0:00:02 > 0:00:04Britain is world-famous for its stately homes.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07And when it comes to food,
0:00:07 > 0:00:11our country houses were the taste-makers.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Curry and cockle, it's an absolute first for me.
0:00:15 > 0:00:19In this series, we'll sample delicious dishes.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21They look wonderful, Mary.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23And enjoy the lavish hospitality
0:00:23 > 0:00:26that these homes were celebrated for.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28You look absolutely stunning.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30I'll show you how to cook
0:00:30 > 0:00:35tasty, modern recipes inspired by the history of our great houses.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38This is actually Napoleon's chair from Waterloo.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Mind you, I could do with a cushion.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44Join me as I meet the families who own these exceptional homes.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46The best thing about the staircase, obviously,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- is going down on a tray or on your bottom.- Oh!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52And find out what it's really like to live...
0:00:52 > 0:00:54It looks quite saucy.
0:00:54 > 0:00:55..work...
0:00:55 > 0:00:56It's very like cutting a hedge.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58I think you're better at baking!
0:00:58 > 0:01:03..and party in the nation's most beautiful stately homes.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I'm not going to drop it!
0:01:05 > 0:01:08This week, I'm meeting the young family
0:01:08 > 0:01:10breathing new life into Powderham Castle.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13- Do you like it, Jackie? - I love it.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16And I'll join them at a magical woodland party to thank
0:01:16 > 0:01:19everyone who's helped them settle in.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It's been quite a journey. Fairy tales happen.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28This is your invitation to dine at some of Britain's grandest tables,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31in some of the most beautiful houses in the land.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46I'm in Devon, just south of Exeter,
0:01:46 > 0:01:48crossing the great estuary of the River Exe.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00I just love Devon, even on a blustery and rather misty day.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03The smell of the sea is all very tempting.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10And waiting to meet me is the Earl of Devon himself,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Charlie Courtenay.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18- Hello, Mary.- Oh, it's lovely to be back in Devon.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21- Thank you for coming in this lovely weather.- Oh, who cares!
0:02:24 > 0:02:29Charlie's family has been connected to this estuary for over 600 years.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33You know, the estuary is such a remarkably vibrant place.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37I think in medieval times, it was something like England's
0:02:37 > 0:02:39- second or third biggest port. - Was it?
0:02:39 > 0:02:40And, so, we were a French family
0:02:40 > 0:02:43and all the trading from Exeter would have gone out
0:02:43 > 0:02:46to the south of France, to Bordeaux, around there.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48And they would have brought wine back, and wool out,
0:02:48 > 0:02:52so it was very much a trading estuary.
0:02:52 > 0:02:53Wow!
0:02:53 > 0:02:54TRAIN HORN BLOWS
0:02:59 > 0:03:02I'm on my way to the house that's been
0:03:02 > 0:03:05the Courtenay family home since 1391,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07Powderham Castle.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10There it is in all its glory, Powderham.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- So, there's Powderham Castle. - Flag flying.- Yes, that's my flag,
0:03:13 > 0:03:15the Earl of Devon's flag.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19I think I'm the 28th generation of the family to move my kids in,
0:03:19 > 0:03:20which is rather nice.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27I feel as though there ought to have been a drawbridge.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30I know. Well, we've stood down the knights from the top!
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Charlie inherited Powderham
0:03:34 > 0:03:37two years ago on the death of his father.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41Before then, he, his wife and their two young children
0:03:41 > 0:03:44had been living in America for 11 years.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- Let's get in, out of the rain. - Yes.- And you can tell me more.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50And, now, as Earl of Devon,
0:03:50 > 0:03:55he's become the custodian of one of the oldest aristocratic titles
0:03:55 > 0:03:57- in the country... - Welcome to Powderham.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01..and a sprawling castle which has evolved over six centuries.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Mary, this is the big dining room.
0:04:07 > 0:04:08Which, for all its appearances,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11is actually the most modern room in the house.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13It was built by the Victorians,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16effectively to provide a really nice functional space
0:04:16 > 0:04:17to have big dinner parties in.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20It's one that we use a lot as a family for Christmas dinners,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Christmas lunches.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26I can just imagine this room as it is with a roaring fire.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Oh! We've been out in all that cold.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32I know, it's a good place to warm up after a morning outside.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35And, even though it's the most modern room in the house,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38it tells a very old story because it has throughout the coats of arms
0:04:38 > 0:04:41on the walls, the family tree, effectively,
0:04:41 > 0:04:45dating back to Athon in the far corner who was a French knight who
0:04:45 > 0:04:49fortified a town called Courtenay in France in about 1000 AD.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51So, he was the original Courtenay.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53And you see the story of the family line ever since
0:04:53 > 0:04:57up to William, who built the room in 1830.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02The Courtenay family have an impressive lineage.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05But now I want to meet the next generation.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Come on through and meet the family.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Mary, this is my wife, AJ.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15- Hello, AJ.- It's really nice to meet you.- And this is Jocelyn.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- Hi.- I love the hat. - And Jack, my son.- Aha.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21So, this is actually where you live, sort of,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25- within the castle.- Yeah.- It feels very cosy here.- Oh, it is cosy, yes,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29- it's actually nice and warm. - And I recognise an American accent,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32- is that right?- Yeah. AJ and I met in a bar in Las Vegas.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37I was on a rugby tour, AJ was on a hen weekend.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39And the rest is Jocelyn and Jack.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42Ah, lovely. And how is England for you?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45The main problem is the weather.
0:05:45 > 0:05:47We're used to warm, scorching.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49And when we come here, we're just like...
0:05:51 > 0:05:53Ah, but you've got the beauty of Devon.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56- Yes.- I most likely will need a bit of help later
0:05:56 > 0:05:58making a Devon cream tea.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00Can I rely on you two?
0:06:00 > 0:06:02I don't know how to make one.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- You know how to eat it. - Cream first, then jam.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06Right. We'll have it that way.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09But now I want to see the rest of the house, come on.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Yes, let's go through this door and explore the house.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Powderham began as a medieval castle,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22but it was in the 18th century that the modern house took shape.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26From the magnificent music room for grand entertaining...
0:06:28 > 0:06:31..to the elegant libraries...
0:06:33 > 0:06:36..this was a home designed to impress.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39And here's the staircase hall.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46What an extraordinary, glorious colour.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Yeah, it's Powderham blue, it's a very unique colour.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57I interestingly had a call from a French count a couple of months ago
0:06:57 > 0:07:00asking to reproduce it in his French castle.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03So, it's the Powderham blue, and people obviously seem to like it.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07What striking plasterwork.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10It was done by a couple of local Exeter craftsmen.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14But what you notice, in the top corners, there's a different animal.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18There's a squirrel here, there's something like a stoat there.
0:07:20 > 0:07:23And a hare with great, long ears.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28And birds, lots of birds.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31It's depicting the countryside.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Absolutely. And it depicts the pursuits of the people
0:07:34 > 0:07:36that lived in the castle when it was built.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39So, 1750, you could see the musical instruments they were playing.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41A violin or something.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43It almost looks like cake icing, doesn't it?
