0:00:02 > 0:00:05Want to know about British history? You'd better get your hands dirty.
0:00:05 > 0:00:06Don't bury your head in a guidebook,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08ask a brickie,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10a chippie,
0:00:10 > 0:00:11or a roofer.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Ever since I were a boy I've had a passion for our past,
0:00:15 > 0:00:20so I'm going to apprentice myself to the oldest masonry company
0:00:20 > 0:00:23in the country, mastering their crafts
0:00:23 > 0:00:27and scraping away the secrets of Blighty's poshest piles.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29From castles to cathedrals,
0:00:29 > 0:00:32music halls to mansions,
0:00:32 > 0:00:35palaces to public schools,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37these aren't just buildings -
0:00:37 > 0:00:40they're keys to opening up our past and bringing it back to life.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Today I'm in Doncaster helping to restore one of its finest buildings,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10the magnificent Mansion House.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Doncaster! Who needs Florence?
0:01:13 > 0:01:14Correct!
0:01:14 > 0:01:18I'll finding out how the other half partied...
0:01:18 > 0:01:2030 gallons of beer,
0:01:20 > 0:01:22ten gallons of red and white wine...
0:01:22 > 0:01:25These sound like my sort of parties, really.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27..I'll be trying to help the roofers...
0:01:28 > 0:01:31- I've got a couple there. - It's OK, it happens.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Yes, he said that through gritted teeth.
0:01:33 > 0:01:34ROOFER CHUCKLES
0:01:34 > 0:01:37..and seeing if I can get away with one of the biggest prizes
0:01:37 > 0:01:39in horse racing.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42If I could buy a horse, this could be mine.
0:01:42 > 0:01:43All mine!
0:01:43 > 0:01:44See you!
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Doncaster, the jewel in the crown of North Yorkshire,
0:01:53 > 0:01:54the birthplace of horse racing
0:01:54 > 0:01:56and also the legendary locomotive,
0:01:56 > 0:01:58the Flying Scotsman.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01It boasts two Norman castles
0:02:01 > 0:02:04and more Georgian buildings than you can shake a stick at,
0:02:04 > 0:02:06but top of the list is the Mansion House.
0:02:08 > 0:02:11Mansion houses were designed to provide accommodation for the mayor
0:02:11 > 0:02:14along with rooms to hold civic functions.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Only five were ever built in the UK,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20and Doncaster's was unique.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24It was the only one planned with purely pleasure in mind.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29A historical market town in South Yorkshire,
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Doncaster's wealth and prestige grew in the 18th century,
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and so did the council's ambitions.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40They wanted their town to be the centre for fashionable society,
0:02:40 > 0:02:44so decided to construct the most badass building in the North.
0:02:47 > 0:02:49Opened in 1749,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53it has an impressive array of entertaining spaces.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58But its original roof needs to be replaced,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00and the front facade has lost its sparkle.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07Construction firm William Anelay are on site to do the works,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10and I've come to meet site manager Steve Quinn.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13But first, I need to climb up six storeys.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18HE CRIES OUT
0:03:18 > 0:03:20HE LAUGHS
0:03:20 > 0:03:22- Hey, Steve.- Dave, how are you, mate?
0:03:22 > 0:03:23I'm all right, but...
0:03:23 > 0:03:26- Good man.- This is your world in the sky, isn't it?
0:03:26 > 0:03:27This is beautiful, look at it.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29On a day like today, October,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31- we've got the sun out, nice sky over there.- Yeah.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Look at that. Ready for rain, look, under our big roof here.
0:03:34 > 0:03:35Doncaster! Who needs Florence?
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Correct! Correct.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39What have you got going on here, Steve?
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Right, this is the part of our main sculpting works, right,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45it's where we're replacing the main ballroom roof
0:03:45 > 0:03:47with slate, Welsh slate.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Tell you what, I don't envy those lads' jobs.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51They've got a head for heights.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54I'm holding on to my rail here, and I don't have to!
0:03:54 > 0:03:56What's the budget on a job like this, Steve?
0:03:56 > 0:03:59The budget for this particular job is £300,000.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01It doesn't sound a lot, really, considering what I can see.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Yeah. But the problem you get...
0:04:04 > 0:04:07..they've got that much work to do in the building,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- they've only got that much money. - Yes.- And that is a shame.
