0:00:00 > 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 > 0:00:16Valuable arts and crafts are on the brink of extinction.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19And our rich industrial heritage is disappearing fast.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22We're scouring town and country
0:00:22 > 0:00:25in 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 > 0:00:31Heave away!
0:00:31 > 0:00:32Today I head out to sea,
0:00:32 > 0:00:36to learn how boats were sailed over 100 years ago.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39Time for those blisters to start popping.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41And I visit an 18th century cider house
0:00:41 > 0:00:45in need of a serious facelift.
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.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15John, at long last, the final leg of our journey.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Cornwall stretches beyond and either side of us.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23And we're on the A30 - the highway to Cornwall.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25The road on which generations of people
0:01:25 > 0:01:27have been stuck in traffic jams
0:01:27 > 0:01:29on their way to their dream holidays.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Indeed.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37We've been travelling pier-to-pier across South-West England.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40We started in Dorset then headed inland to Somerset
0:01:40 > 0:01:41and on through Devon.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Our journey's end has brought us into Cornwall.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54You'd be hard pressed not to fall for this county.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57With a rich maritime history,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01every bay, beach and cliff of Cornwall has a story to tell.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Inland, signs of its mining past
0:02:04 > 0:02:07sit amongst the stunning countryside.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11We're on the road to find the people working hard to save this heritage.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14John, there are some great names in this country.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Aren't there? And some of the villages we've been through,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20they remind me of Victorian actor managers,
0:02:20 > 0:02:24like Sir Compton Poundsfoot.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27- Langton Matravers. - Wimbourne St Giles.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29There's some beauties, aren't there?
0:02:29 > 0:02:34Here in Cornwall, Godolphin is a name to be reckoned with.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37- Fine name, isn't it? - It's a brilliant name.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39It's actually also a name of a house
0:02:39 > 0:02:42that the National Trust have recently bought,
0:02:42 > 0:02:44and are pouring a lot of money into.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48And it's said it's an iconic part not just of Cornish history
0:02:48 > 0:02:50but of Cornish architecture.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52- Well worth a look at. - I would think so, yeah.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59In the 19th century
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Cornwall was the world leader in tin mining production,
0:03:02 > 0:03:04with over 2,000 mines.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07The Godolphin's earned their fortune from the industry,
0:03:07 > 0:03:11making them one of the leading families of west Cornwall.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16This house is a display of their status.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21By the 17th century it'd been extended to house over 100 rooms.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Over the decades its fate changed
0:03:26 > 0:03:28and parts of the building were demolished.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32Now this important Cornish property is open to the public
0:03:32 > 0:03:36for the first time since it was built in 1475.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37- Well.- Oh, yeah.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40- That is unusual, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43I've never seen a big house designed like that before.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47And look at this gate, the door.
0:03:47 > 0:03:48This has been opened a few times!
0:03:48 > 0:03:50I should say so, yeah. Give it a push.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58- It's enchanting, isn't it? Look at that.- Wow.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01It's almost like a kind of monastery garden.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06Columns continue this way as well. It's a proper cloister, isn't it?
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Beautiful. Come on, John, let's go in here.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12- Which way?- This way.
0:04:12 > 0:04:13I think this way, yeah.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20This would make a gorgeous home, wouldn't it? Fabulous.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23- Lovely fireplace there. - What do you reckon this is, Jules?
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Look at that.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30- I've never seen anything like that. - Well, the hole looks right at the front door.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33I think that's a musket loop, for shooting unwanted guests.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37So anybody you didn't like... Goodbye, guests!
0:04:37 > 0:04:38Goodbye, yes.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Put one in at home, John, might be useful!
0:04:42 > 0:04:46The rest of the property is just as impressive.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Adam is the contractor who completed the renovations in the main house
0:04:50 > 0:04:53and is now reviewing the work still to be done.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Relatively speaking, which is the newest bit of the house, Adam?
