0:00:01 > 0:00:04We're travelling across the UK on a mission.
0:00:04 > 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
0:00:15 > 0:00:19and our rich industrial heritage is disappearing fast.
0:00:20 > 0:00:25We're scouring town and country in search of the nation's unsung heroes,
0:00:25 > 0:00:29determined not to let our heritage become a thing of the past.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33Today we meet farmers turning back to more traditional methods,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36using Shire horses to work the land.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45And we visit an historic house being transformed into a community hub.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49On this journey, we're uncovering the hidden treasures of our country.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Treasures that are certainly worth fighting for.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56And meeting heritage heroes saving Britain at risk.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17We're heading to a village on the edge of Dartmoor,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20not far away now, called Hatherley.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23A friend of mine used to live in Hatherley, where we're heading,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27and many years ago, the vicar there wrote Onward, Christian Soldiers.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32BOTH: # Onward, Christian soldiers. #
0:01:32 > 0:01:34Enough! Enough! Enough!
0:01:34 > 0:01:36LAUGHTER
0:01:36 > 0:01:40"The soundtrack for this show is available in all good record shops!"
0:01:43 > 0:01:47We're travelling pier to pier across south-west England.
0:01:47 > 0:01:49We started in Dorset
0:01:49 > 0:01:53then headed inland to Somerset and now we're in Devon.
0:01:53 > 0:01:56Our journey's end will take us to Cornwall.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01John, you could be forgiven for not seeing much of Devon
0:02:01 > 0:02:04when you drive around these lanes cos look at the hedgerows,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06you can't see a thing!
0:02:06 > 0:02:09They're very tall. A lot of them have secret walls
0:02:09 > 0:02:11hidden in the middle of them,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15so when you're trying to let somebody go by, on a lane like this,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20you can find yourself crashing into a wall! There's one, there!
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Devon is home to five areas of outstanding natural beauty
0:02:26 > 0:02:28and two national parks.
0:02:28 > 0:02:33It's also the only county in the UK with two separate coastlines,
0:02:33 > 0:02:38boasting over 300 miles of cliffs, bays and beaches.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Our first stop is a farm reintroducing traditional methods.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46It's the home of Larry and her partner Ben.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49After studying landscape and agriculture,
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Ben decided to work towards creating a sustainable living.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57To help achieve it, they're using Shire horses to work the land.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Shires have been used in farming since the 18th century.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03But the development of agricultural machinery
0:03:03 > 0:03:06was bad news for the breed.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09By the 1960s, numbers had fallen from over a million
0:03:09 > 0:03:12to just a few thousand.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15But Ben and Larry are supporting their revival.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Great stuff, Ben. I'm Jules. Nice to see you.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20- Hello, Larry. Hello, who's this? - BARKING
0:03:20 > 0:03:23- Good to see you. - That's enough. That's enough.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25- What a place!- Thank you very much.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28- And look at these, John. - Who've we got, there?
0:03:28 > 0:03:31We've got Tom, who's my main horse.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33I've had him since he was two.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37We've got Pip, who's now 14 or 15 years old,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40and then I've got a stallion here and he's called Red.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43- I've had him for about four years. - All Shires.- All Shires, yes.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48You are living in another moment, aren't you?
0:03:48 > 0:03:51It's a bit different. It's a bit like the 1940s, really.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53It's a bit like the Darling Buds of May!
0:03:53 > 0:03:55How practical is all this?
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Well, it works for us.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00It's a 45 acre farm.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We don't make our main money out of just using horses.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05We do, we have, we do other things.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09I do woodland crafts and such as well, but it's our passion
0:04:09 > 0:04:14and everything on our farm is centred around the horses, really.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17We think it's, we kind of think it's the future.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20It's a strange way of looking at it but it's the best of the past
0:04:20 > 0:04:22and the best of the future really.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24We've lost a lot, I think.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26Is the work harder than it would've been,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29if you were up to date with farming methods?