0:04:10 > 0:04:14So what we're trying to do, you might say it's only that much money,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16but when you look at it when the scaffold goes down,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18everything like that, you've got a nice front facade painted,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21nice stone, a roof that's going to last 150 years.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23We're protecting the building for the future.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26The works are scheduled
0:04:26 > 0:04:28to take 25 weeks.
0:04:28 > 0:04:29Along with replacing
0:04:29 > 0:04:31large sections of the roof...
0:04:33 > 0:04:35..they are painting the front facade,
0:04:35 > 0:04:36fixing statues,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38and repairing sash windows.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44The Mansion House holds a special place in the construction company's
0:04:44 > 0:04:48history. It was their first-ever commission, back in 1747,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and they've been responsible for
0:04:51 > 0:04:53all the works ever completed on the building.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59Charles is the eighth generation of the family to work on site.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Charles, the history of your company,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05- it's almost as old as the history of this building.- It is, it is.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07We were started in Doncaster,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and this Doncaster Mansion House was one of the first projects
0:05:10 > 0:05:11they ever worked on.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15This part here we're stood on at the moment was when they changed it
0:05:15 > 0:05:18in 1800 because they decided it wasn't big enough and grand enough,
0:05:18 > 0:05:20so they built a whole new extra top floor
0:05:20 > 0:05:24to put on the building and this was a project we did at that time.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26But is this one of your favourite buildings?
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Well, it has to be, doesn't it? Cos it's just such a thing to think
0:05:29 > 0:05:31that, you know, you're in the town
0:05:31 > 0:05:34where the business that you're part of was started
0:05:34 > 0:05:36over 250 years ago.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38I mean, it's pretty amazing.
0:05:39 > 0:05:40Here's to the next 200!
0:05:40 > 0:05:41Thank you.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45The building is in need of some TLC.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48But before I get hands-on with the builders,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52I want to find out more about this magnificent Mansion House.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55- Hello, pleased to meet you.- Hi.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Do you know, if this is what the staircase is like,
0:05:57 > 0:05:59I can't wait to see the rest of it.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03The house was one of acclaimed architect James Paine's
0:06:03 > 0:06:07first commissions and originally built over three storeys
0:06:07 > 0:06:11with an additional floor added in 1801.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14In the basement were the servants' halls and on the ground floor,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17rooms for the entertainment of gentlemen.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20But it was on the principle, or first floor,
0:06:20 > 0:06:22where they put the grandest rooms.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25- Wow.- Come in here.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27This is magnificent, Ian.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31This is the ballroom, or banqueting room.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34And what would it have been used for back in the day?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Well, that. Just having a good time, basically.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Yeah, Doncaster was a key town.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44The road outside is the original A1.
0:06:44 > 0:06:45Right.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47And coach traffic was tremendous.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51Well, Mansion House, really, is more than just a civic building,
0:06:51 > 0:06:53- isn't it?- Oh, yes. - It's more than a town hall.- Oh, yes.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55It's like the two together, basically.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58It was built as an extravagant venue
0:06:58 > 0:07:00for the mayor to entertain his guests.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04And they raised the funds needed by borrowing money from the locals.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09It was the people of Doncaster, that's how the money came.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14It was literally walking round the town and drawing up money.
0:07:14 > 0:07:18- Yes.- We know that in the second year of the appeal, going out,
0:07:18 > 0:07:21they did manage to raise £2,200,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23which was half the cost of the construction.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Today, this Grade I listed building makes its money from
0:07:28 > 0:07:30renting out its stunning function rooms.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- This really is magnificent, isn't it?- Yes, it is.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- By 'eck, I bet they've had some beanos in here!- Everybody.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Could you tell me about some of those big, big parties
0:07:40 > 0:07:42that they used to have when it first opened?
0:07:42 > 0:07:46One of the biggest was certainly the coronation of King George III.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- Right.- In 1761.
0:07:49 > 0:07:51The council actually went to the...
0:07:53 > 0:07:57..cautionary measure of employing six constables on the evening
0:07:57 > 0:08:02as a quite a good supply of liquid refreshment had been supplied.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Are there any records of how much was drunk?
0:08:06 > 0:08:0730 gallons of beer...