0:04:57 > 0:05:02The newest bit is the front. It's the front elevation.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- What era would that be? - That's 17th century.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Then the Civil War came along and they backed the wrong side
0:05:08 > 0:05:09and ran out of money.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13They were going to demolish the old section and carry on round.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16So they built a new facade intending to build a big, new house
0:05:16 > 0:05:17but ran out of money?
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Yeah. There's no new stone.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22We haven't replaced any of the stone,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24we've managed to conserve all of that.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26It's really just been a re-pointing job.
0:05:26 > 0:05:31Just re-pointing, but it's cost more than £1 million, hasn't it?
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Well, new roofs, timbers, joinery,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35all sorts of major structural support.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39- The house is safe now, is it?- It is.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42It was in a very perilous state, so we got it just in time.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I'm told that a few more million pounds are needed
0:05:46 > 0:05:49to do the rest of the work on the estate, so what kind of things?
0:05:49 > 0:05:53We've got the cider house here. It's one of the next projects.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56If they raise the millions to restore the rest of the site,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00the cider house that sits in the grounds is on the priority list.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04Watch your head.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- Goodness me, it's in a bad state, isn't it?- It is.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11It's obviously a slate roof, isn't it?
0:06:11 > 0:06:12It is. Cornish slate.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16And been covered in cement by the look of it.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Yeah, they covered it in cement to keep the weather out.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Unfortunately long-term it actually causes more damage.
0:06:23 > 0:06:28The cement is so hard and brittle, you can't clean the slates up.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32So on the main house we were able to salvage a lot of the slates
0:06:32 > 0:06:33because they were bedded in lime.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37But in this instance we'll be able to salvage very little.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40So a totally new slate roof on here.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Yeah, if we get 10% out we'll be very lucky.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Along with the cider house there are barns to be renovated
0:06:48 > 0:06:51and a 13th century garden to be restored.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Malcolm Smitheram, of the National Trust,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58is overseeing the work being done on this historic home.
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Malcolm, this is a fantastic place
0:07:03 > 0:07:06to get a real sense of the geography of Godolphin.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10- There it is nestling. - Absolutely wonderful.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13And inside we've refurnished it absolutely beautiful.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17John and I were having a look earlier and it does look gorgeous.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Very homely and very unexpected in a National Trust property.
0:07:20 > 0:07:21It is.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24What we're trying to do in the National Trust
0:07:24 > 0:07:27is to make people feel part of the National Trust even if they are not members.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30So we're encouraging people to come along,
0:07:30 > 0:07:34we hold different events, they sit in the house, sit on the furniture.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36The general feel is that it's homely.
0:07:36 > 0:07:41This is something that we set out to do right from the beginning.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44But I see my job here, seriously,
0:07:44 > 0:07:47it's to hold onto the atmosphere of Godolphin.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53What an intriguing place this is, Jules, isn't it?
0:07:53 > 0:07:55If I'm honest, I don't know about you,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57this is one that's kind of grown on me.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59- I was a bit confused at first. - It's a bit different, isn't it?
0:07:59 > 0:08:03It is. But seeing what Malcolm's team have done here,
0:08:03 > 0:08:05it's an extraordinary building.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09They've just scratched the surface but when it's all done - what a place!
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And surface is the word because beneath the surface here
0:08:12 > 0:08:15is where mining really started in Cornwall.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19- This is the house above the shop, isn't it?- It's not bad, is it?
0:08:23 > 0:08:28From the buildings to the landscape, Cornwall has a wonderful heritage,
0:08:28 > 0:08:32and we're doing our best to understand its unique culture.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35John, I thought we'd pass the time on our journey constructively
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- by trying to learn a little Cornish. - Wow.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41If you don't already speak Cornish,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43here are a few phrases to get you started.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44OK.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Do you speak Cornish?
0:08:47 > 0:08:50SHE SPEAKS CORNISH
0:08:50 > 0:08:54HE REPEATS
0:08:54 > 0:08:57It doesn't sound like anything else at all.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59- It's not like Welsh or anything, is it?- No.