0:04:29 > 0:04:31Yes, I would say it is,
0:04:31 > 0:04:33but then there's the pleasure aspect to it as well.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36We don't have work and rest time, we just live our lives.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39There's no division between when we are working
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and when we're not working, because we enjoy what we do.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45But there's obviously a lot more to the farm than just the horses.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49We're interested in sustainability and the whole lifestyle.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51- Would you like to come and have a look round?- Yes, please.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55We'll leave them to do the mucky job.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56Muck spreading.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Achieving self sufficiency has not been easy,
0:05:03 > 0:05:05but by growing their own veg,
0:05:05 > 0:05:10rearing pigs and chickens, they produce enough to survive on.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13They're now keen to pass their knowledge on to others.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18- Lots of apples.- Yes, yes. Another good year this year.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Ben's also keen to pass on what he's learnt about Shires
0:05:22 > 0:05:26and today, we're muck spreading.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29- Brilliant! So simple, isn't it?- Yes.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Such a simple machine.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34And of course,
0:05:34 > 0:05:36the joy is you haven't got to buy fertiliser, have you?
0:05:36 > 0:05:38No, no. It's all come from the farm.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42It's come from the horses themselves and the cattle.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45I mean, as somebody who's promoting sustainable farming,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49we talk about it as if it's the new best thing,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52- but the truth is, nothing's new. - No.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56It's all been there and it's just a matter of looking back
0:05:56 > 0:05:58and seeing what they did before.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01A few things would have to have been brought on the farm,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04lime, that kind of thing, but apart from that, it was a closed system.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08It all stayed on the farm and, erm, because it had to.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10People just couldn't afford not to.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14That was what's so wonderful about times like even in the '40s,
0:06:14 > 0:06:18during the War, because people had to make the best of what they had.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20So it was actually a really efficient time.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22When you look at your spreader here,
0:06:22 > 0:06:25a modern spreader that you'd pull behind a big tractor
0:06:25 > 0:06:28will cost you tens of thousands of pounds. What did that cost?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30- It cost me £300! - LAUGHTER
0:06:40 > 0:06:43I get the impression that you invite people onto the farm
0:06:43 > 0:06:44to have a look around.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Yes, we do.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47We're happy to show people around
0:06:47 > 0:06:50and to share what we do and share ideas.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52Ben runs courses here.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54He does some rural skills,
0:06:54 > 0:06:57hurdle making, rustic furniture making,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00charcoal burning and he teaches with the horses, as well.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04What about the future? What plans have you got?
0:07:04 > 0:07:07We'd just like to continue as we are,
0:07:07 > 0:07:10to be able to collect more equipment.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Perhaps...we are in the process of getting a mare,
0:07:14 > 0:07:16so we can breed the Shire horses.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19That's very important to us at the moment.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Steady, lads.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29- Hello, sir.- That's a fabulous sight, you coming in there.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31It really is.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34We've been revelling in muck.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38- Steady, lads.- Well done.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- How did it go then?- Great fun.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Really interesting to see these horses work, John.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47It's lovely to get the sense of what your working day is like.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50No noisy diesel engines, just the clip clop of hooves
0:07:50 > 0:07:52and the sound of the traces.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54We've been picking apples, haven't we?
0:07:54 > 0:08:00I've had some of Larry's apple cake. Delicious, but it's all gone now.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03- Maybe a pint?- Yes, shall we go for a quick pint somewhere?
0:08:03 > 0:08:04Let's go down the local.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12This is certainly a lovely way to go to the pub, John.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15With any luck, the horses will know their own way home.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17You'd have to hope so, wouldn't you?
0:08:17 > 0:08:19It is a trip down memory lane.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22It's a lifestyle choice that Larry and Ben have made,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25but do you think it's sustainable as a farm?
0:08:25 > 0:08:26No, no, it isn't.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29Realistically, if every farm in the country was like theirs,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31we'd never feed the nation, would we?
0:08:31 > 0:08:34But what a fantastic trip down memory lane.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37I know which lifestyle I'd choose if I were a farmer.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- I'll drink to that. - I'll drink to that too.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42- Here you are, a flower for you. - Thank you. That's plastic.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- Keep it- for ever. Everything here's organic, apart from that.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46How dare you!
0:09:01 > 0:09:05On our journey across Devon, we're in search of people working hard
0:09:05 > 0:09:08to make the most of what our land has to offer.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12It's funny, when we think about sheep and lamb,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16we tend to equate the cost of them to the meat produced,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but back in the day, it was wool that was the cash crop.