0:08:09 > 0:08:11..ten gallons of red and white wine,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13and five gallons of port and brandy.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16These sound like my sort of parties, really!
0:08:22 > 0:08:24Oh, gosh, look at this room!
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Everyone who is anyone has been wined and dined here and downstairs,
0:08:29 > 0:08:31they keep the visitors' book.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33You can see the calibre of some of the guests
0:08:33 > 0:08:35- that came to Mansion House, can't you?- Oh, yes.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38The Queen, Prince Philip, Princess Diana.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40Princess Diana, yes.
0:08:42 > 0:08:43- Princess Margaret.- Yes.
0:08:43 > 0:08:44Lord Snowdon.
0:08:45 > 0:08:46Gosh.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50You know, I'm beginning to realise the gravity and importance
0:08:50 > 0:08:54of Mansion House, you know, because the people that came here,
0:08:54 > 0:08:56they were every bit as important as people
0:08:56 > 0:08:58- who are going to Buckingham Palace. - Oh, yes.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00What's this little book?
0:09:00 > 0:09:06That is a book that's dated back to about 1750, 1760.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08It's like a housekeeper's almanac, isn't it?
0:09:08 > 0:09:09It is, yes. It's a reference book.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15"On Friday the 19th, visited this house and found all in good order.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19"Ordered Dolly to make a fire in the scullery."
0:09:19 > 0:09:20Isn't it wonderful?
0:09:20 > 0:09:21IAN LAUGHS
0:09:21 > 0:09:25Wonderful. I love these little bits of real life in this grand house.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27You've got Dolly in the scullery there,
0:09:27 > 0:09:29you've got Princess Diana here,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32and you've got Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip there!
0:09:32 > 0:09:34That's right, yes.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- Yeah.- Doncaster in a nutshell, isn't it, really?
0:09:37 > 0:09:38LAUGHTER
0:09:39 > 0:09:42To ensure this grand building stands tall
0:09:42 > 0:09:43for another couple of hundred years,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46it's important the roof remains watertight.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50The Welsh slates on the top have been weather-damaged
0:09:50 > 0:09:53and I've come prepared to help the team replace them.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57I've got my roofer's belt, cos the thing is, you want everything.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00I've got my copper strips, my copper nails, my measure, everything,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03your knife... The thing is, when you're on a roof of this calibre,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06you don't want to keep going up and down your ladders,
0:10:06 > 0:10:07not with my knees.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10All the slates on the original roof are being replaced.
0:10:10 > 0:10:14But above the extension, which was added 50 years later,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17they are just removing those which have cracked.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19This is Andy. Andy is a roofer extraordinaire
0:10:19 > 0:10:21and he's going to show me how it's done.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Right, first of all, we need to remove the damaged slates.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Right, well, that's damaged.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26- Do you just pull it?- No, no, no.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- We use a ripper.- A ripper?!- Yeah.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32So what...? Oo-er!
0:10:32 > 0:10:34That removes the old damaged slates.
0:10:34 > 0:10:35It does.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37So what have we got under here, Andy?
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Is it roofing felt?
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Underneath here is the old 1F roofing felt.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44- Do you want to have a go at getting the next one off?- Aye, yeah.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47You want to slide it up there, come to the side...
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Slide it over. That's it.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52And basically pull it out.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55It's like boning a chicken.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- What do I do...? - Try and angle it onto the nail.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58Oh, the nail. Yeah.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00- Then it'll come.- That's it.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04And of course, the nails are all copper on the roof.
0:11:04 > 0:11:05Yeah. Slide up there.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- I've got a couple there. - It's OK, it happens.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14Yes, he said that through gritted teeth.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16LAUGHTER
0:11:16 > 0:11:17Do you love roofing?
0:11:18 > 0:11:20I do, my legs don't.
0:11:20 > 0:11:21THEY LAUGH
0:11:21 > 0:11:23The knees aren't what they used to be.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Once the damaged slates have been removed,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28new, reclaimed ones are slid into their place.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Don't strangle your hammer, my dad always used to say.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Of course, the big problem, and the thing that always confuses me,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40is how do we get the last one in?
0:11:43 > 0:11:46When the roof was laid, they started at the bottom and worked up,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49nailing in the slates as they went along.