0:07:43 > 0:07:45It does. Very beautifully done, too.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55All that is missing is a lady coming down in a marvellous dress
0:07:55 > 0:08:00billowing out. Imagine all the men standing here with their drinks,
0:08:00 > 0:08:02watching them all coming downstairs.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06The best thing about the staircase, obviously,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09is going down on a tray or on your bottom.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12When I was a child, we didn't have carpets on the stairs,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14and it was just a plain, wooden staircase.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17And you'd get really good speed going up and down the stairs.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Yes, cos you couldn't slide down the banisters
0:08:19 > 0:08:22cos you'd get stuck halfway. On a tray would be a good idea.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Great fun. I'll show you the marble hall.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33So, this is the marble hall which is the bottom half
0:08:33 > 0:08:37of the old medieval great hall. On the far side of the hall,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39you see the old medieval archways.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42And the archways go to the buttery, the kitchen and pantry.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45And the whole meal would be processed from the kitchen
0:08:45 > 0:08:49down the corridor, through that door to the big table up there.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52The whole purpose of the house was cooking and serving food.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54- And entertaining. - And entertaining, exactly.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56But there's no food coming from that kitchen now.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58No. Well, we'll go and have a look
0:08:58 > 0:09:00and see if we can make something happen.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05Today, Charlie and AJ do their own cooking
0:09:05 > 0:09:10in their private family kitchen. But in the 19th century
0:09:10 > 0:09:13this house employed over 30 domestic servants,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16including cooks and kitchen maids.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20The kitchen they worked in has been perfectly preserved.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24Mary, this is the Victorian kitchen.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26It's so lofty and big.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29And the copper, gosh, I'm glad I don't have to clean that.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Yes, I mean, what's amazing about this space is it's been the kitchen
0:09:33 > 0:09:35of the castle since 1390, when the castle was built.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39So, you can sort of think of 600 years of just preparing food
0:09:39 > 0:09:41and feasting from this kitchen.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43But in the 20th century
0:09:43 > 0:09:46the grand entertaining came to an end.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49In the 10, 20 years after the war, you know, the butler left,
0:09:49 > 0:09:52the housemaids left. My grandparents had to diversify, you know,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55generate an income and open it to visitors.
0:09:55 > 0:09:56And that was a learning curve
0:09:56 > 0:09:58because you find out you need a tearoom.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Exactly. So, here's my grandmother Venetia overseeing the baking of the
0:10:02 > 0:10:06- scones. She'd have loved to have met you, Mary.- Ah.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10I couldn't come to Devon without having a cream tea,
0:10:10 > 0:10:11a Devon cream tea.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Would you like to see my scones?
0:10:14 > 0:10:15I think they're very special.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19They're crispy on the outside and all soft and spongy in the middle.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Oh, Mary, we would be honoured and would really, really enjoy
0:10:22 > 0:10:23to have some of your cream tea.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32There's nothing more tempting than warm, home-made scones,
0:10:32 > 0:10:34fresh from the oven.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36This recipe is a classic.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40To please everyone, I'm making both plain and fruit scones.
0:10:42 > 0:10:47So, for my scones, this is the recipe I've done year in, year out.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50And it seems to be a very good one.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55The ingredients couldn't be simpler.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59450g of self-raising flour.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Then, for extra lightness, two teaspoons of baking powder.
0:11:05 > 0:11:0950g of sugar and 100g of butter.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I've made more scones in my time than I can think of,
0:11:14 > 0:11:17because the ingredients you've always got on the shelf.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19They're very easy to make.
0:11:19 > 0:11:24Just rub it and lift the air into it until it looks like breadcrumbs.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Next, I'm beating two eggs and adding milk
0:11:29 > 0:11:31to bring it up to 300ml.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Then, I use a knife, and I just work it in.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42It'll be a fairly sticky dough and that's what I want.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44And I won't handle it too much.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49And the little bit that is at the bottom I'll use it to brush over
0:11:49 > 0:11:53the scones to give them a nice, shiny top.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58That looks like a nice, sticky dough.
0:11:58 > 0:11:59Not too dry.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Now it's ready to shape.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I've got some flour over here.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08So, I'm putting my hand in there so that, as I work it all together,
0:12:08 > 0:12:10it won't stick to my hand.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Well, not too much anyway.
0:12:12 > 0:12:13So, bring it together.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19And, then, onto a floured table, just tip that out.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23And I'm not doing an awful lot of kneading.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26I'm going to cut it in half.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28One half I'll keep for the plain scones
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and the other half I'll mix with the sultanas.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Knead those in.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39You don't really need a rolling pin, just pat it all over.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41Now, what I'd really like are two little helpers.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Coo!
0:12:43 > 0:12:45There we are.
0:12:46 > 0:12:47How about, Jack, you come here?
0:12:48 > 0:12:50Have you made scones before?
0:12:50 > 0:12:51- Um, no.- No.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- And what about you?- Not really.- So, what I do when I'm cutting them out
0:12:55 > 0:12:57is to get a little pile.
0:12:57 > 0:13:00And what you do is just do that and it stops it sticking.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04- OK.- And wriggle it like that backwards and forwards.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06That's it. Oh, that looks a beauty.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12We'll pop the scones on a greased baking tray, flour side down.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Right, now, we want them with shiny tops.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22A little bit on each one.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25Try not to get it too down the sides because, if you do,
0:13:25 > 0:13:26it sticks to the tray.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31So, Jocelyn, when you came from America,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34what was it like to come over here to live in a castle?
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Do you ever get lost?
0:13:36 > 0:13:40I got lost for 20 minutes trying to find the kitchen for breakfast.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43I expect there are many places to play hide and seek.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47- Yes.- A lot. My parents have said that we probably shouldn't play it
0:13:47 > 0:13:50cos once one of my friends got very much lost.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Gracious!
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Our scones are ready for the oven.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Bake them at 200 degrees fan
0:13:59 > 0:14:03for about ten minutes until they're crisp and golden.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07And, then, for the ultimate test.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Serving our Devon cream tea...
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- Oh, yay!- ..to the Earl and Countess of Devon.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19- That is amazing.- Or Mum and Dad, to Jocelyn and Jack.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- What goes next? - AJ:- That's a well-made scone.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- JOCELYN:- The cream before the jam.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29- The cream before the jam.- This is because we are in Devon,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- is that right?- Yes. We were doing some interviews for positions,
0:14:32 > 0:14:36and Charlie put the question, "Cream on top or jam on top?"
0:14:36 > 0:14:39If they got it wrong, I just couldn't save them.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43And the first recorded account of a cream tea, apparently,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46comes from the archive of Tavistock Abbey.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51Following a Viking invasion in 997 AD, they knocked down the abbey.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54And, in order to rebuild it, they employed a number of craftsmen,
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and it was the Earl of Devon,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59a predecessor of mine called Odrwulf,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02he ordered them scones, cream and jam.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Well, that is a good heritage, isn't it?
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It proves we invented it and not the Cornish!