0:08:59 > 0:09:00OK, try another one.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Please.
0:09:02 > 0:09:03SPEAKS CORNISH
0:09:03 > 0:09:06- THEY IMITATE - Please. That's quite good.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08Thank you.
0:09:08 > 0:09:09SPEAKS CORNISH
0:09:09 > 0:09:11THEY IMITATE
0:09:11 > 0:09:12So please...
0:09:12 > 0:09:14BOTH IMITATE CORNISH
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Please and thank you.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19We're all over this.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22We've conquered that language already. And we've only just...
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And we can add ourselves to the grand total of 300 people
0:09:25 > 0:09:27who speak it fluently in Cornwall.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35In 2010 the Cornish language was classified as critically endangered.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Across the county work to save it has been gathering pace,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and it was recently announced that the government
0:09:40 > 0:09:45is spending nearly £400,000 towards it's survival.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54THEY SPEAK CORNISH
0:09:54 > 0:09:58The Cornish Language Partnership holds informal classes
0:09:58 > 0:10:01in several local pubs across the region.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Elizabeth Stewart is one keen member.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08I think groups like this are really important
0:10:08 > 0:10:13because the most important part of learning a language is speaking it.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Whilst you go to a class,
0:10:15 > 0:10:17you learn to read it, write it, you learn to speak it,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20but this is where you play about with it
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and be a bit creative with it and really live the language.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Becky, a teacher in a local primary school, is also learning the language
0:10:27 > 0:10:31and sharing her passion for it with the next generation.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35THEY SING IN CORNISH
0:10:40 > 0:10:42It's fantastic for the children
0:10:42 > 0:10:44to have an opportunity to learn Cornish.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47In our school we have a lot of children
0:10:47 > 0:10:50who are generations Cornish born and bred,
0:10:50 > 0:10:54but we've also got a lot of children who moved to the area recently.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58For them to learn Cornish is not just about learning a language
0:10:58 > 0:11:02but understanding where they live and giving them a sense of place.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06THEY SPEAK CORNISH
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I'm really passionate about keeping Cornish alive
0:11:10 > 0:11:14because it's everything about who we are down here in Cornwall.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17It doesn't matter if you weren't born in Cornwall
0:11:17 > 0:11:18or if you've moved in,
0:11:18 > 0:11:20it's all around us in the place names
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and it's part of our history and heritage and our culture.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27If you let that go you lose a huge part of your soul of who you are.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30It needs to be kept alive for that reason.
0:11:42 > 0:11:48We've finally made it to the coast, and the stunning town of St Ives.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51With its history stamped firmly in both fishing and art,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54we've got a lot of heritage to explore.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56This is what it is all about, John, eh?
0:11:56 > 0:12:00- Away from the crowds up here, aren't we?- Nice, empty beach.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04But once upon a time this whole town would have been full of fishermen
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and Artisans and shops, but a lot of that has now gone.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11They all used to have their homes facing the sea.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Like every other seaside town,
0:12:13 > 0:12:16anywhere with a sea view is a premium price now, isn't it?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Well, all of these are now second homes or holiday flats
0:12:18 > 0:12:20and that sort of thing.
0:12:20 > 0:12:24So all of that lovely heritage and Artisanship has been squeezed out.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- Very much a risk, isn't it? - Absolutely.
0:12:27 > 0:12:28But there is one exception.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- Can you see that building over, with a blue roof?- Yeah.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34That is one of the very few remaining artists studios
0:12:34 > 0:12:36now overlooking the sea.
0:12:36 > 0:12:37An oasis of creativity.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Is it in danger of being bought out or anything?
0:12:40 > 0:12:42No, this is a success story.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46- So I'm going to go and check that out and you, mate, are off to church.- Oh.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Probably need it!