0:11:49 > 0:11:50But when you're patching
0:11:50 > 0:11:53it's impossible to get a nail into the final slate,
0:11:53 > 0:11:57so a copper strip is used to hold it in place instead.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59This might not go straight in.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01- And it has. - Which it has.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04So now...
0:12:05 > 0:12:08..you bend the copper strip over, bend that back
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- so that clips in and can't pull down.- Yeah.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14- It will catch there before the slate can come out.- Got you.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18The roof above the ballroom and the older parts of the building
0:12:18 > 0:12:19hasn't fared so well,
0:12:19 > 0:12:23so an area equivalent to four terraced houses in a row
0:12:23 > 0:12:24is being replaced.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28So how many slates, Andy, do you reckon you've got to finish
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- on this roof? - I'd say another 15,000.
0:12:32 > 0:12:3415,000 slates.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Now, that's got to be a labour of love.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39The roof isn't the only part of the building
0:12:39 > 0:12:41needing to be made watertight.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45The sash windows at the top are in a poor state of repair.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48We're down to refurbish the existing windows.
0:12:48 > 0:12:52Now, this was a fixed sash window, so it doesn't open.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55But the lower sash was particularly vulnerable.
0:12:55 > 0:12:57The original seal's been removed.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58It was completely rotten.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03The windows are part of the extension built in 1801.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05But all is not what it seems.
0:13:05 > 0:13:06From records we've got,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10we believe that the original facade ended somewhere around here.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12But to make it a bit more prestigious,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14they remodelled the facade.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17We know that because this is a solid piece of wood.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20There's no casings or weight in there
0:13:20 > 0:13:23in order to take the original sash work in.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27And obviously, we've also got a rather crude opening
0:13:27 > 0:13:29formed in the brickwork
0:13:29 > 0:13:33to suggest the original formation of the structure.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36So there's no actual need for the window
0:13:36 > 0:13:39other than for decoration purposes from the front.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Doncaster is home to one of only five Mansion Houses ever built.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48So how did it end up so minted?
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Its prominence was down to the Great North Road,
0:13:55 > 0:13:57which passed through its centre.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Pretty much everyone travelling between London,
0:13:59 > 0:14:02York and Edinburgh stopped off here.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08Doncaster is in a very strategic position and,
0:14:08 > 0:14:10as a result,
0:14:10 > 0:14:13travellers would break their journeys
0:14:13 > 0:14:17from London to Scotland and from other parts of the country,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19from Birmingham and Sheffield,
0:14:19 > 0:14:24and the town developed to serve that through travel.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26So they provided horses,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28overnight accommodation,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31and it grew and grew and grew
0:14:31 > 0:14:34as the economy of the country developed.
0:14:34 > 0:14:39That increased the wealth and importance of Doncaster.
0:14:40 > 0:14:46In the 18th century the town became the place for fashionable society,
0:14:46 > 0:14:50with its theatre shows, hunting, racing, gambling,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53and balls at the Mansion House.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57In Regency times, Doncaster was a pleasure town.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03I wouldn't put it as far as to say it was the Las Vegas of its time,
0:15:03 > 0:15:08but it was certainly the Monaco of its time.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Over the next century, with the advent of the Industrial Age,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15the town continued to flourish.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Its coal mines, central position and great transport links
0:15:20 > 0:15:23all helped to increase its affluence and reputation.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26There would have been a lot of trade coming in
0:15:26 > 0:15:28with the new railway system
0:15:28 > 0:15:31and there would be trade coming in through the boats.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34So they needed something bigger
0:15:34 > 0:15:38that befitted their ambitions in this new industrial age.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44In 1847 they built a large market hall,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and 28 years later it was joined by the Corn Exchange.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53They designed this building, which would have been extremely...
0:15:54 > 0:15:57..eye-catching and opulent as people stepped in.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01You know, something that was really going to evoke civic pride
0:16:01 > 0:16:03for the people of Doncaster.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07The Corn Exchange was built not only for market trading
0:16:07 > 0:16:10but as an entertainment venue, too.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Elgar has conducted symphonies here,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15and a young Churchill made stirring speeches.