0:15:10 > 0:15:11That's quite a claim.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17But I imagine it takes more than cream teas
0:15:17 > 0:15:19to keep a house like Powderham going.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25The castle is set on a 3,500 acre estate.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30It's home to a working farm as well as a magnificent deer park
0:15:30 > 0:15:33run by gamekeeper Dick Durrant.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36The deer, to me, they look like little Bambis.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39- Yeah, I mean, they're a super-looking animal.- So pretty.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43Dick started looking after the deer here nearly 20 years ago
0:15:43 > 0:15:45when Charlie's father was still Earl.
0:15:45 > 0:15:50The deer herd originates from post English Civil War.
0:15:50 > 0:15:52So, about 300 years.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56And so it kept going through all the family, through all the generations,
0:15:56 > 0:15:57and is continuing?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59- Nothing changes?- Exactly.
0:15:59 > 0:16:00That's part of the reason
0:16:00 > 0:16:02I really enjoy working in this landscape is that
0:16:02 > 0:16:05you're working in a piece of almost living history.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Because it's been in the same family ownership for the past 600 or so
0:16:08 > 0:16:12years, it has changed, but still looks incredibly similar.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Every year, the Powderham estate
0:16:17 > 0:16:22attracts around 35,000 visitors from all over the UK.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26But there are some guests who travel from much further afield.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30This must be a wonderful landscape for wildlife.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32It's so peaceful.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Yeah. During the winter, you will see large amounts
0:16:35 > 0:16:36of widgeon and teal,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39and the birds nest in the north-west of Russia.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- Gracious. So, they come all that way to here?- Yes.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Yeah. To come for our winter.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Do you shoot any of the wild duck?
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Yeah, we do shoot a very small percentage of them
0:16:49 > 0:16:51each year, which we would take away and eat, obviously.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Duck has been on the menu at Powderham for over 300 years.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01But you don't need to live on a country estate to enjoy it.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05This is my pan-fried breast of duck,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09served with a rich apple sauce with Calvados,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13in honour of the Courtenay family's French heritage.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16I really like duck.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20And, so often over the years, I've done it duck a l'orange.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22But it goes really well with apples.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26I like to remove the skin.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28Use a sharp knife for any tough bits.
0:17:30 > 0:17:31That's come off very nicely.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Season the duck breasts. That's it.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Then, fry them in a hot pan for four minutes on each side.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Right, that looks a bit of all right, lovely colour there.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45PAN SIZZLES Turn it over.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47That smells pretty good.
0:17:49 > 0:17:51Once they're evenly cooked on both sides,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54leave them to rest for 15 minutes.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59And resting is all-important. Why? Because the heat that you had
0:17:59 > 0:18:04on the outside will go on cooking and also it makes it more tender.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Then it's on to my apple and Calvados sauce...
0:18:10 > 0:18:11..made with eating apples.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14I'm going to do it in butter because I want the buttery taste.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18There's a tiny little bit of residue from the duck,
0:18:18 > 0:18:22and that will help to give a little bit of brown to my apples.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29Gently cook the apple slices until they're tender and golden.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33Now, that's getting soft but not quite.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37The reason why I wouldn't use something like a Bramley,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40a cooking apple, because it would get to this stage
0:18:40 > 0:18:43and it would be a beautiful buttery mush, and I don't want that.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I want to have a bit of texture within the sauce.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52I reckon we're there.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Now leave the apple to cool.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56That's it.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Then it's time for the star of my sauce, Calvados.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Of course, Calvados is apple brandy.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09I'm using 100ml and I'm just going to evaporate that just until
0:19:09 > 0:19:12it's half, that'll drive off the alcohol.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14Mind you, that smell, it makes me think of Christmas,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17it makes me think of special things.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18It's lovely.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Once the Calvados has reduced by half,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25it's onto the next part of the sauce,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29100ml of stock and 200ml of apple juice.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Add to the pan and reduce again.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35I want the sauce to be slightly thickened,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38so I'm going to do that with cornflour instead of flour.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41It gives a more translucent look to the sauce.
0:19:41 > 0:19:45Mix a teaspoonful of cornflour with a splash of apple juice.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51Add some of the sauce.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54In it goes. Give that a good stir.
0:19:56 > 0:19:57Back into the pan there.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01And bring it to the boil, stirring as it thickens.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06I'm going to add the apple to it now.
0:20:08 > 0:20:09And take it off the heat.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12I don't want that apple to go all mushy.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17For an extra hit of flavour and colour,
0:20:17 > 0:20:21add any remaining juices from the meat to the pan.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Right. We're ready to serve.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26I want it to be a gentle pink,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28and I think that's just what I've achieved,
0:20:28 > 0:20:30and I'm rather pleased about that.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43I reckon that took me about half an hour to make.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47Oh, so simple to do, and yet so special.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51And who better to sample it than the countess,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55or AJ as she's known to everyone here at Powderham.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58AJ, come in. I hope you're hungry.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- Come in and have a taste. - Oh, it smells amazing.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02I feel very lucky right now.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07It's perfect. The sauce isn't too rich.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09No cream in there. No cream at all.
0:21:09 > 0:21:10It's a perfect combination.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15So, how did you come to be countess here when you come from America?
0:21:15 > 0:21:18I met him in a bar in Vegas.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21I'd organised a bachelorette weekend.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23- A hen weekend.- A hen weekend.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26And I was on a TV show at the time, so I could get a really cool suite.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28You were doing a show?
0:21:28 > 0:21:29- So you were acting?- Yes.
0:21:31 > 0:21:32Before she moved to Powderham,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36AJ enjoyed a successful career as an actress in America.
0:21:37 > 0:21:41Over the years, she starred in shows including Seinfeld,
0:21:41 > 0:21:44My So-Called Life and Baywatch.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48So, as an actress, you were in a bar.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52And I looked across the bar, and I smacked my girlfriend, and I said,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- "That one, yum." - I can see you saying that, too!
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Well, who wouldn't?
0:21:56 > 0:21:59And he was just smiling and flopping his floppy hair,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01and we just looked at each other and smiled.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06So, when you got to know Charlie, quite well, in Las Vegas,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09did you know in fact that he had a title?
0:22:09 > 0:22:13No. No, one of the guys said, "Hey, that's a good one, he's royalty."
0:22:14 > 0:22:15- But I didn't...- Didn't take it in?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19No. And then the next morning I called my mom, and I said,
0:22:19 > 0:22:20"Mom, I've met the guy."
0:22:20 > 0:22:23We had a rendezvous in New York, like, a month later.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27Letters started coming, and then phone calls like clockwork.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31And then we went to Isle of Skye, and then we drove back and he said,
0:22:31 > 0:22:36"Do you want to meet my parents?" And, um, I was like, "Wow. Serious."
0:22:36 > 0:22:39And we show up at this house, and it's, like, this long driveway,
0:22:39 > 0:22:42then these amazing gardens, and then this stone castle comes up,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45and I was just like, "Whoa, this can't be for real."
0:22:45 > 0:22:48And it still happens, where you look out and just go, "It's magic."
