0:00:02 > 0:00:05We're travelling across the UK on a mission.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08All over the country, our heritage is at risk.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12Ancient buildings and monuments are under threat of demolition.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15Valuable arts and crafts are on the brink of extinction.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20And our rich industrial heritage is disappearing fast.
0:00:20 > 0:00:26We're scouring town and country in search of the nation's unsung heroes,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29determined not to let our heritage become a thing of the past.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34Today, we see how "money for old rope" is being well spent.
0:00:34 > 0:00:38And meet the people working to keep carnival madness alive.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43On this journey, we're uncovering the hidden treasures of our country,
0:00:43 > 0:00:45treasures that are certainly worth fighting for.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49And meeting heritage heroes saving Britain at risk.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07It's the start of our journey through the south-west of England,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10starting here, at the pier at Swanage,
0:01:10 > 0:01:14and ending up at the pier in Newlyn in Cornwall.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18On this journey, we explore the glorious south-west of England.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22From Swanage, we make our way westward through Dorset, Somerset and Devon.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26Our final destination is the western tip of England, Cornwall.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Today, we'll be taking in some of Dorset's stunning beauty spots
0:01:32 > 0:01:37and winding up in sunny Somerset to experience the fruits of our heritage.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39But first, the seaside.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43A lot of our seaside towns have been having problems, haven't they?
0:01:43 > 0:01:44Because over the years,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47people have gone to Spain and places like that. Greece.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50But when the weather's like this, John, they THRIVE.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53And where would a seaside town be without its pier?
0:01:53 > 0:01:54They do take looking after,
0:01:54 > 0:01:59and there's been some real disasters in the last few years of piers burning down, haven't there?
0:01:59 > 0:02:02And falling into decay. Not being loved any more.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04But this one has a feature.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- Yeah, so we hear. Shall we go and have a look at it?- Mmm.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Swanage Pier opened to the public in 1896.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13Built to replace an earlier pier,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16it became hugely popular with day-trippers
0:02:16 > 0:02:19visiting the town on the great passenger steamers.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22By 1966, the steamer service had stopped,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24and over the next 30 years,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27the pier fell in to a terrible state of disrepair.
0:02:27 > 0:02:31Fortunately, in 1993, the Swanage Pier Trust took it over.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34They began raising the £1 million needed
0:02:34 > 0:02:38for long overdue restoration work.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40This is obviously in far better state of repair, John,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42than the old pier that's out there.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Oh, yeah. I wonder if they'll ever restore that one?
0:02:45 > 0:02:49- It's more of a relic, isn't it? - They've got a big job.- Yeah.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Despite appearances, a massive £180,000 is needed each year
0:02:52 > 0:02:56to continue essential restoration works.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59One group putting a huge amount of pennies in the pot
0:02:59 > 0:03:02is the local dive school, the oldest in the UK.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Owner Pete has been diving here for 28 years,
0:03:05 > 0:03:07and is still as passionate as ever about the pier.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10- Ahoy there! How are you?- Good. You?
0:03:10 > 0:03:11- Cheers.- Climb aboard.- Thank you.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Let's go and have another closer look at this pier.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Who wouldn't want to be on the water on a day like this, Pete?
0:03:17 > 0:03:20It's fantastic. It's a bonus at this time of year.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22When John and I were walking up to the pier,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25I was amazed at just how many divers are flocking here.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28It's a real Mecca on the South coast, isn't it?
0:03:28 > 0:03:30If you know about diving, scuba diving,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Swanage is your first destination in sea water.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34What do you find under here?
0:03:34 > 0:03:38To anyone looking at it, you'd think, "Oh, it's just an old pier."
0:03:38 > 0:03:41- Just a wooden structure. - But for you, it's another world.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Early season, we'll see the spider crabs come in their thousands,
0:03:44 > 0:03:46and they will come under the pier to breed.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48We get cuttlefish,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52down to different plants and species that are unique to these structures.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- Now, obviously, it's been under threat.- Yeah.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58A lot's being done to actually try and reverse that trend.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00How far are we along the process?
0:04:00 > 0:04:04What they've done is stabilised what we've got, which is fantastic.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07We've had new piles driven in. It's like an ongoing thing.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10For every ten piles they replace, there's another 20 to do.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13But when you dive in and see how much is wearing away,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15they've got a problem with the gribble worm,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18and it's actually eating the pier alive.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Did you say "gribble worm"?