0:16:18 > 0:16:19Today, Doncaster's market
0:16:19 > 0:16:22is the biggest traditional market in the north,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25with over 400 shops, stores and stands,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28providing employment for over 1,000 people.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32It has a loyal band of customers and, in 2015,
0:16:32 > 0:16:36was named the best food market in Britain by a national competition.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Thank you very much, cheers, thank you.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43Back at the big house,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46the ornamental decorations above the ballroom windows on the facade
0:16:46 > 0:16:48are getting a face-lift.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52As I promised you, you've got to do some work.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Oh, this is more like it! This is art!
0:16:54 > 0:16:56What we're doing there is we're gilding.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59So, Steve, why would you use gold leaf instead of gold paint?
0:16:59 > 0:17:03Gold leaf makes the features stand out.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07- Yeah.- Right? And also, it doesn't discolour as quick as paint.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- Right.- And so therefore, when you look down from the street,
0:17:10 > 0:17:12- cos we are 20 metres up in the air...- Yeah.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14All right, all you're going to see is
0:17:14 > 0:17:16that nice, gold, embossed figure of that head
0:17:16 > 0:17:18and the good, nice gold around it.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22Do you know, I've only done gold leafing once and it was...
0:17:22 > 0:17:25I was judging a pie competition, so I thought I'd make the trophy.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29So I made a pie out of that self-hardening clay
0:17:29 > 0:17:31and I did it with gold leaf.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34So it was called the Golden Pie, it was a Golden Pie Award.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36And it hasn't faded.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39But by crikey! What a mess there was in our house!
0:17:39 > 0:17:41You know, the budgie was golden.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Because it flies! It is kind of like trying to juggle feathers, isn't it?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Luckily, up here, they're not using loose leaves,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52but transfer sheets instead.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Gilding glue has already been put on the lady's face,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57so it's time to cover her in gold.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Show us how it's done, Chris.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Basically, we've got a little stiff brush
0:18:01 > 0:18:05- and there's an area left just on the side there.- Yep, yeah.
0:18:05 > 0:18:06And you just need to apply it.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10I get it.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- The whole sheet?- Yeah, well, if you just work down that edge.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18And just keep moving the sheet so that you're always applying gold.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20Oh, right, a bit's gone off. Yeah?
0:18:22 > 0:18:23There's gold coming off.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Chris, when do you reckon was the last time that this was gilded?
0:18:29 > 0:18:31Around 200 years ago.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35It's been analysed and there's been no trace of it for a while.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- Good grief. - So we're kind of restoring it
0:18:37 > 0:18:39to how it was originally.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40Do you feel odd, though, sometimes,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42if you're working on something like this,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44to think there was a bloke 200 years ago
0:18:44 > 0:18:47- doing exactly what you're doing now? - Yeah, it's very strange, really,
0:18:47 > 0:18:51cos the technique's never really changed, it's just stayed the same.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52Is the gold leaf very expensive?
0:18:52 > 0:18:54Yeah, it's quite expensive.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57This is it for the entire job.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59Around £600 worth of gold.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02Right, so that's 600 quid's worth?
0:19:02 > 0:19:03Yeah.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Crumbs, better not lose that!- No!
0:19:07 > 0:19:10What do you reckon? Still a bit lumpy, I think.
0:19:10 > 0:19:15We use these to burnish off now, to take all the loose bits of gold off.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17Oh, now it's coming to something, like.
0:19:17 > 0:19:18Just like a make-up brush.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20I know.
0:19:20 > 0:19:21HE CHUCKLES
0:19:21 > 0:19:22Many's the time.
0:19:25 > 0:19:26Right.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Beautiful job.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34The Mansion house has hosted many important functions over the years
0:19:34 > 0:19:38but the hottest tickets in town were those to the banquets and balls
0:19:38 > 0:19:42held each year to coincide with the classic horse races at Doncaster.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Doncaster Corporation is quite rightly as proud as punch
0:19:47 > 0:19:49about its Mansion House,
0:19:49 > 0:19:53but equally important to the DNA of Donnie is its racecourse
0:19:53 > 0:19:54and I want to find out why.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And besides that, I do like a bit of a flutter.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Doncaster has one of the oldest established centres for horse racing
0:20:06 > 0:20:07in the UK,
0:20:07 > 0:20:11with records of regular meetings going back to the 16th century.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Today, it's home to two of the world's longest-running
0:20:16 > 0:20:17and most prestigious races,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20the Doncaster Cup and the St Leger Stakes.