0:22:48 > 0:22:51That is a truly romantic story.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59I can only guess what it must have been like for AJ moving to this very
0:22:59 > 0:23:03different world and taking on this vast house
0:23:03 > 0:23:06with centuries of history and tradition.
0:23:06 > 0:23:07Today, she's invited me
0:23:07 > 0:23:12to share some of the remarkable family stories she's discovered.
0:23:14 > 0:23:15What splendour!
0:23:17 > 0:23:19Well, this is the state bed,
0:23:19 > 0:23:22the place where Charlie's father was born.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25When Charlie and I first got here to the house,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28we started walking through rooms and opening drawers and just seeing
0:23:28 > 0:23:31what's where. And we found...
0:23:31 > 0:23:32..we found this. Come see.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Hundreds of love letters.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39These are from Charlie's grandparents,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41from Christopher to Venetia,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and from Venetia to Christopher.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47So, they met when Venetia was married to the Earl of Cottenham.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- His cousin.- Oh, married before?
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Yes, this was a bit of a scandal.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55And he travelled a lot, and wasn't very pleasant.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57That's where the trouble starts!
0:23:57 > 0:24:00And this is a beautiful picture of Venetia,
0:24:00 > 0:24:02and she was a very striking woman.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03- And her eyes.- Beautiful skin.- Yeah.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05And this is Christopher.
0:24:05 > 0:24:11So, they met and fell in love, and had this passionate romance,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13and these are all the letters before they got married.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Can you see it? Look at this one.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19"My wife, my best armchair, my private sanctum, our home."
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Very intense, very romantic.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24It's just fantastic.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27They are ripped open. Look at the tops.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29You can imagine, "I'm so excited, the letter's coming."
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- I want to know what's inside. - Yes. This is from Christopher.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37"I could not sleep. It was ten o'clock.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40"And I asked your picture if it could help me.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43"It is marvellous how I can have a conversation with you when...
0:24:44 > 0:24:45"..we are miles apart,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49"and how you seem to put new life into me and help me always."
0:24:49 > 0:24:51It's all very touching, isn't it?
0:24:51 > 0:24:53It is. And he'd just inherited
0:24:53 > 0:24:57Powderham at age 19 after three relatives passed away in succession.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Then, finally, they got married, and they could be together,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02and they were in the house together for one month,
0:25:02 > 0:25:04and then he got called to war.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06And what happened to him?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08- Was it...?- Brutal war.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11And he was never the same after the war.
0:25:11 > 0:25:12It's a real drama.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17It's a real-life love story, and it's something we relate to,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20cos I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Charlie having written me
0:25:20 > 0:25:22love letters.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24And then this, this we have in the other room.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28- Would you like to see some coronation robes?- I'd love to.
0:25:28 > 0:25:34In 1953, Christopher and Venetia attended the Queen's coronation.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45They cared for Powderham until Christopher's death in 1998.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49So, this is what Christopher and Venetia wore.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Would you like to try a coronet?
0:25:53 > 0:25:54Aha!
0:26:00 > 0:26:02- Are you sure?- Go for it!
0:26:03 > 0:26:05That one's a lot more comfortable than the little one.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09I'd have probably been better at it if I went to the finishing schools.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- You've got to balance it. - That looks quite saucy.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- One shake and it would drop on the floor.- Right?
0:26:15 > 0:26:18- And I dare say it's quite valuable. - This one does have the little strap.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22So if there is, in the future, a coronation,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24you would be wearing these robes?
0:26:25 > 0:26:27Would I?
0:26:28 > 0:26:31Wow. Cos I'm a little short for that one.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35- After all, you are a countess. - Yeah, exactly.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37No, and it's like moving into this house, what are you doing?
0:26:37 > 0:26:41You're embodying this role, and you study it.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I mean, the title of countess to me
0:26:44 > 0:26:47just means that we're the ones that have to look after the place.
0:26:49 > 0:26:52This castle was built in support of its community,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54so I'm actually really interested in strengthening ties
0:26:54 > 0:26:56and finding out what purpose we can serve.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01This is my favourite little cottage on the estate.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03- They've just cut it all back. - This morning,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06AJ is showing me how she's opening up the castle...
0:27:07 > 0:27:11..with a new project based in the old kitchen garden.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13This is a great wall here.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15Yes, this is the walled garden.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18So this supplied the house with all the food and everything.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22But, in modern days, it's kind of been used for charities,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25and this has become a very, very magical place.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Powderham recently invited a local charity
0:27:28 > 0:27:31to take over the old Victorian greenhouses.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36The Dawlish Gardens Trust provides training and support to people
0:27:36 > 0:27:38with physical and learning disabilities.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42- Hi, Jeanette!- Hi, AJ. - Would you like to meet Mary?
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Nice to see you. Hello, Mary.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- Hello. Jeanette?- Yes, it is, yes.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50If I can introduce the guys that we have here.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52We have Natasha and Caroline.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54They are both deaf people.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Caroline is also deaf-blind.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58It looks as though you're planting pumpkins.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- Why pumpkins?- In the castle, they have treasure hunts.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04For the visitors, so lots of kids come.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06And when they complete the treasure hunt and get
0:28:06 > 0:28:09all the questions right, then they can have a pumpkin to take home.
0:28:09 > 0:28:11And wonderful to have such great helpers.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14Yes, and it's also wonderful we have a great space to offer,
0:28:14 > 0:28:18and we're growing all the vegetables to feed all the animals here.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20In the beginning, when we first came,
0:28:20 > 0:28:23we were just in one third of the section, but we worked so well,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25we actually moved into the middle section.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28You'll see all our people busy out there planting and picking.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32Yep. They've done mosaics and crafts and photography and...
0:28:32 > 0:28:34It's just a wonderful space,
0:28:34 > 0:28:36and this is something that I see Powderham doing so naturally.
0:28:36 > 0:28:40You know, it was built to protect and serve its community,
0:28:40 > 0:28:42and we feel very lucky to have them around.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46As a thank you to everyone who's helped them recently,
0:28:46 > 0:28:50AJ and Charlie will be hosting a special party during my visit.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Just what I need. And they're beautifully young.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56I think that'll be about enough.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00And I think it would be lovely to use some of their own delicious veg
0:29:00 > 0:29:04in a recipe I'm sure everyone will enjoy.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08This is my refreshing midsummer salad.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12Along with tender broad beans from the greenhouse, I'm using asparagus,
0:29:12 > 0:29:14figs and goat's cheese,
0:29:14 > 0:29:18all drizzled with a Dijon mustard dressing.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23Start by podding the broad beans.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26Then it's on to the asparagus.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30Cut off the tips and slice the stalks diagonally,
0:29:30 > 0:29:32which I think is an attractive touch.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36So, all those, I'm going to cook in boiling,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39salted water for three minutes, just until they're tender.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42Cook them any longer and they'll lose their colour,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44and they'll lose their flavour.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Pop them in boiling water...
0:29:49 > 0:29:50..season well...
0:29:51 > 0:29:53..and, after three minutes, they'll be ready.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58They should be a beautiful, bright green colour.
0:29:58 > 0:30:02But, to keep that colour, they need to go straight into cold water.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06Next, I like to take the cooked broad beans out of their skins,
0:30:06 > 0:30:10if there's time. And then when you get inside, look at that.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13It's a beautiful bright green colour.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Then take some ripe figs.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21Cut off the tops and slice them into quarters.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26Now I've got some little gem lettuces.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Just take off the base of that, and then,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31leaving the root on so it holds together,
0:30:31 > 0:30:33just cut it in thin slices.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37So that's our base.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41Arrange the lettuce on a large plate, add the figs...
0:30:43 > 0:30:45..some of the mixed salad leaves
0:30:45 > 0:30:47and a sprinkling of colourful micro-herbs...
0:30:49 > 0:30:52..followed by the blanched beans and the asparagus...
0:30:53 > 0:30:54..and pepper and salt.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58You're certainly going to get lots of textures here.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00You'll get a bit of crunch from the asparagus,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02and those beans have still got texture.
0:31:03 > 0:31:05Now take some goat's cheese,
0:31:05 > 0:31:07cut off the rind and crumble it over the salad.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14The cheese gives it a real lift and a lovely flavour.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17OK, you don't like goat's cheese - use feta.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21And finally, on to the dressing.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25Chop some chives and add a teaspoon of caster sugar to a bowl.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Then I'm going to put a teaspoonful of Dijon mustard in there,
0:31:30 > 0:31:33and about a teaspoon of lemon juice.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Then add a clove of crushed garlic...
0:31:39 > 0:31:42..and six tablespoons of mild olive oil.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44And it will thicken a bit
0:31:44 > 0:31:47because the mustard always makes it a little bit thick.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51Season with pepper and salt.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Then in go the chives.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57Then I'm going to just drizzle that over the top.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00And don't put this dressing on until the last minute.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03The whole effect, I think, is lovely.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08I really hope Charlie and AJ's party guests will enjoy it.
0:32:09 > 0:32:11So, there it is, my midsummer salad.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Beautifully healthy, rather different
0:32:14 > 0:32:16and great for a special occasion.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- We've got a bit of a... - This is great.- ..a storm brewing.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32- It's quite fun, isn't it?- Lovely.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38For centuries, Powderham has been defined by its location
0:32:38 > 0:32:40on the estuary of the River Exe,
0:32:40 > 0:32:43a place for both trade and for pleasure.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50On a day like this,
0:32:50 > 0:32:52there couldn't be anywhere better than being in the estuary.
0:32:52 > 0:32:53The estuary is amazing.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The family have always had a great connection to the estuary,
0:32:56 > 0:32:58particularly through sailing.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00Powderham was always approached from the sea
0:33:00 > 0:33:03back in the days, and there was a harbour right in front of the castle
0:33:03 > 0:33:05before they built the railway line.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08It overlooks this amazing main road, effectively,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12up and down from Exeter out to the sea.
0:33:12 > 0:33:13As lord of the manor of Powderham,
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Charlie owns much of the foreshore along the River Exe,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20which he leases to local shellfish growers.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23We're now, I think, approaching high tide.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26At low tide, so much of this is all mud banks, mudflats,
0:33:26 > 0:33:29and this is where you get all the mussels and all the cockles
0:33:29 > 0:33:31and all the amazing seafood.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33But people pick all sorts of shellfish down here.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35It's an absolutely lovely source of food.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41As we come up, we're coming towards the Starcross Yacht Club,
0:33:41 > 0:33:44and the yacht club has been sailing this estuary
0:33:44 > 0:33:45since at least the 1770s.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48It has a claim to being the oldest sailing club,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50the oldest yacht club, in England.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52It was formed originally in the village of Starcross
0:33:52 > 0:33:55by an ancestor of mine, William, the second viscount,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57along with his friends.
0:33:57 > 0:33:58And in the 1950s,
0:33:58 > 0:34:02they moved from Starcross up to the old Powderham boathouse.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05The founding members of the Starcross Yacht Club
0:34:05 > 0:34:09started a number of unique Powderham traditions
0:34:09 > 0:34:11which still survive to this day.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14So, Mary, this is one of the earliest illustrations that we have
0:34:14 > 0:34:16of the castle from the estuary.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19It's a lovely print from the mid-1700s.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22And it shows the family boat house down here, see,
0:34:22 > 0:34:25that the Starcross Yacht Club now occupies.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28But of course the other relic that we have from this era,
0:34:28 > 0:34:31as well as the yacht club, is the Starcross Dining Club,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34which was founded by the same group of gentlemen.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37And what's wonderful is that dining club, the Starcross Club,
0:34:37 > 0:34:40still meets at Powderham, and they still eat the standard starter
0:34:40 > 0:34:43of curried cockles using cockles from the estuary,
0:34:43 > 0:34:46and using curry from all these spice ships
0:34:46 > 0:34:49that would have been trading up and down the estuary.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51Charlie, curried cockles?
0:34:51 > 0:34:54- Curried cockles. - I need to know how to make them.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57- Come and show me.- Let's go to the big kitchen and have a go.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02Charlie is going to show me how to cook
0:35:02 > 0:35:05this historic Powderham favourite,
0:35:05 > 0:35:10fresh Devon cockles smothered in a creamy curry sauce made with apples,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12white wine and mango chutney.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17So, here we have the cockles.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20These would have been harvested out on the estuary.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Hey, that's fresh, isn't it?
0:35:23 > 0:35:26I have to confess, I have never cooked cockles.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28I've only had them in the East End in a sort of cup.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31- Right.- And I can remember them being frightfully tough.
0:35:31 > 0:35:32But this is interesting.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Charlie starts by frying a large onion.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41We now host the cockle dinner here.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43- And how many come?- 20 to 30 people.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Some new family names, some old family names,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47the farmers and the landowners,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49and they all meet and talk about what's going on.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51And the first course is always this?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Always curried cockles.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Now we need to add the famous spices.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Charlie is adding garam masala, cumin,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03ground coriander and for some heat,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05a quarter of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09So this is the curry sauce, and, of course, curry,
0:36:09 > 0:36:13when this was first made in the 1770s, was just becoming popular
0:36:13 > 0:36:16as a sort of preservative of food in English cooking.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20And it often disguised flavours that had passed their...
0:36:20 > 0:36:22- Yes!- You know, the fish was getting a bit stinky,
0:36:22 > 0:36:26- and they put the curry powder in to disguise it.- Exactly.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Now, add a generous splash of white wine.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31- Shall I do that for you? - Do you want to slosh it?
0:36:31 > 0:36:33I'm pretty good at sloshing the wine.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34150ml.
0:36:36 > 0:36:37- Exactly.- Perfect.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39And plenty left for us.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42I'll pop that to one side.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44Then add 600ml of fish stock.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47- Shall I stir while it goes? - Give it a stir while I pour it in.
0:36:47 > 0:36:51As that starts to thicken, pour in 150ml of cream.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54Devon knows about the cream.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56Then chop two eating apples.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59So that will be coming to the boil, and the apple goes in.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02The point of the apple is to thicken up the sauce a little bit.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06Now let the sauce simmer for a while and reduce.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Right. The next ingredient is some mango chutney.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14And Charlie is being pretty generous with it.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Never be shy on mango chutney.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18That's far more than most people would add,
0:37:18 > 0:37:20and I think you're quite right to do it.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24And it just adds that little bit of sweetness to it.
0:37:24 > 0:37:29Then add lemon zest, the juice of half a lemon, and season.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- Shall we add the cockles? - Go on, then.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36The cockles should be cooked in advance,
0:37:36 > 0:37:40soaked in water for several hours, then steamed or boiled.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45I mean, it depends on whether your guests mind a bit of
0:37:45 > 0:37:47authentic Exe foreshore in their meal.
0:37:47 > 0:37:48But if they don't mind it,
0:37:48 > 0:37:51it's actually quite nice to have them sort of a little bit gritty.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54- This is ready, isn't it?- We just need to add a little bit of garnish.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57We've got some coriander and some parsley,
0:37:57 > 0:37:58and then we'll serve it on a bed of rice.
0:38:00 > 0:38:01Curried cockles.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07- It's an absolute first for me. - It's brilliant.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15- It's a bit of all right. - That works, doesn't it?
0:38:15 > 0:38:17It really works!
0:38:17 > 0:38:19This is fabulous, everybody!
0:38:19 > 0:38:22It is really, really, really good!
0:38:22 > 0:38:25I mean...curry and cockles.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29I promise you, this'll be on the cards for me.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34Powderham is a castle that is full of cherished traditions.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Preserving this heritage is a never-ending task.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43There are 34 staircases to clean...
0:38:47 > 0:38:49..16 state rooms...
0:38:52 > 0:38:54..nearly 40 bedrooms...
0:38:57 > 0:38:59..and over 50 antique clocks...
0:39:00 > 0:39:04..each of which needs to be wound every week,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07a job Maurice Down been doing for over 40 years.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13This morning, Charlie is showing me his next big challenge.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19So, Mary, all the bedrooms in the house are numbered.
0:39:19 > 0:39:22And these bedrooms up here are known as the '30s.
0:39:22 > 0:39:27And they've been unoccupied for about 20 or 30 years.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29And as you'll see,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31they've sadly fallen into something of a decline...
0:39:33 > 0:39:36..with the paint peeling off the walls,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39plaster falling off the ceilings.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Mould in the corners.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44But what's wonderful about up here is the treasures
0:39:44 > 0:39:49that the family have sort of collected for years in these rooms.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52There are so many boxes and trunks.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55I wonder what's in here.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Oh, look. That must have been for top hats.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02It's a top hat box, absolutely.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Is that...? It looks like a bath shape.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Travelling bath, Victorian.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Everything you need for going around the Empire.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16What else is there? What would that be?
0:40:17 > 0:40:19Oh, it's got something written on the front.
0:40:19 > 0:40:20That would be a tin hat box.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23It says, CP Courtenay, Esquire.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26This would have been my uncle Charlie, great, great uncle Charlie,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30and that's his local police helmet.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32But look down in there, there's a spike,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34and you unscrew it and put it on the top,
0:40:34 > 0:40:36- would you think?- Yeah.- There we are.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43- Probably doesn't fit me. - It's actually rather a small head.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47His picture in the dining room makes him look like quite a tall man.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49- You're tall already.- Yeah.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53There's an awful lot for you to do here, Charlie.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56People think living in a country house like this,
0:40:56 > 0:40:58that it's all like Downton Abbey
0:40:58 > 0:41:00and there are butlers and housemaids,
0:41:00 > 0:41:04but in reality, there are some parts that are just like this.
0:41:04 > 0:41:06Yeah, constantly, you're repairing,
0:41:06 > 0:41:07constantly, you're trying to maintain,
0:41:07 > 0:41:10constantly, you're finding ways to generate a bit more income
0:41:10 > 0:41:13but without damaging things, maintaining things.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16So it's a constant balance, but it's a lot of fun.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26Do you know, this house is like a maze.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28I could so easily get lost.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30I'm really glad you're with me!
0:41:30 > 0:41:33I know, it's amazing when you bring even experts around the house,
0:41:33 > 0:41:37they all find themselves getting lost and disoriented
0:41:37 > 0:41:40because the house is so many different eras and so many different
0:41:40 > 0:41:42histories all sort of combined together.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44And there are all these amazing doors here,
0:41:44 > 0:41:47and then every now and again, they'll add a secret door as well
0:41:47 > 0:41:51- which takes you somewhere completely different.- Goodness gracious.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53And this is a little servants' passage that takes you
0:41:53 > 0:41:57from the landing of the staircase through to the minstrels' gallery.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58Ooh!
0:42:02 > 0:42:04So, this is the minstrels' gallery.
0:42:04 > 0:42:06You can sneak in and no-one knows you're here.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09And there are some lovely holes in the panel here that were made by
0:42:09 > 0:42:12my grandfather when he was a boy to be able to see
0:42:12 > 0:42:14what the grown-ups were doing up here.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17So, Mary, here's the anteroom,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20which is the room that leads into the libraries.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24And in here, we not only have a few secret doors, but we also have...
0:42:26 > 0:42:27..a secret window.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33And the whole place lights up!
0:42:37 > 0:42:40So, Mary, here we are in the libraries.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43Now, there's a wonderful secret door in the second library.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45You're going to have to find it.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I'm looking for a little cut-through.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50It sort of must be in this section.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54Ah. You see, I can see here that it's all cut away.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56- Is that right?- That's it.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57Now you've got to find out how to open it.
0:42:59 > 0:43:00Don't tell me, don't tell me.
0:43:00 > 0:43:03- I want to find it. - You're getting warmer.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07I wonder if there's a button to press.
0:43:07 > 0:43:11Ah, there's a gap. Maybe I put my hand in here and pull?
0:43:11 > 0:43:12Yeah.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15There's a handle at the end, just like a door handle.
0:43:15 > 0:43:16Exactly.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19I can't imagine what it's going to reveal.
0:43:22 > 0:43:25Do you know, it's the most beautiful, romantic room,
0:43:25 > 0:43:27in pale pink and turquoise.
0:43:29 > 0:43:30- Can I go through?- Please do.
0:43:36 > 0:43:39- Isn't it a wonderful room? - Absolutely.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42And, gracious, is that an organ at the end?
0:43:42 > 0:43:46Yes, so that's a 1769 organ that's recently been restored
0:43:46 > 0:43:48and works perfectly again.
0:43:48 > 0:43:50It's actually called the music room,
0:43:50 > 0:43:53and it was built for this chap's coming-of-age party.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56This is Kitty, William, the third viscount.
0:43:56 > 0:43:58He looks pretty dandy, doesn't he?
0:44:00 > 0:44:03He was the brother of 13 sisters.
0:44:03 > 0:44:05He must have been spoiled rotten by them.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08Exactly. Kitty's father died when he was only a teenager,
0:44:08 > 0:44:11so he very much became the man of the house, and of course,
0:44:11 > 0:44:14when he came of age, he wanted to make a real statement,
0:44:14 > 0:44:17and he threw a three-day party over a weekend that we have the most
0:44:17 > 0:44:19amazing records of in the archive.