0:04:20 > 0:04:21Yeah, it's a wood-boring worm
0:04:21 > 0:04:24that is attacking that pier as we look at it now.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27How important is the diving business to the economy of this pier,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30to its viability, to keeping it going?
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Without the divers, the dive shop bringing the people in,
0:04:33 > 0:04:34the pier wouldn't survive.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36It'd certainly take away the divers,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40and I think you could kiss goodbye to the structure.
0:04:40 > 0:04:42Another way the pier is raising funds
0:04:42 > 0:04:46is through their personalised sponsored brass plaque scheme.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50So far, it's raised an impressive £40,000 towards restoration work.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54Pier master Russ has been encouraged
0:04:54 > 0:04:56by the incredible support people have shown.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59How many have you got already?
0:04:59 > 0:05:02- 8,200.- 8,200?!- Let's look at some.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05I didn't think it was that many!
0:05:05 > 0:05:06"A little mischievous."
0:05:06 > 0:05:08- How about that?- That's right, yeah.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Tom and Vic got engaged here on 9th May 2003.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14- There you go. - The funny thing was, we did...
0:05:14 > 0:05:17The Essex boys and girls, what do they love on this pier?
0:05:17 > 0:05:18THEY LAUGH
0:05:18 > 0:05:20- "Happy times, happy holiday". - They are funny things.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23One of the most poignant ones is this one here.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Oh, actually on the bench itself?
0:05:25 > 0:05:28It's on one of the benches that the Infantry division from America
0:05:28 > 0:05:30purchased this bench in memory
0:05:30 > 0:05:33of the men who lost their lives on Omaha Beach.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35It says, "To men of the 26th Infantry,
0:05:35 > 0:05:40"US First Division here prior to landing
0:05:40 > 0:05:43"on Omaha Beach D-Day 1944."
0:05:43 > 0:05:45And can anybody have a plaque on the pier?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47Anyone can purchase a plaque on the pier, yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48It's just via donation,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51which we can get a grant aid for, that sort of thing.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54I think we could stretch to a plaque.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56We like this pier, don't we?
0:05:58 > 0:06:01- Right. Well, it's a lovely gesture, John.- Isn't it?
0:06:01 > 0:06:03And just think, Jules.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06We're now on Swanage Pier for posterity.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08- Part of its ongoing heritage.- Yeah.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10I mean, it's good to know, isn't it,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13that this pier is not going to follow so many others
0:06:13 > 0:06:16and just disappear because of neglect?
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- But it does beg a question...- Mm-hmm.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Who's going to come back and polish it?
0:06:22 > 0:06:24There we are.
0:06:24 > 0:06:25Brilliant. Come on.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36HIGH-PITCHED: What do you think of Swanage, John?
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- It's better than Marbella. - You take me to all the best places.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Back on the road, we're heading north,
0:06:43 > 0:06:47from Dorset's delightful coast to its charming countryside.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50You know, over the years, Jules, we've both made films, haven't we?
0:06:50 > 0:06:54All sorts of different films about rural skills.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Have you ever fancied having a go at one properly?
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Greenwood, that's what I want to do.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03You know, hurdle-making, fence-making, that sort of thing.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05Coppicing. It's such an ancient art,
0:07:05 > 0:07:10- and I love that you can produce things that you can use at home, effectively for nothing.- Yeah.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16Deep in the Dorset countryside near Farrington,
0:07:16 > 0:07:19a centre for rural skills opened in 2003.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Its aim is to tackle the skill shortage in traditional building
0:07:22 > 0:07:24and other rural craft.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32Founder Rob Buckley got a grant to set up the centre
0:07:32 > 0:07:35so he could pass on the skills that he's mastered
0:07:35 > 0:07:36over the last 30 years.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41We run courses in hurdle-making, blacksmithing, hedge-laying,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43lime plastering.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46All the rural skills that we could see
0:07:46 > 0:07:49were dying out, because now we have generations of people
0:07:49 > 0:07:51who are skilled with these crafts,
0:07:51 > 0:07:55but they're not being passed on to younger people.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56Do the twist.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01Peter Moors has been a forester for 15 years.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04He's skilled in the ancient craft of hurdle-making
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and is keen to pass on his expertise.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09Make sure it's right down and level.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Twisting motion.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14That's brilliant.