0:12:50 > 0:12:53In fact, Porthmeor Studio is the only property on this beach
0:12:53 > 0:12:57that isn't holiday flats or a private home.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Keeping it out of reach of property-hungry developers
0:13:01 > 0:13:02is a challenge in itself.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04It sits in a prime location
0:13:04 > 0:13:07where two-bed flats alone can cost over a million,
0:13:07 > 0:13:10making the studios hot property.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13A trust has been formed to save it as an art studio.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Culture Officer Tamsin is part of a team who've worked hard
0:13:19 > 0:13:22to ensure the local fishing and artistic community
0:13:22 > 0:13:26can continue to enjoy their rightful home.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29- It's so obviously an artist's haunt really.- That's right.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33And was originally essentially the protecting wall for St Ives,
0:13:33 > 0:13:35to stop the sand and the waves going over into the town.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38So that's why there's huge blocks at the bottom.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- Absolutely. You can think of this as being the castle walls.- Yeah.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Looking at the fabric, the sea has done its worst.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46- That's not good. - Especially on the new stuff. No.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47That's not good.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51And waves will come crashing against this wall at high tide.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55So how much is it going to cost to transform this?
0:13:55 > 0:13:59We've already done a big section but we've got the main block to do.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02- You're talking nearly £4 million.- All in?- All in.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06- But you've already started. - Oh, very much so.- Let's have a look.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Its restoration is essential.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11The studios have been graced by artistic greats
0:14:11 > 0:14:15such as Patrick Heron, Ben Nicholson and Francis Bacon.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18This site a national treasure.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Here you can see the whole building complex.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22You can see the sea over there.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26- This was the wall keeping the sea from the town.- That bit there, yeah.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29Yes. This is where the fishermen were originally.
0:14:29 > 0:14:30Down in the basement area.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33That cellar down there is a huge cellar
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and includes pilchard tanks, where the pilchards were stored.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39This courtyard is where they dry the pilchards out on lines.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42We've still got fishermen underneath.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43Artists on this layer here.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47It was paramount that the artists and fishermen remained in this building.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51The last thing we wanted was for this to become a tourist attraction.
0:14:51 > 0:14:52This is a working building.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55An artist you should talk to is John Emmanuelle.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58- He's been here for years. - Has he?- He's a fascinating character.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01This looks like the church Jules said I should visit
0:15:01 > 0:15:05but now it's owned by the St Ives Society of artists.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07I'd better find out more.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10Built in the early 1900's,
0:15:10 > 0:15:13this Mariner's church has been as battered by the elements
0:15:13 > 0:15:17as the fishermen who once worshipped here.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20It was bought by the Society of Artists in the 50's
0:15:20 > 0:15:24and has been used as a gallery ever since.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28A campaign has been launched to fund essential repairs.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34- Janet. Nice to meet you. - And you, too.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36What a wonderful place...
0:15:36 > 0:15:38- for an art gallery. - Isn't it wonderful?
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- It looks to be in a bit of a state actually.- I'm afraid it is.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45I don't think anything's been done with it for ages.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48- There's a lot of damp. Not a good place to put pictures. - No.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- The roof's in a very bad state. - So what are you hoping to do?
0:15:51 > 0:15:58We're are trying to get funding to do a new roof, new windows,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01so that it's a perfect place for a gallery.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04And then there is a downstairs part,
0:16:04 > 0:16:06and we want to convert that from a gallery
0:16:06 > 0:16:09to be St Ives archive.
0:16:09 > 0:16:14Heritage Manager Janet Axten looks after the town's vast archive.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17It's currently being stored on the other side of St Ives.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22- If you'd like to come in. - This is it?- This is it.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26And how long have these archives been collected for?
0:16:26 > 0:16:29We've been collecting them for the last 15 years.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32People bring us things. We have acquired a few photographs,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36but most of them, people bring them.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39It seems to me so fortunate
0:16:39 > 0:16:41that a small town like this has so much archive.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44It has. And we're getting more and more everyday.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47We're learning so much about the town.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50You never ever finish learning about an area.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52It's very interesting indeed.