0:44:19 > 0:44:21We have some of them over here on the table.
0:44:21 > 0:44:23That looks like an invitation.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Your very own invitation to Kitty's weekend celebration.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30It's number 567.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33There were probably about 600 people invited to the weekend as a whole.
0:44:33 > 0:44:36The ball garnered amazing press and publicity,
0:44:36 > 0:44:38and there was a wonderful article in the Exeter Evening Post.
0:44:38 > 0:44:40Gosh.
0:44:40 > 0:44:42And it says, "Friday night was the masquerade,
0:44:42 > 0:44:44"it being particularly observed that
0:44:44 > 0:44:47"no black dominos were to be admitted."
0:44:47 > 0:44:49And, of course, it says that in handwriting
0:44:49 > 0:44:50on the front of the invitation.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52What are black dominos?
0:44:52 > 0:44:56So, a black domino was just a black cloak that some people who weren't
0:44:56 > 0:44:59trying very hard would wear to a masquerade ball.
0:44:59 > 0:45:02And you say, well, you can't just half-do it,
0:45:02 > 0:45:04you've got to wear a proper costume.
0:45:04 > 0:45:07And so Kitty was incredibly keen that everybody should dress up.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10They ate at one o'clock in the morning!
0:45:10 > 0:45:12Now, one o'clock in the morning, I'm ready for bed!
0:45:12 > 0:45:18And the tables were laden with viands - meat - fruits, preserves...
0:45:18 > 0:45:20And, of course, the food that they served would have been
0:45:20 > 0:45:24a real statement of intent, and every single person invited
0:45:24 > 0:45:27to the supper was given a peach on their plate.
0:45:27 > 0:45:29And a peach in those days was the most exotic and
0:45:29 > 0:45:33expensive of fruits, but you were really impressing your guests,
0:45:33 > 0:45:38and it really launched Kitty into society as a man of great substance.
0:45:38 > 0:45:43As a young man, it seemed Kitty enjoyed a charmed life.
0:45:43 > 0:45:47But in later years, his fortunes changed.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49His story then got rather tragic.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53He developed an affection for a young man called William Beckford,
0:45:53 > 0:45:54and when they were quite young,
0:45:54 > 0:45:58they were discovered together in bed at Powderham, and a scandal broke.
0:45:58 > 0:46:01And that forced Beckford to be exiled.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09Kitty stayed at Powderham, lived here, but in 1805,
0:46:09 > 0:46:14someone filed gross indecency charges against him and he fled.
0:46:14 > 0:46:17Caught a ship bound for Manhattan Island, for New York,
0:46:17 > 0:46:22and in 1815, when Napoleon fell, he moved to Paris.
0:46:22 > 0:46:25He never returned until he did so in his coffin,
0:46:25 > 0:46:27and he's buried in Powderham Church.
0:46:27 > 0:46:30And when I was growing up at Powderham as a kid,
0:46:30 > 0:46:33there was a huge shame around the gay third viscount,
0:46:33 > 0:46:36- or the flamboyant third viscount, as he was called.- Oh, how sad.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38We had no record of what Kitty was doing
0:46:38 > 0:46:39during the time he was in exile.
0:46:39 > 0:46:43And the assumption was this reprobate was just living it up
0:46:43 > 0:46:45in France and in America.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48And then, only about ten years ago, these letters were found
0:46:48 > 0:46:52in a coal chute in Hampton Wick in south London,
0:46:52 > 0:46:56and they are the correspondence between Kitty and his lawyer.
0:46:56 > 0:46:59And he is managing the estate on behalf of Kitty,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02and this correspondence tells them all about the project for building
0:47:02 > 0:47:04a chapel at Starcross,
0:47:04 > 0:47:07for which Kitty has donated the land and an endowment.
0:47:07 > 0:47:11And so this character that we all grew up knowing as this sort of
0:47:11 > 0:47:15reprobate, dissolute man who just left is shown to be the most
0:47:15 > 0:47:19conscientious landowner, really caring for the castle,
0:47:19 > 0:47:21for Starcross, for the estuary.
0:47:21 > 0:47:24And it brings him completely back to life.
0:47:30 > 0:47:35Celebrating Kitty's story is just one of the ways Charlie and AJ
0:47:35 > 0:47:38are breathing new life into Powderham.
0:47:41 > 0:47:45It's been exactly two years since they took over, so tonight,
0:47:45 > 0:47:49to mark the occasion, they're having a party.
0:47:49 > 0:47:52And they've chosen a venue that was dear to Kitty's heart.
0:47:55 > 0:47:57AJ, where are you taking me today?
0:47:57 > 0:48:00I'm taking you to a very special place.
0:48:00 > 0:48:04It's one of the treasures that I feel is a hidden gem,
0:48:04 > 0:48:06because it hasn't really been opened to the public.
0:48:06 > 0:48:07I get really excited doing this.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10It is, it's really lovely coming down here,
0:48:10 > 0:48:12because it's almost like a tunnel of trees.
0:48:21 > 0:48:25For decades, this woodland garden, created in the 1770s,
0:48:25 > 0:48:28was overgrown and neglected.
0:48:28 > 0:48:32Now AJ and Charlie are bringing it back to life.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34Just look at that.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36It is in the middle of nowhere.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39It is so beautiful.
0:48:39 > 0:48:41- It's a folly, look at that. - Yeah, I know!
0:48:41 > 0:48:43It's really rather theatrical,
0:48:43 > 0:48:46you can imagine a Shakespearean play being here...
0:48:46 > 0:48:48- Yes.- ..and the audience flanked.
0:48:48 > 0:48:53For me, I just see Midsummer Night, Shakespeare, this is made for it.
0:48:53 > 0:48:56So, what's the story behind this folly?
0:48:56 > 0:48:59So, the folly is built by Kitty Courtenay,
0:48:59 > 0:49:01the third viscount, to entertain.
0:49:01 > 0:49:07So Kitty would throw lavish parties and this would be the setting.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10- A perfect place for a party. - Perfect place for a party.
0:49:10 > 0:49:15And this is the two-year anniversary of us moving into the house,
0:49:15 > 0:49:19so we're thanking our staff and our local community.
0:49:19 > 0:49:22I mean, we've had massive support from the local community,
0:49:22 > 0:49:26so it's really just a thank-you party and letting everyone
0:49:26 > 0:49:29just be in the space and relax and enjoy it.
0:49:29 > 0:49:32- And you're going to feed them? - Yes. I might need some help.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41The garden is being transformed into a magical space
0:49:41 > 0:49:43for this special celebration.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49Meanwhile, I have a job to do too.
0:49:53 > 0:49:58I'm making a luxurious fruit pud using fresh Devon ingredients
0:49:58 > 0:50:01inspired by Kitty's extravagant birthday party.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07Kitty did things in great style.
0:50:07 > 0:50:13He gave everybody a peach, which was a sheer luxury at that time.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16So in Kitty's honour, I'm going to make a pudding with peaches,
0:50:16 > 0:50:18and I'm calling it a peach posset.