0:08:14 > 0:08:15Great stuff.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Hurdle-making, I know from history
0:08:18 > 0:08:22that it's actually a 5,000 year old skill.
0:08:22 > 0:08:23That's it.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27I firmly believe that these skills should be passed on,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29because as such an ancient craft,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33and an ancient skill and form of management of our local woodlands,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36to lose that would be an absolute tragedy.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38The skills need to be passed on
0:08:38 > 0:08:41so that younger people can manage the woods
0:08:41 > 0:08:43and enjoy the woods as much as I do.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Getting there.
0:08:47 > 0:08:51'It's been really enjoyable, you know, doing something completely different.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53'I've been doing other courses,'
0:08:53 > 0:08:55lime, cob building, straw bale building.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58It's all really great, totally hands-on all the way.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I love learning in this kind of way.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03That end is now locked in by those two.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07And then as this one is woven along,
0:09:07 > 0:09:10- it locks in the previous one.- Yeah.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13- Understand?- Cool, yeah. - It's neat, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16'There's a lot of benefits
0:09:16 > 0:09:20'to increasing the usage of the countryside.'
0:09:20 > 0:09:23It's a place where people need to be able to work and earn a living
0:09:23 > 0:09:25so that they can stay in the countryside
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and keep the countryside alive.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31It's really great to see the centre teaming up with young people,
0:09:31 > 0:09:36keen to re-connect with crafts so essential to country life.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Next, we're headed an hour west through Dorset towards West Coker,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48in stunning Somerset.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Well, here we are in Somerset on a fantastic day.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56And what a view, John!
0:09:56 > 0:09:59And if you look carefully down there, that, to me, looks like
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- a ploughing competition. How about that?- You're absolutely right!
0:10:02 > 0:10:06It's not often that we get to wear our shades on the show, is it?
0:10:06 > 0:10:08True enough.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10# Bring me sunshine all the while
0:10:10 > 0:10:12# Bring me laughter
0:10:12 > 0:10:14# In your smile... #
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Bring me Somerset!
0:10:16 > 0:10:17Come on. Who's driving?
0:10:17 > 0:10:18- You.- Right.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Have you ever wondered where the phrase,
0:10:26 > 0:10:28"money for old rope", comes from?
0:10:28 > 0:10:29- Go on.- I read about it the other day.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32It comes from the days of the hangmen,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- when they used a new rope for each hanging...- Ah!
0:10:35 > 0:10:38..and then afterwards, they got rid of it.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41In fact, they became kind of souvenirs, these ropes,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44so they used to chop bits off and sell it.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47- Curious people! - Bit macabre, isn't it?- Yes.
0:10:47 > 0:10:48So that was "money for old rope".
0:10:50 > 0:10:54Here in Somerset, West Coker was once famed for its twine and sail works.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00The twine produced here stitched local sailcloth known as Coker canvas.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03It played a key role in Britain's great naval success,
0:11:03 > 0:11:04providing strong sails
0:11:04 > 0:11:07to carry Britain's growing fleets around the world.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09By 1890, the cottage industry
0:11:09 > 0:11:12grew to be the biggest employer in the village,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16with five twine works giving jobs to hundreds of people.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20On the edge of West Coker lies Dawes Twine Works,
0:11:20 > 0:11:21the last of its kind.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Production stopped here in 1968.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Abandoned and exposed, it soon began to crumble.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Keen not to see their proud heritage lost,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34locals formed a trust to preserve the works
0:11:34 > 0:11:37and create an interactive social history centre.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41We've come to meet Ross, who's heading up the project.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45Ah!
0:11:45 > 0:11:46This must be the place.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54A-ha! Oh, yeah!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57- It does look, how do you say it? A little run-down. - It does, doesn't it?
0:11:57 > 0:12:00Ross! Welcome. How very nice to see you, sir.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02- Nice to see you.- Oh, Ross. Yes.
0:12:02 > 0:12:03So, this is Dawes Twine Works.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- But it's obviously seen better days, Ross?- Yeah, that's exactly right.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10And there's a fantastic national organisation
0:12:10 > 0:12:12called The Carpenter's Fellowship.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15And they came here, and they straightened this building for us.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17So, you may think it looks bad now, but...