0:16:54 > 0:17:00Back at the studios, I'm in search of a living artistic landmark.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03Hey, fellas. I'm looking for John Emmanuelle.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Long-term resident artist John Emmanuelle
0:17:06 > 0:17:10is looking forward to getting a watertight studio.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12- John?- Hello, come in.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Hello, sir. This is amazing!
0:17:16 > 0:17:19- What a fantastic studio you've got. - I've been lucky, haven't I?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22You certainly have. You're on the move now.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25On the move and hopefully to come back soon when it's done up.
0:17:25 > 0:17:26All of it will be refurbished.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Is it going to be strange returning to a new studio?
0:17:29 > 0:17:34It'll be like I was 30 years ago. Except I'll be warmer!
0:17:34 > 0:17:38- What they do, English Heritage, they'll keep all this.- All of it?
0:17:38 > 0:17:40They'll wire brush it down.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Those will remain the same, the ceiling.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45They'll just patch up where they've got to patch up
0:17:45 > 0:17:47but they don't do anything new unless they've got to.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50- So the fabric will be similar. - It'll be the same.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52But you can see some of the issues.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54The water that's coming in and so forth.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58There was a gully along there so that wall collapsed.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02But it doesn't worry you, having to pack everything up,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06turn over 30 years of experience of this building, move out for a bit
0:18:06 > 0:18:09and then come back when it's all been sanitised and put back together?
0:18:09 > 0:18:12It's not a worry.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15It's a pleasure in some ways because the building will be saved.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18- That's what's important really. - Yeah.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22- We are just passing through, aren't we? You know?- Yeah.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Isn't it great that a small town like this
0:18:28 > 0:18:31wants to keep its history so very much alive today?
0:18:31 > 0:18:35And they've got some fantastic initiatives to really keep it going.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Let's face it, every seaside town has to evolve.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41But they're not just taking the fast buck in terms of tourism.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44They're trying hard to keep the legacy going.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46I've been looking at a wonderful archive which,
0:18:46 > 0:18:49if they get the funding, in two or three years time
0:18:49 > 0:18:51everybody will be able to see the history of this place.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54- Shall we buy a painting? - Why not?- Come on.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01You know, John, one place I've never been to in Cornwall,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03and I keep threatening to get there one day,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05is Tintagel and the castle,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and that great Arthurian story that goes with it.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10We're not going there, Jules,
0:19:10 > 0:19:12because King Arthur is no longer at risk.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14That was about 1000 years ago.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19But did you know there's a legend round here
0:19:19 > 0:19:22that when he died, King Arthur,
0:19:22 > 0:19:27his spirit went into a very rare local bird called the chough?
0:19:27 > 0:19:28- The chough.- A chough.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31And how do you think he felt about that?
0:19:31 > 0:19:35- I suppose he was dead chuffed! - You see, I knew we'd get there.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37- You fed me that one.- Yeah, great.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41I'll keep lining them up if you keep knocking them down, John!
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Our search for these rare birds is taking us to south-west coast,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50close to the town of Botallack.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57Chough's are a distinctive bird with red legs and beaks.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59They disappeared from Cornwall in 1973
0:19:59 > 0:20:04but in 2001, three birds returned.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10The coastal heathland habitat makes a perfect nesting ground.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Keeping track of the growing numbers is Clare Mucklow from the RSPB
0:20:16 > 0:20:20and volunteers who are keen to twitch, whatever the weather!