0:20:20 > 0:20:21BELL RINGS
0:20:21 > 0:20:24And they're coming into the final furlong, it's Hairy Builder,
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Hairy Builder. Coming up to the line, yes, it's Hairy Builder,
0:20:27 > 0:20:28Hairy Builder wins the St Leger.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31'That's the 700 grand prize money for me, then.'
0:20:33 > 0:20:34- Hello, Roderick.- Hi, Dave.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Pleased to meet you.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38So you're the clerk of the course, Roderick.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40I've often heard that term used.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43You decide what the going is like,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45whether the ground's hard or soft for the horses,
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- but what have we got today? - It's good to soft,
0:20:48 > 0:20:49perhaps a bit easier.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51We've had quite a lot of rain over the last few days.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55The wonderful thing about Doncaster racecourse is the tradition,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57but when was the racecourse opened?
0:20:57 > 0:20:58The first race...
0:21:00 > 0:21:02..at Doncaster was in 1766.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04It was the Doncaster Cup.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07But that was actually held two miles down the road at Cantley Common.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11- Right.- And they moved it here a few years later.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16But we're most famous for the St Leger,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19which was run ten years later, 1776.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23That's one of the five classic races in Great Britain.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25The thing I love about racing is there's something for everybody.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27You can imagine back in the day,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29the miners from Doncaster would come in here to
0:21:29 > 0:21:32have a flutter and watch the racing, but the grand lords and ladies
0:21:32 > 0:21:35from the Mansion House would be coming here...
0:21:35 > 0:21:38The great and the good would have started the racecourse.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- They certainly put up the stake for that first race.- Yes.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44And racing's just increased in popularity,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and a broad spectrum of support.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47We get fantastic crowds here.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49I mean, St Legers,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51we will have 30,000 people here for the day of the St Leger.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55It's a great contribution to the whole town.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05The course is just under two miles long and has 11 jumps.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08Today, the traditional birch-tree fences
0:22:08 > 0:22:11are being prepared for the upcoming jump season.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13There is an art to building these fences, isn't there?
0:22:13 > 0:22:17It takes a bit of practice, aye, to get it layered up right
0:22:17 > 0:22:18and to take...
0:22:18 > 0:22:19to give it enough strength.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21Because that looks like a thatched roof.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Well, she's getting there.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26There's still a bit of work to do on this one.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28We just can't have them too firm
0:22:28 > 0:22:30so they face the horses down,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32but we don't want them too soft so horses go through them.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35It's got to be firm enough so they've got to jump
0:22:35 > 0:22:37but there again it can't be that firm that you hurt the horses.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Yeah, that's it. Just have a nice bit of give on it.
0:22:41 > 0:22:45The fence is primarily made up of birch with conifer at the bottom.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49You can imagine you're just running up here,
0:22:49 > 0:22:50you launch here...
0:22:51 > 0:22:54- ..and there's a lot to clear. - Oh, there is, a good bit to clear.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56It's the little jockeys on the top,
0:22:56 > 0:23:00they are a good five foot higher than the fences.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02They might only be little but they've got some guts, haven't they?
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Oh, yeah, they have, yeah.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08Once all the old branches are removed, time for the new.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10Bundles of birch are put into the belly of the jump
0:23:10 > 0:23:13to give it structure and strength.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14Are we right down here now, Steve?
0:23:14 > 0:23:17- If you place that end... - Yeah.- ..into there.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- Then it'll just give it a bit.- Gotcha.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22- It gives it a bit of structure. - Yeah.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27- There's quite a lot of spring to that, isn't there, now?- Yeah.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Still wouldn't like to jump over it.
0:23:30 > 0:23:31What an honour.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34The next time I have a flutter, put a bet on at Doncaster,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36I'll know this fence, I've had a go at it.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41The racecourse is one of the first ever built in the UK,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45and the St Leger Stakes is up there with Ascot and the Grand National
0:23:45 > 0:23:47for racing fans.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51And that's one of the biggest prizes in horse racing.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Absolutely, the trophy for the oldest of the five classic races,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58- the St Leger. - Wow, look at that.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02A symphony in silver and gold,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05but it's what it stands for that counts.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07That's what you get when you win the St Leger.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It's beautiful, though.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Roderick, can you take my photo?
