48:46

Is this an exciting time for you?

0:48:460:48:48

Yes, it's lovely, lovely, really exciting, really exciting.

0:48:480:48:51

This is for the pre-dinner drinks tonight.

0:48:510:48:55

We're having champagne.

0:48:550:48:57

Nothing but the best.

0:48:570:48:58

Talking of nothing but the best, were you here when the Queen came?

0:48:580:49:02

-Yes.

-What drink did she have?

0:49:020:49:04

Dubonnet. Dubonnet, and she had to get a new bottle because, well,

0:49:040:49:10

we thought maybe somebody had served her a bad drink, maybe a bottle

0:49:100:49:14

they'd had in the back of the cupboard for a number of years.

0:49:140:49:17

It's the same with Princess Margaret,

0:49:170:49:19

she's only once ever been here that I know of, and when she came,

0:49:190:49:24

she made up her own gin and tonic.

0:49:240:49:27

Did she? And did she like it?

0:49:270:49:29

-Yes.

-We've heard she enjoyed it, of course.

-Yes.

0:49:290:49:32

I've been tasked with coming up with a suitably Scottish pud

0:49:340:49:37

for the party.

0:49:370:49:38

So, I've recruited William and a bottle of Scotch,

0:49:400:49:43

and I'm inspired to make an old favourite,

0:49:430:49:46

full of fine Scots ingredients.

0:49:460:49:49

Cranachan couldn't be more Scottish.

0:49:490:49:51

In fact, my mama would be very proud of me.

0:49:510:49:54

-Will you help me?

-I'll try to help.

0:49:540:49:56

The first thing to do is to caramelise the oats

0:49:560:49:58

to make them nice and crunchy.

0:49:580:50:00

So, equal amounts of light muscovado sugar

0:50:000:50:04

and jumbo Scottish oats go into the pan with a knob of butter.

0:50:040:50:08

Just get turning with that.

0:50:080:50:10

So literally just flip it around?

0:50:100:50:11

Flip it around, preferably not all over the floor!

0:50:110:50:13

And I've got these raspberries.

0:50:130:50:16

Am I right in thinking that this area is particularly famous for raspberries?

0:50:160:50:19

Yes, yes, yes.

0:50:190:50:21

This would be the raspberry bowl of Britain.

0:50:210:50:23

We have very long summer days, a bit of rain, it is Scotland,

0:50:230:50:27

but long summer days, that's the key.

0:50:270:50:29

Now for the cream.

0:50:310:50:32

As this cranachan is for a special occasion,

0:50:320:50:35

I'm going to make it extra luxurious by whisking double cream

0:50:350:50:40

into rich mascarpone.

0:50:400:50:41

When the oats are beautifully brown, put to one side to cool.

0:50:430:50:47

Now we need the whisky.

0:50:480:50:50

Shall we judge it? What do you think?

0:50:510:50:54

-Like that?

-I think that looks perfect.

0:50:540:50:57

We'll see how we go.

0:50:570:50:58

Fold the cooled oats into the whisky and cream,

0:50:590:51:03

along with those lovely Scottish raspberries.

0:51:030:51:05

It's a bit like Eton mess.

0:51:080:51:10

-It is, yeah.

-But it's Scottish.

0:51:100:51:12

-Scottish mess.

-Scottish mess!

0:51:120:51:14

It is really sheer luxury.

0:51:170:51:19

-Come on.

-All right.

0:51:190:51:21

I reckon you might have topped the chart with that, that's very good.

0:51:280:51:31

It will give us good energy for the dancing to come, as well.

0:51:310:51:34

And we'll need it. Well, some of us will!

0:51:340:51:37

Always serve at the guest's left-hand side.

0:51:400:51:45

Water and the wine at the guest's right-hand side.

0:51:450:51:49

Down in the kitchen, Steve Gilroy, the head chef, is hard at work,

0:51:520:51:57

and I can't wait to see what he's serving ahead of my pud

0:51:570:52:01

for tonight's grand dinner.

0:52:010:52:03

May I come into the chef's domain?

0:52:040:52:07

Hello.

0:52:070:52:08

What's going on, Steve?

0:52:080:52:10

We're preparing canapes for the dinner that you're attending.

0:52:100:52:14

Lady Mansfield said you're going to have venison in some form?

0:52:140:52:17

Yeah, we have some lovely roe deer from the Estate.

0:52:170:52:20

It's the same dish that I did for Lord Mansfield's 60th last year.

0:52:200:52:23

-So, it's well practised?

-Yeah, it's well practised!

-Well, that's good.

0:52:230:52:26

Goodness gracious, what is this?