0:09:19 > 0:09:20That's right.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22In the days when we were an agricultural nation,
0:09:22 > 0:09:26wool was on everybody's back.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Recently, prices have really dropped.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33It's been costing farmers to shear their sheep
0:09:33 > 0:09:35but now, I gather it might be turning a corner.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Things are looking up a little bit now.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42We might see many more wool products made in Britain in the shops.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45As you say, loads of products.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49Felt is apparently made from wool, but I've no idea how you make it.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53Felt in have you had your collar felt?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56The jokes, the jokes get worse, John!
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Wool felt is one of the earliest forms of textiles.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Archaeologists have unearthed fragments
0:10:06 > 0:10:08dating back to the Bronze Age.
0:10:09 > 0:10:14Its strong, durable qualities make it a highly versatile material.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Weaver, Yuli Somme, is keen to sing the praises
0:10:17 > 0:10:21of this natural product, available on our doorstep.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26I think the public should really care
0:10:26 > 0:10:28about this declining wool industry.
0:10:28 > 0:10:32People are beginning to be really aware
0:10:32 > 0:10:38of where their food comes from and being encouraged to buy locally.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Even the supermarkets are taking this on.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45I think this should be followed with this idea
0:10:45 > 0:10:48that we should do the same with our textiles.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53Felt can be used to make rugs, bags, brooches and even slippers.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Yuli has started a Feet Felt project,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57to encourage children to enjoy using the fabric.
0:10:59 > 0:11:04The Feet Felt project comes from an ancient legend
0:11:04 > 0:11:07that I really like the idea of.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12It was that a traveller in ancient times, several thousand BC,
0:11:12 > 0:11:20was walking and protected his or her feet with wool as they walked.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23The friction and the moisture from sweating,
0:11:23 > 0:11:26made the wool turn into felt.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29I've replicated this idea.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32I work with children and adults,
0:11:32 > 0:11:38dressing their feet in raw wool which I have wetted first of all.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40What does it feel like?
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- Weird and squishy. - Weird and squishy.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48- Do you think it's a really strange thing to do, this?- Yes.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51I mould it into their feet, two or three layers
0:11:51 > 0:11:55and then I put recycled plastic bags on their feet
0:11:55 > 0:11:59and they put their feet in their boots and they go for a walk.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03You've got to go and walk now. Go and walk to make all this happen.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10It introduces this idea to them,
0:12:10 > 0:12:13that wool transforms into felt
0:12:13 > 0:12:17just through this very simple, primitive process.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Look at that!
0:12:21 > 0:12:23I think that's a very good thing,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26that we start to use this amazing resource
0:12:26 > 0:12:28that we have grazing in the fields around us.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30Look at that!
0:12:33 > 0:12:36With such a valuable resource around in abundance,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39how satisfying to see it's got such a creative future.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Right, so, where shall I point the nose next?
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Cullompton, John.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- A lovely little town.- Isn't it just?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55Lovely. In the middle of it...
0:12:55 > 0:12:57Why are we heading thither?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00There's a lovely Grade 1 listed building in the middle of it,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03which unusually, has been gifted to the community, not the nation,
0:13:03 > 0:13:07which is what normally happens with National trust properties.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Are the community using it?
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Yes, I think they're putting it to quite good use.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Walronds House, sits in the centre of Cullompton
0:13:21 > 0:13:25and it's remained almost untouched since it was built in 1605.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28It's seen as one of the most well-preserved examples
0:13:28 > 0:13:33of a merchant's town-house in the South-West of England.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36But it's not going to be renovated as a museum.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38The last owner, June Severn,
0:13:38 > 0:13:42gifted it to the community on condition that it was used.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43Even while work is going on,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47it's a thriving hub where locals get together.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Jane Campbell is one of the trustees,
0:13:49 > 0:13:53keen to get this house into shape to meet the community's needs.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Jane, it's not everybody that has the chance
0:13:56 > 0:13:58to look after a Grade 1 listed building.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00What are you doing here?
0:14:00 > 0:14:04I feel very privileged because as a person who was born in the town
0:14:04 > 0:14:06and has lived here for all of my life,
0:14:06 > 0:14:10I feel this is a major investment for the community,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13which is exactly what the previous owner was hoping.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17How much was this building at risk before you took it over?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19It was severely at risk.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22When we go inside, you'll be able to see the plasterwork.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25The rendering was removed in the 1890s
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and it seemed a good idea at the time.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Unfortunately, that meant that water could penetrate
0:14:31 > 0:14:35and it has penetrated and damaged the amazing plasterwork
0:14:35 > 0:14:36in a lot of places.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40In fact, we've had to take down a chimney.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43Well, you'll see.