0:12:17 > 0:12:19you should have seen it then.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22Well, obviously sailing ships and rope go together,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25but why a rope works here, so far from the sea?
0:12:25 > 0:12:28That's a really good question. The reason is the geology.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31The middle Jurassic rocks that we have here
0:12:31 > 0:12:33are fantastic for growing flax and hemp.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36And that was the basic materials, of course,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39for your sail cloth, and for your rope and twine.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42And that's why the whole business came and built up here.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- Can we have a look around? - Of course you can.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47It would be an absolute pleasure.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49Why is this building so long, Ross?
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Because it's really important, when you're making twine,
0:12:52 > 0:12:56that you don't want to have joins, cos joins are a point of weakness.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59And so that's why this building is a hundred yards long,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01because you don't want joins in the rope.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02So if we come here,
0:13:02 > 0:13:05back in the day when it was in full swing,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09we'd have seen swathes of twine running up and down the length of this building,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11a bit like a sort of cat's cradle, presumably.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12Absolutely.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Your pillars don't look very safe, actually.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17No, no, but I promise you the scaffolding is good.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21You walk around an awful lot. There's a lot of gap between them and the floor.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23What's this? Is this part of the process?
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Absolutely. This is a vital part. This is the cable that's attached to drums down there,
0:13:27 > 0:13:30but actually keeps the tension, because we had,
0:13:30 > 0:13:33running through here, the twine was revolving on the drums.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- That was original, then?- Yes, that's original.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38And the twine was kept up on what... on these rakes.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41And there's some of the original twine still here.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44So you can actually see what was being made.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- It still doesn't break. - And that's been made in the Sixties?
0:13:47 > 0:13:48- Yes, that's made in the Sixties. - Wow.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51It was thirsty work.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53They did quite a lot of drinking.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55The average man would start about half past seven,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57and come here and drink two pints of cider.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59So they drank that before breakfast?!
0:13:59 > 0:14:03Breakfast would be bread and cheese and two pints of cider.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04They drank wine grade cider.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08And they'd be drinking seven or eight pints of that a day.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11A steady supply of cider back in those days
0:14:11 > 0:14:13was undoubtedly the answer to,
0:14:13 > 0:14:17and cause of, many of its employees' problems.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20So much so that workers were paid 20% of their wages in tokens,
0:14:20 > 0:14:24which could only be redeemed for food in local shops.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30Neil Evans is a fifth generation twine worker.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33His family took over the works before the demise of the industry.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36With one of his family heirlooms,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39Neil can show us how to ball a yard of twine.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42What a wonderful-looking machine, Neil!
0:14:42 > 0:14:43Good morning. Indeed, yes.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45- What you doing? - I'm balling a ball of twine.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48It's come in from the factory,
0:14:48 > 0:14:52and the final stage of manufacture is to prepare it for sale.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54And this machine, is it original?
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Yes. Probably 1860, 1870.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59Been in our factory ever since then,
0:14:59 > 0:15:04apart from the spells it's had in the cottages where the ladies would do this at home.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07- Oh, this was a cottage industry, was it?- Very much so.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09- Making the twine balls?- Yes.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11And it looks to be in pretty good working order, still.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12Yep. So far, so good.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15And how important do you think it is
0:15:15 > 0:15:20that an example of this kind of industry should be preserved?
0:15:21 > 0:15:24I think there are so few factories left in England,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26that to have the opportunity of a complete,
0:15:26 > 0:15:31unrestored Victorian factory, to bring it back to, you know,
0:15:31 > 0:15:34to its working unit, would be tremendous.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37And to show people a vanished, or vanishing, skill?
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Absolutely, yes. Would you like to have a go?
0:15:40 > 0:15:42- Can I?- Yeah, by all means.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Ha! What, doing a ball of twine?
0:15:44 > 0:15:46- Yes.- Right, well.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50How do I start?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54- Right, now. Put a bit of tension on there.- Yeah.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56Let it run through your fingers without burning.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- Put this foot...- On the treadle.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01- Yeah, on the worn bit there. - Oh, the worn bit. Right.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04And just turn that with your right hand.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06- That way?- Yep.
0:16:06 > 0:16:08Operate the treadle.
0:16:08 > 0:16:09- That's it.- Oh, I see.
0:16:09 > 0:16:11That has changed direction.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12And back up again.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15You're moving your foot gently all the time, up and down. OK?
0:16:18 > 0:16:21To finish off the ball, keep the treadle pressed right down,
0:16:21 > 0:16:24and spin it till you get a complete covering.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29- Come back up. Lovely. Oh, what a star!- Oh, no, no!
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Looking a reasonable shape.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32It is indeed, yes.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36Right, that's fine.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- Right, wow!- Well done.
0:16:38 > 0:16:42- A ball of twine! - Yes, indeed.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44Done with my own foot and hand!
0:16:44 > 0:16:45HE LAUGHS
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Well, this is what it's all about, Jules.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50The twine that held the nation together.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54But just think about it, John. Rewind back to the late eighteenth century.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56It's the time of Wellington and of Nelson,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00when the foundations of Empire are being put down all over the world.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04But, of course, we couldn't have done that without ships and canvas and twine.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07And now they've got the funding to keep this place going,
0:17:07 > 0:17:08and to restore it.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10But how long do you think it's going to take?
0:17:10 > 0:17:12- How long's a piece of string? - About a hundred yards.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Now, what is Somerset famous for, amongst other things?
0:17:24 > 0:17:26- SOMERSET ACCENT: The Worzels. - The Worzels.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29- Cider!- Yes! - SOMERSET ACCENT:- Somerset cider.
0:17:29 > 0:17:30And now, cider brandy.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33There's Somerset cider brandy now.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35There's been a bit of a fuss about it.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39- Some EU members objected to the name, would you believe?- No!
0:17:39 > 0:17:41- Especially Spain!- Really?- Yeah.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44Anyway, the EU have now ruled in favour
0:17:44 > 0:17:48of Somerset cider brandy. It can be called cider brandy.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50So, it's up there with Cornish pasties...
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Yeah.
0:17:52 > 0:17:53..Stilton cheese.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Maybe we'll have a little tipple.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58As you're driving,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01I'll try and bring you back a sample for later consumption.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03- For later on. - An analysis. All right?
0:18:07 > 0:18:09For the past 20 years,
0:18:09 > 0:18:10at his farm in Burrow Hill,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Julian Temperley has been working hard
0:18:13 > 0:18:17to revive the ancient Somerset treasure of cider brandy.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21He's got one of the biggest ancient orchards in the country,
0:18:21 > 0:18:25with no less than 40 different varieties of vintage cider apple.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30Each year, they harvest and press around 1,000 tonnes of apples.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32Half is made into cider,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35but the other half is matured in small barrels for up to 20 years
0:18:35 > 0:18:38to become cider brandy.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41After a four-year battle with the EU,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Julian can legally call his product Somerset Cider Brandy.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- Congratulations on your victory, Julian.- Thank you.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Somerset Cider Brandy no longer at risk?
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Yes. We are now, at long last, totally legal.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54And how long have you been making it for?
0:18:54 > 0:18:57We've been making cider for somewhere in excess of 40 years,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59and distilling for the last 23 years.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02But how long in the county has it been made for?
0:19:03 > 0:19:09Cider distilling has always been part of the cider-making tradition.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13And I have here a book from 1678,
0:19:13 > 0:19:17and it has "The Making Of Brandy".
0:19:17 > 0:19:20"And you may, after due fermentation, extract Spirits..."
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- "Very vulgarly called Brandy"! - "Very vulgarly called Brandy".
0:19:23 > 0:19:27"..Be usual for cider, when old, to burn over the fire as Claret".
0:19:27 > 0:19:29So that is your proof.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32That's our proof that Somerset cider brandy has been made for centuries.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37And it's very important for us that this isn't some new-fangled scheme that I got up to.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39It is part of the tradition of orchards,
0:19:39 > 0:19:40and the story of orchards,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42and that is what we are essentially selling.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47I'll buy a taster.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49Well, we have two here.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50We have 20 years old,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53and we have a ten years old.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55I suppose, a ten, don't you?
0:19:55 > 0:20:00- Bet it costs an arm and a leg, does it?- Well, it is expensive.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03But it is something to savour after a nice meal.