0:20:20 > 0:20:25It's a natural re-colonisation and that's quite unusual these days
0:20:25 > 0:20:28in the world of re-introduction.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31So these birds have returned naturally,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and they're just slowly increasing.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38But that hold is still quite tenuous, so they are still at risk.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41The choughs are special, part of Cornish history.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44In the Industrial Revolution, there were many of them
0:20:44 > 0:20:45and they were so important,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48they became part of the Cornish coat of arms.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52So those of us who are interested are very keen to help extend their life as much as possible.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58So choughs need access to the soil and an open mosaic of vegetation
0:20:58 > 0:21:03where they can use their long red bills to dig into the soil.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08I work a lot with landowners and farmers to try and get the habitat
0:21:08 > 0:21:11around the coastal fringe in good condition,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14so that the birds have lots of places to feed.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17So I enjoy watching them, but I also work behind the scenes
0:21:17 > 0:21:20to make sure that they've got a good future here in Cornwall.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Without these dedicated supporters,
0:21:23 > 0:21:27this rare bird could easily flee again from these shores.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36We're sticking to the coast for the final stop on our run
0:21:36 > 0:21:38through the South-West of England.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Well, Jules, we're in Newlyn now, and we started at Swanage Pier,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46We finish our journey at Newlyn Pier.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49- Pier to pier!- Pier to pier!
0:21:49 > 0:21:53- Shall I tell you something about Newlyn that not many people know? - Go on.
0:21:53 > 0:21:58On the harbour here is the official mark for the sea level
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- of the whole of the UK. - Here in Newlyn?- Here in Newlyn.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06When you hear somewhere is so many metres or feet above sea level,
0:22:06 > 0:22:10well, the mark for that sea level is right here on this harbour.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12That is actually very interesting!
0:22:12 > 0:22:15Yeah! But that's not what we're here for, is it?
0:22:15 > 0:22:19No, we are here to look at that lovely boat down there.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21A lugger.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27This lugger is a survivor. Launched over 100 years ago,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31she's one of the oldest fishing vessels on the UK register.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34Unique to the area, she would have worked these shores
0:22:34 > 0:22:36fishing for pilchards, mackerel and herring.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40It's taken four years to restore her.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43And it's down to one man, skipper John Lambourne.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47- Well, she's a fine looking boat. - Yeah! Where's the skipper? John?
0:22:47 > 0:22:51- Good morning!- Morning! How are you? - We've been hearing about you!
0:22:51 > 0:22:56- Nice to see you. Very good! Beautiful!- How are you?- All right!
0:22:56 > 0:22:58And why pick on a boat like this to restore?
0:22:58 > 0:23:04Well, it's Cornish and with my background, I felt it had to be done
0:23:04 > 0:23:07and if I didn't do it, it wouldn't happen.
0:23:07 > 0:23:12- So, I did it with a team. - She is a beauty, John.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14There you are. It feels alive to me,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18but my wife maintains it hasn't got a heart in it!
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- But I don't agree.- But this is your mistress, right?!
0:23:20 > 0:23:24Well, I'd better not say that! But that's how it turns out.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Takes all the time and the concentration,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28you don't think about anything else.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31Well, I know a sailor here who'd love to have a go on your boat.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35- Can I come aboard?- Of course, we'd be delighted to have you.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45Well, it's a great sight, Jules.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48To see a boat like this leaving the harbour again.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50You're right, John. Sailing a bit of history!
0:23:52 > 0:23:56What's interesting about this boat is there's no standing rigging,
0:23:56 > 0:23:58there's no ropes holding the mast up permanently.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02This is called the burton and this is the only thing holding it up.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05So when the wind is going this way and the sail is filled,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09this is just holding the mast up on its own and if that goes,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13your burton's gone, and that's gone for a burton! How about that?!
0:24:13 > 0:24:15John is a true Heritage Hero.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18He's invested his time and money
0:24:18 > 0:24:21into restoring this boat for us all to enjoy.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Are you all right, Mr Tack Man?
0:24:24 > 0:24:28He now wants it to be used as a hands-on educational tool,
0:24:28 > 0:24:32to teach traditional Cornish sailing techniques.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34And it's not long before my training starts.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- You've got to work it fast, no messing about.- Aye-aye, Skipper!
0:24:42 > 0:24:46Time for those blisters to start popping! Up she goes!
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Untwist the blocks there!