0:24:14 > 0:24:17One day, Roderick, if I can buy a horse,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20this could be mine, all mine.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22But I'd better start saving up.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24Beautiful.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Listen to the crowds. CANNED CROWDS CHEERING
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Yes!
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Ha-ha!
0:24:30 > 0:24:31See ya!
0:24:33 > 0:24:34Back at the Mansion House,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38there are still a couple of months to go with the restoration works.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41As well as vital weatherproofing,
0:24:41 > 0:24:44they're returning the front of the building back to how
0:24:44 > 0:24:45it would have looked in its heyday.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49The actual detailing is going to be picked out in, like, a gold,
0:24:49 > 0:24:53and there's a shield which is going to be red with white.
0:24:53 > 0:24:55It's going to be a bit in-your-face
0:24:55 > 0:24:58but that's kind of how it was originally,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00and that's kind of what we're trying to get back to.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04The team try to use as many of the old materials
0:25:04 > 0:25:06and traditional methods as possible,
0:25:06 > 0:25:10but in some cases they do have to go with the new and improved.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14Holding the stones together at the top of the building
0:25:14 > 0:25:16are metal cramps.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Over time, moisture has caused them to rust,
0:25:19 > 0:25:20and they need to be removed.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23The cramp's finally coming.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27That's the cramp,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30which has started to rust.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Probably not as bad as some of them.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33But it is deteriorating.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38If they're left in, the rust will cause the cramps to expand
0:25:38 > 0:25:40and crack the stone.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43The new cramps that are going in are stainless steel,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46which probably weren't around in them days, as such,
0:25:46 > 0:25:47and it's new technology...
0:25:49 > 0:25:51..that's gone forward,
0:25:51 > 0:25:56and obviously they're preferring to use these non-rusting materials
0:25:56 > 0:25:58to protect the building...
0:25:58 > 0:25:59and do a better job.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05But these stones aren't the only ones in danger of crumbling
0:26:05 > 0:26:07without essential maintenance work.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10When they cleaned the building...
0:26:12 > 0:26:14..jet washed it, it...
0:26:14 > 0:26:19revealed a crack on the lion's paw, if you like, hand,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22and we've got to stick it back on.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24We'll have to pin it
0:26:24 > 0:26:26so that it doesn't fall off.
0:26:27 > 0:26:31The Doncaster lion has proudly stood here since 1831,
0:26:31 > 0:26:35so the guys need to be very careful when they drill the holes
0:26:35 > 0:26:37so as not to cause any further damage.
0:26:38 > 0:26:39We need to line it up.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Right. Now we'll just have to stand with it
0:26:43 > 0:26:45until the glue goes off, and it...
0:26:47 > 0:26:49..hopefully stays where it's supposed to.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Site manager Steve and his team
0:26:52 > 0:26:55are restoring some civic pride back to the building
0:26:55 > 0:26:59so Donnie's residents can enjoy its splendour for years to come.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05In its day, Doncaster was the place to be,
0:27:05 > 0:27:07renowned for its high society,
0:27:07 > 0:27:08its highway,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and its historic racecourse.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14It's well worthy of its magnificent Mansion House.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Cue the music.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19THEY PLAY PERIOD COURT MUSIC
0:27:28 > 0:27:31I'll tell you what, Steve, I'm glad we fixed that roof.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Can you imagine if that ceiling got wrecked?
0:27:34 > 0:27:37Yeah, I just hope you put them slates in the right position
0:27:37 > 0:27:40cos if not, I will be repairing the ceiling tomorrow morning.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Aye. 'Ere, are you dancing?
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Next time, I'll be at Wakefield Cathedral in West Yorkshire.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01I'll get the chance to unravel a piece of the cathedral's past
0:28:01 > 0:28:04when a time capsule is discovered.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06This is an incredible feeling.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08I will be discovering the link between this...
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Baa!
0:28:10 > 0:28:11..and the cathedral...
0:28:12 > 0:28:16..as well as uncovering what really lies beneath its floor.
0:28:16 > 0:28:17Whoa!
0:28:17 > 0:28:19That's really quite spooky.