0:20:03 > 0:20:06What a wonderful smell, isn't it?
0:20:06 > 0:20:08- Apples?- The orchard hits you, doesn't it?
0:20:08 > 0:20:10- Yes.- Right up your nose. If I can say that.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14That doesn't sound a very epicurean way of describing it, but it does.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23Well, congratulations that for many, many years to come,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27- we'll be able to drink Somerset cider brandy.- Thank you.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- Hi, Jules.- Well, this is the closest I've got to cider brandy, John.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37I've been tasting the real thing, and I've brought you a little treat.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40That is a little treat. We've come to cider brandy central,
0:20:40 > 0:20:45- and all you've got is a bottle that big!- Only joking! I've got this one.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- I knew you wouldn't let me down. - We can share it.- Well done.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Step on it, Jules, because I've got some fun lined up for you,
0:20:56 > 0:20:5915 minutes south of here at Ilminster.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05What's lovely about this part of the world is that
0:21:05 > 0:21:08a lot of the heritage is rooted in its people.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13In the south-west, one tradition they're clinging onto is carnival.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Have you ever been in a carnival, John?
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- Yeah.- Have you?- Yeah.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22- Were you the carnival queen? - Leeds Children's Day Carnival.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24- Were you...- Every year, we used to...
0:21:24 > 0:21:27- ..in a tutu?- ..a float, yeah, yeah.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Every town and village used to have its own pageants.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34But they seem to be on the decline now.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37The one here at Ilminster, it could be the very last year it's held.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42- Yeah, that's extraordinary, isn't it? - Which would be tragic, wouldn't it?
0:21:43 > 0:21:47Carnival season runs from September to November
0:21:47 > 0:21:50across 30 towns in this part of the country.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52The tradition first came about
0:21:52 > 0:21:55to commemorate Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Others were to welcome home war veterans,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01and some were simply a way of raising funds for the community.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04This was the case with the Ilminster Carnival,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08which was first held in the early 1970s.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Since then, carnivals have become a focal point,
0:22:10 > 0:22:14bringing people together. For those involved,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17it means 12 months of fundraising and hard work,
0:22:17 > 0:22:21creating elaborate floats for their chance to shine.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23With increasing costs and regulations,
0:22:23 > 0:22:28the future of Ilminster Carnival and others are certainly at risk.'
0:22:28 > 0:22:31- Well, this is quite a float! - Isn't it, John?
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- Enormous!- Amazing! Look at all the lights.- The theme of a circus!
0:22:34 > 0:22:37- Try that, mate. - D'you think it works? It works!
0:22:37 > 0:22:40And look, all these spare bulbs, just in case.
0:22:40 > 0:22:42Let's go and find out who owns it.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45So, this is the Madness Float. Sue and Gordon.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- Hello, Sue.- Hello.- Gordon. - How are you?- It's nice to see you.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Nice to see you. Hello, Gordon.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53Just putting in the finishing touches?
0:22:53 > 0:22:56Yes, we are. It's nine months building this.
0:22:56 > 0:23:01- Gordon, how much does this cost? - This float is around about 15,000,
0:23:01 > 0:23:07but any float really is minimum 20,000 to about £30,000.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10All that money is raised by club members throughout the year.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14Where else would you find club members giving up
0:23:14 > 0:23:17their annual holiday to actually fundraise?
0:23:17 > 0:23:20They are at threat, a lot of these carnivals.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24- Yes.- Because they're so expensive to mount.- This one in particular.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26They had an SOS about two months ago,
0:23:26 > 0:23:31because this carnival was in fear that it could be the last one.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34The problem is the cost now of actually putting on a carnival,
0:23:34 > 0:23:38because you have to have so many marshals,
0:23:38 > 0:23:45so many barriers, licenses, health and safety regulations...
0:23:45 > 0:23:49- No flaming torches.- What's this going to be today? What's the theme?
0:23:49 > 0:23:52It's called the House Of Fun, based on a piece of music by Madness.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56So this is our idea of what different houses of fun might be.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00You don't happen to have one person short in the float, do you?
0:24:00 > 0:24:04- I knew something was coming!- Jules, you're taking my place tonight.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06- You are indeed! - Taking your place?- Yes.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11- I'm not really dressed in the... - Not necessary. I will give you this.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12Do I get to wear make-up?