0:14:43 > 0:14:45From the plasterwork to the windows,
0:14:45 > 0:14:47every inch of this house needs attention.
0:14:50 > 0:14:56You come through into the main hall with, again...
0:14:56 > 0:14:59- What a fireplace, isn't it? - Isn't it?
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- Goodness me!- This is a real gem.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06What a treat to see this. 1605.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11That marks the end of the Restoration.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15The previous house had been burnt down in 1600/1601,
0:15:15 > 0:15:20together with all the run of houses, the neighbours.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Notwithstanding the fireplace itself,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26the amount of restorative work that needs to be done,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30you've clearly propped everything up to keep it where it should be.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31It is a worry.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35Father Christmas hasn't been able to use it for at least two years.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38We've taken down the chimney because it was leaking so badly
0:15:38 > 0:15:40through a hole at the back.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44You can see the effect that the water ingress has had.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47It is collapsing very severely.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Jules likes to get his hands dirty in places like this.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53- Can't wait. - A job for him, maybe?
0:15:53 > 0:15:56I can find a job, but I'm afraid it's not all that dirty
0:15:56 > 0:15:57but the ladies will be so glad
0:15:57 > 0:16:01if you could make tea and coffee for the mums and toddlers.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03This is your fault, Craven.
0:16:03 > 0:16:04You don't have to make the cake,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07but you might be asked to help with the biscuits.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11I won't need this. Come on, let's go and make a cup of tea.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Now then. This is clearly where I've been sent to.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17Hello, ladies, how are you? I'm Jules, nice to meet you.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21'Even during the restoration work, the doors have never closed.'
0:16:21 > 0:16:24I can make a decent cup of tea, so I'm going to start pouring this out.
0:16:24 > 0:16:29Antique fairs and mums-and-tots groups regularly meet.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32The whole ethos of this community house
0:16:32 > 0:16:35is down to its last owner, June Severn,
0:16:35 > 0:16:37who gifted it to the Trust.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39Andrea Herriot, spent five years lodging with June
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and has fond memories of her and the house.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47This area was closed off when I moved in,
0:16:47 > 0:16:49so this was my area down here.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52My bathroom and my bedroom
0:16:52 > 0:16:56and then the staircase went up to where my children stayed.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59I came here for 12 months.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04That was the intention, but because we loved the place so much,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07we ended up staying five years.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11This is totally different, up here, isn't it? The attic area.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14This is the room where my daughters slept.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16What a wonderful bedroom.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18It is absolutely fantastic, isn't it?
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Every summer, we had an architects' convention that came
0:17:22 > 0:17:24just to look at the floor.
0:17:24 > 0:17:25It was a bit of a nightmare
0:17:25 > 0:17:28when you had to move things around to let them in.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Move the toys to let them examine the floorboards.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35What kind of person was June, the owner?
0:17:35 > 0:17:38She was a lovely person, a little bit eccentric.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40When you saw her walking around the town,
0:17:40 > 0:17:45you wouldn't have taken an awful lot of notice of her exactly.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47She was always there for the community.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51That was her centre of attention, if you like.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54She loved the idea that at some point or another,
0:17:54 > 0:17:56this house would be for the community
0:17:56 > 0:17:57if anything happened to her.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- It came as no surprise to them?- No.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02I think she'd be absolutely thrilled
0:18:02 > 0:18:04to think that people are going to all this effort
0:18:04 > 0:18:08to get the place up and running for the community.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16There we go. Right.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22- What a lovely smile. - Right then, who's for tea?
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Thank you.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- I think I'll come and join you, John.- Come down to our level.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Isn't it lovely to see this place so busy,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35and with another generation of people who may enjoy this building
0:18:35 > 0:18:37as you're doing now?
0:18:37 > 0:18:41What's it like coming to a place like this with your toddler groups?
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Lovely, very nice, very interesting building.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46It's not your average community centre.
0:18:46 > 0:18:48This is a place with some real heritage and history,
0:18:48 > 0:18:52which hopefully will rub off on these little fellas.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58What fascinates me is the way that great houses like this
0:18:58 > 0:19:00change their character over the centuries.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03For 500 years, this belonged to a privileged family
0:19:03 > 0:19:07and now it looks as though the whole town is going to be able to use it.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10When you think of your average Grade 1 listed building,
0:19:10 > 0:19:11these are places that one visits,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14but this is one that they're determined to actually use
0:19:14 > 0:19:17and put back at the centre of this community.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21I think that's a really bold and inventive way to keep this going.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25- It's just what the last owner wanted, isn't it?- Nice thought, isn't it?