0:50:22 > 0:50:26First, I'm going to skin six ripe peaches.
0:50:26 > 0:50:30I'm going to drop them into boiling water and then loosen the skin,
0:50:30 > 0:50:32just like you do for a tomato.
0:50:33 > 0:50:36As soon as the skin starts to loosen,
0:50:36 > 0:50:40plunge them in cold water to cool down.
0:50:40 > 0:50:42Then it's a matter of just peeling them gently.
0:50:44 > 0:50:47And doing it like this means... Can you see?
0:50:47 > 0:50:50You get that lovely mottley pink colour.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52If you try to do it with a knife, you lose all that.
0:50:54 > 0:50:56Next, chop the peaches into cubes.
0:50:58 > 0:51:01I'm going to add a couple of tablespoons of
0:51:01 > 0:51:06light muscovado sugar. That gives it a nice tinge of gold.
0:51:09 > 0:51:11And then some brandy.
0:51:11 > 0:51:14Adding the brandy to the peaches means,
0:51:14 > 0:51:16one, it gives a terrific flavour,
0:51:16 > 0:51:18and, two, it stops it discolouring,
0:51:18 > 0:51:22because you wouldn't like little brown pieces at the bottom.
0:51:22 > 0:51:23Two tablespoons is enough.
0:51:25 > 0:51:28Then I'm going to just stir that all together.
0:51:30 > 0:51:33And you leave that to marinate.
0:51:34 > 0:51:39I like this recipe because it's so easy, so simple.
0:51:39 > 0:51:41And now for the topping,
0:51:41 > 0:51:44a traditional English dessert called a posset.
0:51:44 > 0:51:50My interpretation of a posset is lemon, cream and sugar.
0:51:50 > 0:51:52Often it's in a glass on its own,
0:51:52 > 0:51:55but the addition of peaches makes it very special.
0:51:57 > 0:52:01Add the zest and juice of a large lemon to a pan
0:52:01 > 0:52:05and 75g of caster sugar.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08And 300ml of double cream.
0:52:08 > 0:52:11And stir it gently until it comes to the boil.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15It's really a bit like thick custard,
0:52:15 > 0:52:18but I promise you it tastes a far cry from that.
0:52:23 > 0:52:27As soon as it's bubbling, take it off the heat,
0:52:27 > 0:52:29pour that into the jug,
0:52:29 > 0:52:30and let it cool.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36Now divide the peach mixture between six glasses,
0:52:36 > 0:52:38leaving space for the posset topping.
0:52:39 > 0:52:44Make sure that they are pressed down so that the liquid is level.
0:52:44 > 0:52:48And that means the posset won't run down the side.
0:52:48 > 0:52:53I like it when there's not too much of this lovely, rich, lemony topping
0:52:53 > 0:52:55and masses of fruit underneath.
0:52:59 > 0:53:02Mmm. Quite pleased with that.
0:53:02 > 0:53:04Four hours, they will be set.
0:53:04 > 0:53:07I usually do it overnight because I like to get ahead.
0:53:09 > 0:53:13When they're fully set, they're ready for the finishing touch.
0:53:13 > 0:53:16You can do all sorts of things, you can put any edible flower -
0:53:16 > 0:53:19pansies or a tiny nasturtium -
0:53:19 > 0:53:21but I've got some borage here.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24So you just catch hold of the middle,
0:53:24 > 0:53:27like that, and pull off the stalk.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30I would like to put three in the middle of each one.
0:53:31 > 0:53:34It's very delicate, it's very summery,
0:53:34 > 0:53:37and it looks as though you've taken extra trouble.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41I think those look very, very special.
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Perfect for a party.
0:53:57 > 0:54:01The time for the celebration has finally arrived.
0:54:01 > 0:54:05I can't wait to see the garden in all its party glory.
0:54:12 > 0:54:14- Hi, Mary. - Isn't this enchanting?
0:54:14 > 0:54:16You've worked so hard.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19And look at it all laid. How many are you expecting?
0:54:19 > 0:54:22- About three million.- Are we?
0:54:22 > 0:54:24Well, hello!
0:54:26 > 0:54:28You look so lovely.
0:54:28 > 0:54:31Running a place like Powderham requires a huge team effort.
0:54:31 > 0:54:33- Are you excited?- Yes.
0:54:33 > 0:54:36- Mary, this is Anita and Elise. - Hello.
0:54:36 > 0:54:38Two local families who have helped us out
0:54:38 > 0:54:41over the past couple of years an awful lot.
0:54:41 > 0:54:44Friends, family, staff and neighbours,
0:54:44 > 0:54:48everyone who has helped Charlie and AJ since they took over,
0:54:48 > 0:54:51has been invited to this very special celebration.
0:54:55 > 0:54:58And there's a wonderful feast in store for them.
0:55:05 > 0:55:10You and AJ have made me so immensely welcome, and what a finale this is.
0:55:10 > 0:55:12It is just magical.
0:55:13 > 0:55:17And I hope they all enjoy my contributions,
0:55:17 > 0:55:19my crispy midsummer salad...
0:55:19 > 0:55:21Delicious. Absolutely delicious.
0:55:25 > 0:55:28..and of course that special Powderham pud,
0:55:28 > 0:55:30my delicate peach posset.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37It's a very informal celebration for a very informal family.
0:55:44 > 0:55:46GLASSES CLINK
0:55:49 > 0:55:52It's the two-year anniversary of Charlie and I
0:55:52 > 0:55:56driving up with the kids in a moving van to a castle
0:55:56 > 0:56:00and I want to thank all of you for being a part of our adventure.
0:56:00 > 0:56:05And it's true, fairy tales happen.
0:56:05 > 0:56:07Cheers to all of you.
0:56:09 > 0:56:11I just wanted to say, Mary, thank you.
0:56:11 > 0:56:15You've been so brave, braving the ceiling and the attics,
0:56:15 > 0:56:17and the curried cockles.
0:56:17 > 0:56:19- They're good.- So, thank you, Mary,
0:56:19 > 0:56:21and thank you, everybody, for making this really special.
0:56:21 > 0:56:24APPLAUSE
0:56:29 > 0:56:32I've loved every minute of my visit to Powderham,
0:56:32 > 0:56:35a very different stately home.
0:56:35 > 0:56:39It's a place with over 600 years of history and tradition,
0:56:39 > 0:56:43both a family home and the heart of a vibrant community.
0:56:45 > 0:56:49And it's wonderful to see how a new generation is keeping it safe
0:56:49 > 0:56:51for the future.
0:56:57 > 0:56:59Next time, I visit Goodwood,
0:56:59 > 0:57:04where the March family have breathed new life into a great estate.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07Wait until I tell the grandchildren, a lap of Goodwood.
0:57:07 > 0:57:09I get to peek below stairs...
0:57:09 > 0:57:13Here we go, Mary, this is where I keep my secret stash.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16..and bake for a magnificent cricket tea.
0:57:16 > 0:57:19So fresh. If it falls apart, it's not my fault.