0:52:260:52:27

This is a haggis bonbon, and it's with a whisky jus,

0:52:270:52:30

so you eat the haggis and then drink the jus.

0:52:300:52:33

You don't want too many of those!

0:52:330:52:35

No, well, it depends!

0:52:350:52:37

BAGPIPES PLAY

0:52:420:52:46

A huge array of the Murrays' family friends have gathered for the night,

0:52:580:53:03

and I'm told that there are many fine Scottish dancers amongst them.

0:53:030:53:07

And I've got my mother's Wilson tartan sash to help me fit in.

0:53:080:53:13

Mary, can I introduce you to Jane McNab?

0:53:130:53:16

-Hello, how do you do?

-How do you do?

0:53:160:53:19

This is Brian Ivory, Sir Brian Ivory,

0:53:190:53:22

and this is Jane's husband, Jamie McNab.

0:53:220:53:24

-Hello.

-Hello.

0:53:240:53:25

I have to look, is that badger,

0:53:250:53:28

-or... No, what is it?

-No, it's horsehair.

0:53:280:53:31

Horsehair! You can see how ignorant I am.

0:53:310:53:35

-How many's that?

-Three, four, five, six, seven... 14.

-Perfect.

0:53:550:53:59

Come on, then.

0:53:590:54:00

Dinner is served,

0:54:050:54:07

and Jean is in her element, keeping everything flowing smoothly.

0:54:070:54:11

Thank you.

0:54:110:54:13

The seared venison is the star of the show.

0:54:130:54:16

And, with the palace sparkling and fully brought to life,

0:54:190:54:23

it's easy to imagine the many royals enjoying the Murray hospitality

0:54:230:54:28

throughout the centuries.

0:54:280:54:30

-The one that Mary's done was like that, all right?

-Right, OK.

0:54:320:54:35

And the chef has made sure there's enough of my cranachan for everyone.

0:54:350:54:40

Let battle commence, ha-ha!

0:54:410:54:43

One day you will be the Earl of Mansfield.

0:54:530:54:55

-I will.

-Have you thought how you'll feel about that?

0:54:550:54:58

Quite the responsibility.

0:54:580:55:01

That's 16-plus generations.

0:55:010:55:04

One thing I've always been keen to ensure

0:55:040:55:08

is I don't want to be known as William who just went home.

0:55:080:55:11

That's what I could very easily do,

0:55:110:55:13

but I wouldn't be able to cope with that.

0:55:130:55:15

I want to go out in the world and earn my own stripes.

0:55:150:55:17

And the relationship that you have with your staff is extraordinary.

0:55:170:55:22

It means a lot to you, doesn't it?

0:55:220:55:23

It means a huge amount to me.

0:55:230:55:25

Theoretically speaking, they should call me now My Lord,

0:55:250:55:28

which I find really strange.

0:55:280:55:30

So I insist upon them all still calling me William,

0:55:300:55:33

because that's what they've called me for years.

0:55:330:55:36

So you wish to carry on the traditions of Scone?

0:55:360:55:39

Very much so, and, yeah,

0:55:390:55:41

I want to continue the tradition and marry the old to the new

0:55:410:55:44

and drag Scone into the 21st-century and beyond,

0:55:440:55:47

and I'm very excited by that.

0:55:470:55:49

MUSIC: The Dashing White Sergeant

0:55:530:55:56

And back!

0:55:560:55:57

It's all coming back to me...

0:55:570:55:59

Sort of!

0:55:590:56:01

But what fun to be reeling again.

0:56:010:56:03

And turn!

0:56:030:56:05

It's been so wonderful to be here amongst all this incredible history

0:56:050:56:10

at Scone...

0:56:100:56:11

Woo-hoo!

0:56:110:56:12

..and get a taste of the royal pleasures

0:56:120:56:15

that so delighted all the kings and queens

0:56:150:56:18

who came here over the past 12 centuries.

0:56:180:56:21

I'll never forget being given this one-off peek into the private side

0:56:210:56:27

of this Scottish national treasure.

0:56:270:56:29

And it's good to know that, with William and his family

0:56:290:56:32

and their loyal staff, its future is in safe hands.

0:56:320:56:36

Next time, I visit Powderham Castle on the Devon coast

0:56:470:56:52

to meet the youngest generation of one of Britain's oldest families...

0:56:520:56:56

The cream before the jam.

0:56:560:56:58

..who are taking on the challenge of a great estate...

0:56:580:57:02

There's an awful lot for you to do here, Charlie.

0:57:020:57:05

..and doing things a bit differently.

0:57:050:57:08

The best thing about the staircase, obviously,

0:57:080:57:10

is going down on a tray or on your bottom.

0:57:100:57:12

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