0:19:25 > 0:19:29June Severn has left an incredible legacy here in Cullompton.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31Making her a real heritage heroine.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Devon - land of thatched cottages, isn't it?
0:19:42 > 0:19:44They're lovely
0:19:44 > 0:19:49and a lot of them are made from a curious material called cob.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51- Cob?- Yeah, have you ever heard of it, John?
0:19:51 > 0:19:55I've heard of cob nuts, cob horses.
0:19:55 > 0:20:01It's a curious little mixture of horsehair, mud,
0:20:01 > 0:20:04dung, on occasion, straw.
0:20:04 > 0:20:09It actually binds itself into a pretty versatile building material.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13With their walls built from traditional cob,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16these houses add real romance to these winding lanes.
0:20:16 > 0:20:21Jill Smallcombe and Jackie Abey, teach the art of building with cob
0:20:21 > 0:20:25and are finding new ways of using the material to create sculptures.
0:20:26 > 0:20:31Cob has... Earth building is all over the world.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34About a third of the world's population still live
0:20:34 > 0:20:35in earth buildings.
0:20:35 > 0:20:40It's a beautiful material which has lasting qualities about it.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45The house that I live in here is 500 years old.
0:20:45 > 0:20:50There's over 40,000 buildings still in use in the south-west.
0:20:52 > 0:20:53They have staying power.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57The brilliant thing is, the reason they were built out of earth
0:20:57 > 0:20:59is they were using materials that were at foot.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03This versatile material
0:21:03 > 0:21:06has been made in the same way for over 500 years.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09And yes, in the past, cow dung did get into the mix.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13The reason it had cow dung in
0:21:13 > 0:21:15was not because it was an essential ingredient,
0:21:15 > 0:21:18but because they used to mix it with the cows.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22These days, we mix it either by hand or drive over it with a tractor.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24Historically, when Jackie's house was built,
0:21:24 > 0:21:29they'd put the cows in overnight and the cows would trample it
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and that's how the cow dung came to be in it.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40From the first day we made a cob block for our first sculpture,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44- you just can't... - Also, it's a simple technique.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45It's so simple.
0:21:45 > 0:21:50You mix soil, straw and water together, jump up and down on it
0:21:50 > 0:21:53and then you can just hit it to create your shapes.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56It's very hands on, very satisfying.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00It is a viable material for the future.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04It's completely sustainable and when it does eventually fall down,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08it just goes back onto the ground and disappears.
0:22:08 > 0:22:09You can leave no trace.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18The final stop on our journey across the South-West of England
0:22:18 > 0:22:21is to the outskirts of the city of Exeter.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26It's funny when you think of country houses.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30The great preserve of the elites of days gone by and yet now,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32we have a great affection for them.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34A lot of them are crumbling.
0:22:34 > 0:22:39Look at that old sleeping beauty over there. Poltimore House.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43- Looks as though it's seen better days, doesn't it?- I should say so.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45They said it was undergoing a bit of work
0:22:45 > 0:22:48but that's more than just a bit.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Clad in corrugated iron, by the look of it.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58Poltimore House has always played a prominent role in Devon's history.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02This country estate has had a colourful past.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Built as a Tudor mansion in the 1550s,
0:23:05 > 0:23:10it's also seen life as a girl's school and even an NHS hospital.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13It's been abandoned since the 1970s,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17but just over 10 years ago, a trust was set up to preserve it.
0:23:17 > 0:23:21Since then, £100,000 has been spent on the house,
0:23:21 > 0:23:25but a further 10 million is needed to secure its future.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Clare Donavan, is one of the many trustees now dedicated
0:23:29 > 0:23:31to Poltimore's survival.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- Claire.- Hello.- Hello, I'm Jules, nice to see you.- Hello, Claire.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37It really is a building site, isn't it?
0:23:37 > 0:23:39So much has been taken away.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41The banisters, the doors.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- Come on through here. - Where are we now then?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47- Oh my goodness!- This is a courtyard.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- This is a courtyard. - With a roof on top.