0:24:50 > 0:24:52OK. That's it.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04I don't know how you remember what to do!
0:25:04 > 0:25:07LAUGHS
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- We're sailing!- Now you've got the mizzen to do.- Whoah.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17Well, Julian and Tim, you are new, yet old hands, it seems,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19on this particular boat?
0:25:19 > 0:25:21There's an awful lot to sailing this, isn't there?
0:25:21 > 0:25:25It's very different to sailing a normal kind of plastic boat.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Yeah. That's what I'm used to. This is completely different.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- It's a lot more physical. - There's a lot of weight in the sail.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Big, powerful sail, lot of weight in the cloth,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35lot of weight in the yard, as you found out!
0:25:35 > 0:25:37Absolutely, hoisting that thing up!
0:25:37 > 0:25:39But, you know, for all the hard work,
0:25:39 > 0:25:42you get a real sense of the heritage of these boats.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44And you're resurrecting skills and sailing methods
0:25:44 > 0:25:47that have been forgotten on these shores for a long time.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50I think, in a sense, speaking for everybody else,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52we all feel quite proud of that, actually.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55Especially when we did a trip to France in the summer,
0:25:55 > 0:26:00and you really get a feeling for how hard the guys who used to sail and fish these used to be.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02They must have been really tough guys.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Well, I should catch up with John now.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07- He's taking it far too easy! - Absolutely!- Helming away, there.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11- And when you need a hand, give us a shout!- Will do, Jules. Cheers!
0:26:13 > 0:26:18Well, Skipper, we've just put in yet another tack. You're keeping everybody on their toes today!
0:26:18 > 0:26:22Yes, I can see that lovely blister coming on on your left hand there!
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Yeah, look! We are getting something.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28You've obviously relied on a lot of local oral history,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31first-hand memories from the old boys that used to sail these boats.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35How much harder would it have been if you hadn't had that resource?
0:26:35 > 0:26:37If they'd all gone?
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Well, they have gone and what we actually have got
0:26:40 > 0:26:42is hand-me-down of the stories,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45the skills have to be re-learned.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49There's nobody alive who's actually made a living sailing one of these.
0:26:49 > 0:26:53- Right, OK.- But there's a tremendous amount of paintings,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57a tremendous amount of photographs, a tremendous amount of models,
0:26:57 > 0:27:02and a tremendous amount of the social history of Cornwall.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07Who owned the boat, who skippered it? Who had shares in it?
0:27:07 > 0:27:11How much fish did they catch? Where did the money come from
0:27:11 > 0:27:13for building all the chapels
0:27:13 > 0:27:16and creating all the communities in Cornwall?
0:27:16 > 0:27:18It came from these boats.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20And when you've got a sail like this full of wind,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24it becomes an animal which is difficult to tame,
0:27:24 > 0:27:28but it takes quite a lot of courage and it takes quite a lot of skill
0:27:28 > 0:27:32and expertise and experience - and a vast amount of blisters!
0:27:32 > 0:27:33LAUGHS
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Yes, I'm learning that already!
0:27:41 > 0:27:43How was life on the lugger, Jules?
0:27:43 > 0:27:48A real trip down memory lane, John, for any salty old seadog.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51And a real taste of living history. And it was exactly that.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Living history being protected. That's the theme, really, isn't it,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56of our journey right through the Southwest.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00It's been a real treat. But how about this one, mate? This is at risk!
0:28:00 > 0:28:02- Fancy a project? - Quite a restoration job, that!
0:28:02 > 0:28:04THEY LAUGH
0:28:09 > 0:28:12What a great end to our tour of South-West England.
0:28:13 > 0:28:18We've met some incredible heroes, celebrating their region's heritage.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21- Right, that's fine. - I knew you wouldn't let me down!
0:28:21 > 0:28:25From the group at Swanage Pier working hard to raise money for its future,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28to the farmers re-introducing shire-horses in Devon.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31We've had an amazing trip.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd