0:00:02 > 0:00:05Want to know about British history? You'd better get your hands dirty.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Don't bury your head in a guidebook.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Ask a brickie,
0:00:09 > 0:00:10a chippy,
0:00:10 > 0:00:12or a roofer.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Ever since I were a boy, I've had a passion for our past, so...
0:00:16 > 0:00:18I'm going to apprentice myself
0:00:18 > 0:00:21to the oldest masonry company in the country -
0:00:21 > 0:00:23mastering their crafts,
0:00:23 > 0:00:27and scraping away the secrets of Blighty's poshest piles -
0:00:27 > 0:00:30from castles to cathedrals,
0:00:30 > 0:00:32musical 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 > 0:00:41they're keys to opening up our past and bringing it back to life.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Today, I'm in Clifton, a chichi suburb of Bristol,
0:01:05 > 0:01:09to visit the interesting-looking Catholic cathedral.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12'I'll be ripping off the roof!'
0:01:12 > 0:01:15There's acres and acres of it.Yeah.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18'Playing some tunes.'
0:01:18 > 0:01:20Two, three, four...
0:01:24 > 0:01:26'And finding out more about
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Bristol's rich engineering heritage.'
0:01:29 > 0:01:30Aw, this is high.
0:01:32 > 0:01:34It's not like this making pies, you know.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Ehhh...
0:01:38 > 0:01:43Clifton is one of Bristol's oldest and most affluent areas.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Renowned for its Georgian Regency architecture,
0:01:45 > 0:01:50it also houses some of the city's most iconic landmarks.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54The world-famous suspension bridge, that, at 150 years old, still
0:01:54 > 0:01:57carries 4 million cars in and out of the city every year.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03The stunning Clifton College, where the highest ever cricket
0:02:03 > 0:02:09score of 628 not out was recorded in 1899.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12And then, there's the cathedral.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Well, some say it sticks out like a sore thumb, but others,
0:02:16 > 0:02:17they love its boldness.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20But any way up, you can't exactly miss it.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Built in the 1970s,
0:02:24 > 0:02:29this monolithic building is quite a stark contrast to its neighbours
0:02:29 > 0:02:33with its concrete tower, lead roof and Aberdeen granite cladding.
0:02:35 > 0:02:37And its intriguing modern design
0:02:37 > 0:02:40has divided local opinion.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42So what do you think of the cathedral?
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Personally, I think it's a bit of an eyesore, really.
0:02:45 > 0:02:46It doesn't really
0:02:46 > 0:02:50fit with the rest of the architecture in this area.Yes.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52I remember it being built, and at first I thought,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55"Oh, I don't know about this," but I quite like it, actually.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Yeah?It's quite nice. Yeah, I don't mind it.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00I think it's quite nice, you know, to have a change
0:03:00 > 0:03:03and a bit of mix and match. Oh, fair enough.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05You can end up looking a bit too twee, can't you?
0:03:05 > 0:03:11if you're a bit too sort of trying too hard to blend in.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14Love it or hate it, for this iconic Catholic cathedral to
0:03:14 > 0:03:18remain on the Bristol skyline, it needs critical repairs,
0:03:18 > 0:03:21as its leaky roof threatens the entire fabric of the building.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26But before I get hands-on with the builders,
0:03:26 > 0:03:28I'm meeting the dean of the cathedral.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31Obviously, this is a
0:03:31 > 0:03:33very big project, bringing the cathedral,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35making it healthy again
0:03:35 > 0:03:38after a long period where it was injured,
0:03:38 > 0:03:39let's put it like that.Yes.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42How big a part of the community is the cathedral?
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Well, it's a tremendously important building in itself for the
0:03:46 > 0:03:49whole Catholic community and for the wider community here in Bristol.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52In a way, it's a polarising building because it is so unusual,
0:03:52 > 0:03:56it's so unlike many people's preconceived ideas of what
0:03:56 > 0:03:58a church should look like.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03It was built in the 1970s, soon after the Council of the Church made
0:04:03 > 0:04:08the way that we celebrate slightly different to how it was in the past.
0:04:08 > 0:04:10And so this is designed for it.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13The Church Council's main requirement was to provide
0:04:13 > 0:04:16a space where the congregation could be grouped closely
0:04:16 > 0:04:21around the high altar and feel part of the celebration of Mass.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24With that in mind, they built a hexagonal nave
0:04:24 > 0:04:27and now no-one is more than 15 metres away from the action.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32It's a proper landmark building.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Yeah, it's iconic and it can be seen from many different vantage
0:04:35 > 0:04:37points around Bristol because Bristol is quite hilly
0:04:37 > 0:04:40and we're on the top of a hill here.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43And so that's quite a nice thing that the cathedral is
0:04:43 > 0:04:44a beacon for the whole city.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49In order that it can be preserved for years to come,
0:04:49 > 0:04:55construction firm William Anelay are on site doing the renovations.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58But the building is younger than me, so what's gone wrong?
0:05:00 > 0:05:04How do, Tim?Dave, how are you? Ay, not bad.Pleased to meet you.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Ay, it does stick out, doesn't it?
0:05:06 > 0:05:09I suppose it's one of the ones that Prince Charles would
0:05:09 > 0:05:11describe as a monstrous carbuncle.
0:05:11 > 0:05:12It is Grade II Star listed,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15so it's quite an important building round here.
0:05:15 > 0:05:16So what do you think of it, Tim?
0:05:16 > 0:05:17I quite like it, yeah.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20It's interesting, yeah. I like the lead. I like the lead.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Nice finish on the lead on the concrete, so good contrast.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27It's there, isn't it?It's quite in your face, isn't it?Yeah.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30Why does it need so much work, you know, so young?
0:05:30 > 0:05:32They didn't fix the lead very well on this job,
0:05:32 > 0:05:36so it's all falling off. All the insulation is all rotten,
0:05:36 > 0:05:38all wet, and all the timber
0:05:36 > 0:05:38is all rotten.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42So it needs doing now, otherwise, it'll be in a bad condition
0:05:42 > 0:05:43in a few years' time.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45It is that perennial builders' thing, isn't it, really?
0:05:45 > 0:05:47It all starts with making a building watertight.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50If it's not watertight, you can't do anything.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Yeah, you've got to have the top hat fixed first
0:05:52 > 0:05:53and then everything else after that.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57I'll remember that one, a top hat fixed. I'll be using that one.
0:05:57 > 0:06:02It's going to cost an incredible £1.9 million to repair
0:06:02 > 0:06:04and they've got a year to do it.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07During that time, they'll be replacing a shedload of lead
0:06:07 > 0:06:10on the roof, nearly 90 tonnes of it,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12as well as restoring the skylights.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18But before the new roof goes on, they'll need to remove everything.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21As the dust from the old lead is toxic, we have to take precautions.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25So is it boiler suit and mask?
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Boiler suit and mask.Right.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29Some say with me the mask is going to be an improvement.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31HE LAUGHS
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Do you know, it's one thing changing in a changing room.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40It's another thing changing about 100 foot up.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43'I'm not sure if they designed boiler suits
0:06:43 > 0:06:45'for tough Northerners like me.'
0:06:47 > 0:06:51And who said working on a building site isn't glamorous?
0:06:51 > 0:06:54It's like CSI thingy, isn't it, really?
0:06:54 > 0:06:56We are about to exhume some dead people.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01'Now it's time to take that top hat off.'
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Right.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05You can imagine, before hard hats,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07the amount of fellas clumping their heads, can't you?
0:07:07 > 0:07:09Yeah.It's a mess, isn't it?
0:07:09 > 0:07:10This is just falling apart.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16So this all has to come off, Dara? Does this come out as well?
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Yeah, everything. Insulation, the timber, everything.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Right, old boss, what's first? Hammer.
0:07:23 > 0:07:24Hammer.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Knock that back, there's a copper.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Do you know, I bet there's a roofer somewhere who put this up going,
0:07:36 > 0:07:39"There was nowt wrong with that roof."
0:07:39 > 0:07:41DARA LAUGHS
0:07:43 > 0:07:47Give us a go, Dara. So just to use the bar or...Yeah, yeah.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50If you just put it in behind, it should just come out.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57Dara, what happens to the old lead? It all gets recycled.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00So it'll be melted down again.Yes.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Right, so it could end up back on somebody else's church roof.
0:08:04 > 0:08:05It could, yeah.
0:08:05 > 0:08:11If that piece was 35 kilos, there's 85 tonnes of lead on this roof,
0:08:11 > 0:08:13you've got 2,500 of these to strip off!
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I try not to think about it.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19This lead is pretty heavy stuff,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23so it needs to be cut with snips into more manageable lumps.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And we're just cutting it to make it easier to handle.That's it, yeah.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31We've done one piece, and you just look up,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34and there's acres and acres of it. Yeah.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36HE LAUGHS
0:08:36 > 0:08:41Do you enjoy it, Dara?A piece of cake.Yeah? It's a piece of lead.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44If I made cakes that were that heavy, I'd be in trouble.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47It's like Mary Berry's nightmare, I tell you.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52The concrete and the lead on the building
0:08:52 > 0:08:55complement each other well, but why were they used at all?
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Clifton Cathedral was commissioned during the swinging '60s,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03a decade of freethinking.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07And back then, even the church was starting to chill out.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09Radical thinking required radical buildings.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12And nothing was more radical than brutalism.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15And that was a movement that was in love with concrete.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23In the 1950s and '60s, concrete was hailed as a wonder material
0:09:23 > 0:09:27that could quickly be moulded into innovative and different shapes,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and it soon became the must-have material for new public buildings.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35This era of brutalism brought us some groovy,
0:09:35 > 0:09:37if a little stark, constructions.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40The Festival Hall in the Southbank in London,
0:09:40 > 0:09:42and the lead Shot Tower here in Bristol.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48What's interesting about many of the modernist buildings,
0:09:48 > 0:09:50including some examples of brutalism,
0:09:50 > 0:09:52is that actually they represented this brave new world
0:09:52 > 0:09:56vision of the post-war period, where people wanted to break with
0:09:56 > 0:09:59the past, the misery, the war and the death.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04But the popularity of this style of architecture waned quickly.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09It was seen as cold and associated with urban decay.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11With a significant number having been demolished,
0:10:11 > 0:10:14those that are left are seen as worth preserving.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18The Roman Catholic cathedral in Clifton is a particularly
0:10:18 > 0:10:19high quality example of brutalism,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22and I think what's really interesting about it is that
0:10:22 > 0:10:26not only is it a set piece brutalist piece of design itself,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29it also juxtaposes really interestingly with
0:10:29 > 0:10:31the Georgian terraces immediately next to it.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35It's a fantastic addition to Clifton and, I think, a beautiful building.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43This thoroughly modern construction
0:10:43 > 0:10:46uses a fascinating geometrical design.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Every element has been built round a triangle with
0:10:49 > 0:10:50angles at every turn.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53From the skylights...
0:10:54 > 0:10:55..to the ceiling...
0:10:56 > 0:10:58..to the floor tiles.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02I'm keen to find out more, so I've come here to meet
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Peter Harrison, who was part of the original team of designers,
0:11:05 > 0:11:09and cathedral administrator Mary Manners.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Hello, Peter.Hello, Dave, pleased to meet you.Hello, Mary.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14Pleased to meet you. It is a wonderful place.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17I mean, it really is still very revolutionary.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20The more you look at it, the more you see. It is brutal.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22And it's there, it's a big statement.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25But actually, the more you look at it, the cleverer it gets.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28The central engineering triumph of the building is this vast
0:11:28 > 0:11:31space with no columns. Gosh, yes, of course.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Yes? And when they were constructing it,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35there were great brick columns.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38On top of that, there was a sack with sand in.Yeah.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42And the day came when they were going to take the pillars down
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and allow the structure to settle. Oof.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49The whole concrete structure was mixed and poured on site
0:11:49 > 0:11:52and propped up with supports as it set.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56Taking them down correctly was critical,
0:11:56 > 0:11:58because if it went wrong, the whole building
0:11:58 > 0:12:00could collapse in on itself.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Between the main beam and the temporary support pillars
0:12:04 > 0:12:09were bags of sand, which, when split open, would slowly drain,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11leaving the building to stand on its own.
0:12:13 > 0:12:16And it was very important that it happened together.
0:12:16 > 0:12:20So the men go up on either side and up the word at 10.30 that
0:12:20 > 0:12:24morning, they start to prick the sack of sand.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Yes? And the one on that side worked
0:12:27 > 0:12:30and you could hear the sand tinkling down the scaffolding.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33But on this side, it didn't,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36because the sack had got wet.Oh.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39And it took 20 minutes with blow lamps
0:12:39 > 0:12:43and all sorts of sharp instruments to open up the sack and get the
0:12:43 > 0:12:45sand out and then eventually, of course,
0:12:45 > 0:12:46they could take the pier down.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50Can you imagine, though, the future of the cathedral, after all
0:12:50 > 0:12:52that work, was dependent on a soggy sandbag.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Exactly. Yes, yes.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59My first thought is that this building is
0:12:59 > 0:13:01a bit like a multi-story car park with pews.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05But the more I look at it, the more I understand and appreciate it.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10The entrance hall is lit by walls of coloured glass.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Gosh, they are spectacular, aren't they?
0:13:18 > 0:13:19Yeah, they're wonderful.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20Who made these?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Henry Haig.Right.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25There's over 8,000 pieces of glass.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28This window is about jubilation.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32The wonder and the beauty of walking in the countryside by the lakes,
0:13:32 > 0:13:34by the sea,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and a wonderful sense of the wonderful world in which we live.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39It's interesting as well, it's like resin rather than leading.
0:13:39 > 0:13:40Yes.Poxy resin.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Resin.Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44But this looks really permanent.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46I mean, the cathedral,
0:13:46 > 0:13:49it does have a sense of permanency to it that I do love.Yes.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52It has got a wonderful atmosphere. Yes, incredible.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55And it doesn't matter if it's full, or if there is no-one in it,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59it still has that amazing sort of warm feeling that you're secure.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01It's so fresh, isn't it? Fresh, yes. Yeah, it is. Fabulous.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Yes, absolutely brilliant.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Let's go and have a look at this one.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08'For such a stark and modern building,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11'it does feel surprisingly cosy.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:13But it only came about at all
0:14:13 > 0:14:16because of some unfortunate planning.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19In the 1830s, on a site half a mile from here,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22plans for the original Catholic church were drawn up.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27The idea was for a classical design with a colossal tower.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31However, the site was plagued with subsidence, so the ambitious design
0:14:31 > 0:14:36had to be scaled back and a less spectacular version opened in 1850.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42After over a century of use, the building was in such bad
0:14:42 > 0:14:45state of repair, they decided it was more economical to build
0:14:45 > 0:14:48the new cathedral down the road, rather than renovate it.
0:14:52 > 0:14:57The original building became derelict until, in 2013,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00it became the first cathedral ever to be converted
0:15:00 > 0:15:05into residential use in the UK and now houses over 200 student flats.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10Hello.Hello, Amy.Hiya, nice to meet you.Nice to meet you too.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Can I come in?Course you can. Cor blimey!
0:15:13 > 0:15:16This is student life, but not as I knew it.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19I know, it's so luxurious here. It's a proper home.I love my beam.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20Cor, it's lovely.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22It's quite nice that they've kept like the key
0:15:22 > 0:15:26features like the stained glass windows and some of the structures.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Do you ever feel like you're in a cathedral
0:15:28 > 0:15:30going about your domestic life up here?Not really.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Merrily in the roof.No, it's a nice mixture of like modern and old.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36It's perfect. It's so cosy and comfy.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39I think it's really good to have somewhere like to relax after
0:15:39 > 0:15:42uni, somewhere that feels like home.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45In my day, students would just go to the pub. Has that all changed now?
0:15:45 > 0:15:49Yeah, sit in with Bake Off and a cup of tea, to be honest.Yeah?
0:15:49 > 0:15:52This, in a way, to me, and it's just my opinion,
0:15:52 > 0:15:56this feels more like a cathedral than the cathedral cathedral.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57Really?
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Modern engineering helped to overcome the subsidence problems
0:16:03 > 0:16:06faced by the original cathedral's construction team.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12Thankfully, Clifton's most famous landmark, its suspension bridge,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14wasn't beset with the same issues.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18It's a bit like the parable of the wise and the foolish builders.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21They picked the right spot to plonk their bridge.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Completed in 1864, it links the city to Somerset
0:16:26 > 0:16:30and was the brainchild of Isambard Kingdom Brunel,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32one of Britain's most exceptional engineers.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36Weighing 1,500 tonnes,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40the bridge has enormous chains that span the gorge, flexing
0:16:40 > 0:16:43and stretching over giant rollers at the top of the towers.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Now that's engineering!
0:16:47 > 0:16:51The bridge's upkeep has been completely funded by tolls ever
0:16:51 > 0:16:53since it opened in 1864.
0:16:53 > 0:16:58It does take a lot of looking after, and today, I'm here to help out.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01'Today's engineers are working on the cradle underneath the bridge,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04'75 metres above the River Avon.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09'Now, I'm not a fan of heights, so this could get interesting.'
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Argh.
0:17:11 > 0:17:12Aw, this is high.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19Do you know? It's not like this making pies, you know.
0:17:21 > 0:17:22Argh.
0:17:26 > 0:17:27Hello, Dave.Hi, Dave, how are you doing?
0:17:27 > 0:17:30Hello, an honour to meet the bridge master.Oh, thank you.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35It's an incredible structure, but how difficult was it to build?
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Well, it was the span which was the most difficult thing.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Actually, the rock that the bridge towers are built off
0:17:40 > 0:17:43is really solid here.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46It's carboniferous limestone, it's really strong stuff,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48so I don't think they had major problems with the rock.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52The biggest difficulty was actually cutting the tunnels that
0:17:52 > 0:17:54go down to the anchorages, where the suspension chains
0:17:54 > 0:17:56are anchored down into the rock.
0:17:58 > 0:17:59It's a suspension bridge.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03The bridge is hanging, so the hanging has to be anchored.Yeah.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05How far down do you have to put those anchors?
0:18:05 > 0:18:09They go down about 25 metres into the rock.Crumbs.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11So they cut... It was really difficult,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14hand excavation down through the solid rock,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16tunnels at 45 degrees...Right.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20..and then at the bottom of those tunnels, they reamed it out,
0:18:20 > 0:18:22enlarged the size a little bit, so that they could form
0:18:22 > 0:18:26a plug around the chains that take the loads back against the rock.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29The maintenance is continuous on this bridge.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31How much of the bridge is original?
0:18:31 > 0:18:33Well, virtually all of it, in actual fact.
0:18:33 > 0:18:38All the ironwork...Yep. I would say 99% of that
0:18:38 > 0:18:42is still the original ironwork that was put up 150 years ago.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44But the chains, where did they come from?
0:18:44 > 0:18:47Actually, when they were installed on this bridge,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49they were second-hand.No!
0:18:49 > 0:18:50Yes, they did it,
0:18:50 > 0:18:53they'd been previously used on another of Brunel's
0:18:53 > 0:18:55suspension bridges, actually in London,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57it was called the Hungerford Footbridge
0:18:57 > 0:18:59across the Thames.Yeah.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02And it just coincided with
0:19:02 > 0:19:05when they found money to complete this bridge, that Hungerford Bridge
0:19:05 > 0:19:08had to be dismantled because it was in the way of a new railway bridge.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Right. You see?
0:19:10 > 0:19:11Even in those days,
0:19:11 > 0:19:16Bristol still had a strong green policy for recycling.Quite right.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19It's extraordinary, isn't it? I love engineering like this,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22that's still a vital part of modern Britain. It's great.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27'It's flipping hairy under the bridge, but Nigel
0:19:27 > 0:19:31'and Martin have been hanging around here fixing stuff for decades.'
0:19:31 > 0:19:36Hello, boys. BOTH:Hello, Dave.Do you ever get used to these heights?
0:19:36 > 0:19:39After 33 years, I'd think we would do, yeah.33 years?Yeah, yeah.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Yeah, 19 years for me so...Cor!
0:19:43 > 0:19:47'Taking care of this 150-year-old structure is a mammoth task
0:19:47 > 0:19:50'and there's something I didn't know from walking on top.'
0:19:52 > 0:19:56The bridge deck's wood.Yes, it is, yeah.You never thought that.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59You've got cars and hundreds of tonnes of vehicles coming over,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01and it's wood and it was so high up!
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Well, it's incredible when you go back to the 1800s,
0:20:04 > 0:20:05when it was first built,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07and you think this was just for horses and carts.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10Who would've thought they'd have put 50 tonnes of asphalt on top
0:20:10 > 0:20:14to let cars go across?It's just engineering at its finest, isn't it?
0:20:14 > 0:20:18It's functional, it's beautiful and it's blooming useful.Yeah, exactly.
0:20:18 > 0:20:19And it's an onward-going thing.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21I mean, year in, year out, there is
0:20:21 > 0:20:23always something got to be done to
0:20:23 > 0:20:25maintain it and keep it back up together.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28Brackets, screws and driver.
0:20:28 > 0:20:32'Now it's my chance to make a mark on this wonderful bridge,
0:20:32 > 0:20:35'fixing a cable tray to protect power lines.'
0:20:35 > 0:20:36I've got him.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41That's it, that's fine.Right.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43So what we're going to do now, Dave, we've got
0:20:43 > 0:20:46to do two or three brackets now to hold that in place.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Once that's in place, then, we'll just get some cable ties
0:20:48 > 0:20:51and just cable tie these cables to the tray.
0:20:51 > 0:20:54And that will be a pigeon-proof... A pigeon-proof cable tray.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56LAUGHS: A pigeon-proof cable tray.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58'That's one done, only another 500 to go.'
0:20:58 > 0:21:00There's a lot of bridge to do, like.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02I'm just looking all the way over there.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04There's no short cuts with heritage.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07'Clifton suspension bridge is beautiful,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10'and with proper care, looks set to last.'
0:21:10 > 0:21:12Back at the cathedral, they're putting new lead onto
0:21:12 > 0:21:17the roof to make sure it's also preserved for future generations.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21It's got to be cut, beaten and welded in order to do its
0:21:21 > 0:21:24vital job of holding this brilliant building together.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28They'll be lugging nearly 90 tonnes of it up here.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32And Ray Waterfield is a lead-roofing expert,
0:21:32 > 0:21:35having spent almost his entire working career up a scaffold.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Ray!Hello, Dave.Hello, mate, how are you doing?I'm fine, thank you.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46How long had the roof been leaking?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49Four days after they opened, in 1974.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51The buckets were out, Dave.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54You're joking!No, I'm not, and they've been out ever since.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It does seem daft that they didn't do this sooner,
0:21:57 > 0:22:01but I guess with the leading work costing nearly 2 million quid,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03it's taken a while for the cathedral
0:22:03 > 0:22:04to raise all the funds needed.
0:22:06 > 0:22:10They are rebuilding the roof structure, adding insulation,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13and preparing the surface with special moisture-wicking paper.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18This is a building paper, this is, Dave, with a bitumen membrane.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21So it all helps with the moisture. Yeah.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25Because the lead will get wet on the back.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Right. With condensation.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31Because it's a metallic thing.Yeah. Why do you use copper nails?
0:22:31 > 0:22:32So it doesn't rot.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35You can use stainless steel nails or copper nails or
0:22:35 > 0:22:37stainless steel clips or copper clips.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Because lead nails would be no good, would they?No.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42You'd never get them in.A bit like a chocolate kettle, Dave.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Ay, or a glass hammer.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45THEY LAUGH
0:22:45 > 0:22:46Ashtray on a motorbike.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49THEY LAUGH
0:22:49 > 0:22:51'It's bespoke fitting.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55'Every section is carefully measured before the lead is cut to size.'
0:22:55 > 0:22:57I'll do a dozen told, Ray.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59How long have you been doing this? Too long.
0:22:59 > 0:23:0235 years, on and off.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Is this the right thing to do? It's instinctive, then, Ray.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06I just reached for that.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Yeah, flip it over, put that on there.Yeah.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Do you want me to loan it out or are you going to loan it out?
0:23:13 > 0:23:14I'm happy to do it with this.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17You're all right with sharp knives, aren't you?Yeah, I'm all right.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20You've used sharp knives before, haven't you?I have in the kitchen.
0:23:20 > 0:23:21All right.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Then just snip it out?
0:23:26 > 0:23:30It's quite labour-intensive and much harder than it looks.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Oh, little finger.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37Now, you get that going. Oh, little finger.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41Now, if you want...Yeah. That's it.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45A natural, Dave.I'm flattered.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Have you ever had a roof knicked?
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Yes, I finished a roof on a Friday and had a phone call on Monday
0:23:53 > 0:23:55to go back and replace it where it's gone over the weekend.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58You're joking! That must be heartbreaking.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Well, not really, you get paid twice, don't you?
0:24:00 > 0:24:02THEY LAUGH
0:24:02 > 0:24:05It's all right if you're short of work.Ay, ay.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Right, so you want a dresser now, Dave, a lead dresser.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13So how do you dress it?There is a lead dresser. I'll just get the...
0:24:13 > 0:24:17Keep it nice and flat and just tap it out.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20Tap it out.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21You've got rhythm, Ray.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24So a little bit of oil on the back of the sheet.That's the back.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26You put it there.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30That's enough. Then just rub that all over.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33We're putting patination all on the backs of these
0:24:33 > 0:24:36to help stop any oxidisation.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38That's just a fancy word for lead rusting.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Are you all right? Are you going to nail?Yeah. Yeah, of course.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Now I'm feeling guilty you're lifting that on your tod.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51All right, so, I need to pull that up there.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Push that over there, right. To the line?
0:24:55 > 0:24:56To the line.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01What are you like for the top, Dave? Are you fairly level?
0:25:01 > 0:25:03I am now. Yeah. Mint.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06All right, if you want to put a copper nail in there.Yeah.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Mind your fingers.I'm all right. There?Yeah.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Got that?Yeah. Ow!
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Good, are you?Oh, yes.I normally end up nailing my gloves to the...
0:25:29 > 0:25:31All right, I need to cut some of that off this lead.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Wow, I'm good at that.You want to do it? Are you sure?Yeah.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36That's a big piece of lead.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Let me get you started down at the bottom.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39Cos then we can...
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Right, that's coming down there.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45It's probably a bit long, this.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47It is just like patching pastry for a pie.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Are you happy doing that?Ay, ay.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57We then trim that so you've got an inch.Yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Lip it over.Then turn that over. Beautiful.
0:26:02 > 0:26:03In a few more weeks,
0:26:03 > 0:26:08the congregation will no longer have to dodge buckets of water
0:26:08 > 0:26:11as the roof will be watertight for the very first time.
0:26:11 > 0:26:13That's welcome news for everyone,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15including Richard Jeffrey-Grey,
0:26:15 > 0:26:20who has been playing the organ here for nearly 30 years.Hello.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Oh, it's magnificent, Richard. Absolutely brilliant.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25ORGAN SOUNDS
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Oop!Ooh!
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Hello.Oh, sorry. I forgot where I was there for a minute.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30This is wonderful.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32But like many other things in this cathedral,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35the organ's quite special too, isn't it?
0:26:35 > 0:26:36Yeah, I think it's
0:26:36 > 0:26:39entirely mechanical which is very unusual for
0:26:39 > 0:26:40a cathedral organ
0:26:40 > 0:26:43because there's often bits of electrics in it to help what
0:26:43 > 0:26:46happens between the key and the pipes to happen.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Shall we have a little... I think we...Two, three, four...
0:26:52 > 0:26:56MUSIC: Do-re-mi by Richard Rodgers
0:27:13 > 0:27:18Oh, no you're improvising. Yes. Da-da-da-da-da-da.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20Thank you and good night.Thank you.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24I feel really kind of quite guilty, really, for savaging the organ.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27It's all right, it's quite a tough old thing, actually.It is.
0:27:27 > 0:27:32ORGAN MUSIC PLAYS
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Some buildings are ornate, full of fussy details
0:27:40 > 0:27:44and classical features, but Clifton's brutalist
0:27:44 > 0:27:48spaceship of a building, well, it doesn't mess about.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52It's modern, open-hearted and flooded with natural light.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55And I, for one, standing here, am very optimistic
0:27:55 > 0:27:58and more than just a little bit uplifted.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04Next time, I'm in London's East End at the vibrant Wiltons Music Hall.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08I'll be taking to the stage.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12# There's an old mill by the stream
0:28:12 > 0:28:14# Nelly Dean... #
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Helping the builders in their final hours.
0:28:17 > 0:28:20Val, can I do the last nail at Wiltons?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22And I'll be rolling out the barrels for a
0:28:22 > 0:28:25modern-day music hall knees-up.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28# So, run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run, run, run... #