0:23:50 > 0:23:56It's surreal, with this lighting. It's like being in a film set.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59Especially that bit, it looks really Gothic, doesn't it?
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- This must be the Tudor bit, presumably.- That's right.
0:24:01 > 0:24:06This is... It was a three gabled Tudor range up there.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08John, I don't know about you,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11I'm just struck by, where do you start?
0:24:11 > 0:24:14I'm looking at any one of these mullion windows, thinking,
0:24:14 > 0:24:18it's a stonemason's nightmare to recut and reshape these.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Yes, a stonemason's dream, actually.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23If you get the right one.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25Get the money, get the right stonemasons.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29All of these need to be replaced. Every part of it.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32We started in 2010.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34We started a campaign to give us the slate.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39£3.95 will get you a small piece of this big house.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42If they manage to sell all 250,000 slates,
0:24:42 > 0:24:44they'll get just short of a million.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49I'll buy one. Put it on the slate.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51He's been building up to that for ages, you know.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56There's a huge amount of work to be done,
0:24:56 > 0:24:59but Poltimore is well supported.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02It has over 400 friends and volunteers.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Some are from the Shilhay Project,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08a charity that improves the quality of life for the homeless
0:25:08 > 0:25:10and vulnerable in the area.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15Ah, so here's where all the noise and activity is. Hello, mate.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17- This is Marc.- Hello, Marc, Jules, nice to see you.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22Marc Colson is the project manager overseeing the work.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Had it not been for starting out here,
0:25:24 > 0:25:27we got some funding from Devon Community Foundation, a small bit,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30for some construction training skills earlier in the year.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33To date, five people have entered employment
0:25:33 > 0:25:36from taking their CSCS cards getting the skills,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38learning how to put mobile scaffold towers up,
0:25:38 > 0:25:42manual handing, all of those skills we've been able to use on this site.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45It's not just about building the building,
0:25:45 > 0:25:47it's also rebuilding people's lives, which is fantastic.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53I'm looking for a plasterer called Panda. That must be you, sir.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55How are you? I'm Jules, nice to meet you.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57How long have you been here for?
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- Six months or more. - You're a braver man than I am.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03My plastering's hopeless but you've clearly mastered the art.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06I wouldn't say mastered it, but I'm getting there.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07What else have you learnt here
0:26:07 > 0:26:11because it's a wonderful environment to learn a range of skills.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14You go for the job and they want somebody with experience.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17If you've just done a 13 week course, you haven't got experience.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20Coming here, it gives you experience.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26One of the few things left intact in the house
0:26:26 > 0:26:31is a fine example of the decorative plasterwork, stucco.
0:26:31 > 0:26:32Sculptor Geoffrey Preston
0:26:32 > 0:26:36is replacing some of the missing pieces of this delightful artwork.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40What kind of challenge have you got here?
0:26:40 > 0:26:44This room actually represents the end of the rococo period,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46the rococo style.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48It dates from the late 1750s, this room.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53The theme of the room is these glorious flowers.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56The people that did this were really artists.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59This would've been an important house
0:26:59 > 0:27:03and they would've looked for the top-quality artist to do them.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07They would've taken a couple of years to complete this room.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09For you, this is a wonderful opportunity
0:27:09 > 0:27:11because you don't often get a chance like this.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13It is a fantastic opportunity.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17It is one of the best rooms and when you look around it,
0:27:17 > 0:27:20the quality of the work, it's fabulous.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23It's been a privilege to be able to be here.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Well, Jules, if ever there was a building at risk, it was this one.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38They've taken on a derelict edifice.
0:27:38 > 0:27:39£10 million.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42I don't know if they're going to get the money, but I hope they do.
0:27:42 > 0:27:47I do too. I think they'll do it. Anyway, let's press on, shall we?
0:27:51 > 0:27:55What a splendid time we've had through the county of Devon.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58I loved seeing the historic house in Cullompton
0:27:58 > 0:28:01being transformed from a decaying building
0:28:01 > 0:28:03back to the heart of the community.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09For me, seeing the Shire horses in action was a real treat.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Let's hope that with more farmers turning back to traditional methods,
0:28:13 > 0:28:14they have a future.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19Next time, I join a group in Torquay,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23keen to discover what lies behind the walls of Torre Abbey.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27And I meet the volunteers on patrol along the Devonshire coast,
0:28:27 > 0:28:29keeping the area's military history alive.