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Oh, yes! Fishnets? We can supply fishnets.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Let's leave the fishnets out of it, OK...
0:24:19 > 0:24:23'Getting new blood into the carnival is vital for its survival.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26'A project has been set up to do just that.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29'At its helm is lifelong carnival lover, Andrew Tallon.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:31- Is this van in the carnival, Andy? - Yes, John.
0:24:31 > 0:24:33This is the Mobile Exhibition Unit
0:24:33 > 0:24:36of the Carnivals in Somerset Promotion Project.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39This image you see is the most iconic cart of all time.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43We've used that as the image, the magical image...
0:24:43 > 0:24:46- And what's inside?- Inside, John, is the Mobile Exhibition Unit
0:24:46 > 0:24:48which depicts the history and heritage
0:24:48 > 0:24:50of the Somerset Luminated Carnivals,
0:24:50 > 0:24:53their economic importance, historic significance
0:24:53 > 0:24:58and also their importance for the future of this rural community.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01So, who d'you take the van around to show?
0:25:01 > 0:25:03We take it to various rural shows, Somerset and beyond,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07in the carnivals themselves, but more importantly to schools
0:25:07 > 0:25:11and youth clubs through the area, to try and attract more kids
0:25:11 > 0:25:14to get involved in carnival, so that they're the new generation
0:25:14 > 0:25:17of carnivalites taking the tradition into the future.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21There's a real sense of excitement building amongst the performers,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23and I'm feeling a little nervous.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Right, let's have a pout, then.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29You've done that before, haven't you?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33That'll do, I reckon.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- There we are.- I think you're good. - I'm ready to party.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Sundown, lights up!
0:25:39 > 0:25:41It's carnival time!
0:25:44 > 0:25:49It's what everyone involved has been working for all year,
0:25:49 > 0:25:53hoping their floats and performances will catch the judges' eye.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55What a tremendous atmosphere.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59It seems that just about everybody in Ilminster is lining the route
0:25:59 > 0:26:00in the high street.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03That is, if they're not taking part in the procession,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06carnivals are always very noisy things, but somehow,
0:26:06 > 0:26:11the darkness and all the lights add a whole new perspective.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15MUSIC BLARES
0:26:19 > 0:26:22Fred, how on earth do you judge a carnival like this?
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Very difficult indeed, very difficult. But you get used to it.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27What are you looking for?
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Looking for the dance, the choreography,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34and also how they perform. I look for excitement.
0:26:34 > 0:26:39I want to see them laughing, really enjoying it, especially the make-up.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43I think Jules is in here somewhere, see if we can find him.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51- How do you judge that performance? - That's not bad at all.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54If he can keep it up for an hour and a half, that'd be fabulous.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57- Has he got the right spirit, d'you think?- Absolutely.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00# Welcome to the lion's den
0:27:01 > 0:27:05# Welcome to the House of Fun
0:27:05 > 0:27:08# Welcome to the lions' den
0:27:09 > 0:27:12# Welcome to the House of Fun. #
0:27:14 > 0:27:17MUSIC BLARES
0:27:22 > 0:27:24- John!- Do I know you?
0:27:24 > 0:27:26I'm not sure I know myself any more!
0:27:26 > 0:27:28You must be exhausted.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33Absolutely worn out, but what fun! I did not expect that!
0:27:33 > 0:27:38I didn't think that they'd be so imaginative, the floats.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42It's a really interesting experience. What a shame it would be
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- if this ended or changed. - Wouldn't it.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49Everybody is having a great time, not just the people on the floats,
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- but the whole town. - Yeah. Come on, let's get a pint.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59What a fantastic start to our journey across the south-west.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03I was really struck with Somerset, and the people whose commitment
0:28:03 > 0:28:06to rather unusual areas of our heritage is inspiring.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09And I was really taken with Swanage Pier, and the passion
0:28:09 > 0:28:13of the people determined to keep it standing for another 100 years.
0:28:13 > 0:28:20Next time, we get leathered in one of the last tanneries in England.
0:28:20 > 0:28:21Push!
0:28:21 > 0:28:24And meet the people who've launched themselves
0:28:24 > 0:28:26into traditional boat-building.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd