0:00:00 > 0:00:05Want to know about British history? You better get your hands dirty.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Don't bury your head in a guidebook.
0:00:07 > 0:00:08Ask a brickie,
0:00:08 > 0:00:10a chippie
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 I'm going
0:00:16 > 0:00:21to apprentice myself to the oldest masonry company in the country.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25Mastering their crafts and scraping away the secrets of
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Blighty's poshest piles.
0:00:27 > 0:00:32From castles to cathedrals, music 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.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09Today I'm in an area known as The Potteries in Staffordshire.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12It's the world capital of ceramics and I'm here to help restore this
0:01:12 > 0:01:15iconic building - the Wedgwood Institute.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21I turn Hairy Potter to discover the magic of Britain's
0:01:21 > 0:01:22ceramic central.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24This is really fiddly, you know.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26It's like trying to shave an oyster.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30I reveal how the wizard of clay, Josiah Wedgwood, cast his spell.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34This is brilliant, it's like having a cultural lift, do you know what I mean?
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And investigate spooky goings-on that have sent shivers down
0:01:37 > 0:01:39our builders' spines.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42Would you like to come forward and speak to us, Edward?
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Today's historic building, the Wedgwood Institute,
0:01:48 > 0:01:54was built in 1865 in honour of the famous potter Josiah Wedgwood.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Its purpose was to educate the local working men and it ran
0:01:59 > 0:02:02courses in science, business and the arts.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09The Institute sits in the heart of the famous Potteries,
0:02:09 > 0:02:13a group of six towns which today forms the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20In the 17th and 18th century, the area was booming and ceramic
0:02:20 > 0:02:24companies like Royal Doulton, Spode and Wedgwood all flourished here.
0:02:24 > 0:02:28It was a powerhouse of industry with over 200 factories.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33But in the 20th century everything changed.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39The pottery industry declined, dealing a death blow to the area
0:02:39 > 0:02:43and much of the town's architectural treasures fell into rack and ruin.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50Luckily, this one, the Wedgwood Institute, was saved in the nick of time.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53I'm here to help restore it and uncover the secrets that it holds.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00This Grade II-listed Institute has been derelict for nearly
0:03:00 > 0:03:05a decade and is on the English Heritage Buildings At Risk Register.
0:03:06 > 0:03:11Seven months ago, it started the first phase of its restoration, costing around
0:03:11 > 0:03:15£850,000 but it's not just the interior that needs a bit of TLC.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21- Hello, Kate.- Hello.- Hello, Danny. - Hello.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- Should I hop on?- Yeah, hop on. Oh, brill.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Before meeting the builders, Gaye Blake-Roberts,
0:03:27 > 0:03:30curator of the nearby Wedgwood Museum,
0:03:30 > 0:03:33is going to give me an insight into the great man Josiah Wedgwood
0:03:33 > 0:03:35who this building is named after.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40Do you know? I love a cherry picker.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43It's the chance to get up close and personal to some of the
0:03:43 > 0:03:44nation's national treasures.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48This is incredible.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- Have you been in one of these before, Kate?- No, I haven't. It's a first experience for me.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55- We'll go and have a look at Josiah.- If only he could talk.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Hello, sir. Very pleased to meet you.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Now I feel as though I'm being more polite.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01Tell me about Josiah Wedgwood.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Oh, he was an amazing man.
0:04:03 > 0:04:04He was a potter.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- He actually trained and did his apprenticeship as a potter.- Right.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09He was a pioneer, philanthropist.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11He was very much in ahead of his time.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16And apart from being a brilliant scientist, he actually created
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- the one thing that revolutionised the ceramic industry.- Right.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Not only in Britain but throughout Europe.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24It's a pyrometer.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- A pyrometer?- Well, a thermometer for measuring high temperatures.
0:04:27 > 0:04:28Gosh.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32This thermometer was used to measure exactly when the clay was
0:04:32 > 0:04:34ready to be taken out of the kiln.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Up until Wedgwood's invention, the industry
0:04:36 > 0:04:41has used guesswork and luck to know when the clay was ready.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44It fundamentally changed the way the industry worked.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49What a great man and far more than somebody who had a pottery factory.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51- Yes, he was.- Mr Wedgwood, it's been a pleasure.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56You don't have to go inside to appreciate this spectacular building
0:04:56 > 0:05:01as its beauty lies in its elaborate brickwork for all the world to see.
0:05:02 > 0:05:08Along the facade are a series of terracotta panels illustrating various themes.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12To actually get up close to these fantastic sculptures is breathtaking.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14- What is it made from? - They're made from terracotta.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18- Right.- Terracotta is a clay which seems very appropriate for this building.- Yes.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20Which is very high fired.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22It's impervious to liquid.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24And of course is ideal as a building material.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27So what do we have here? It's like a calendar.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31We've got the months of the year here, which is June, we're looking at May
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- to the other side so obviously May's got lots of spring flowers.- Yes.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39June is showing the shearing of sheep because that happens in June
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and if you look above, you can see the tiny tesserae...
0:05:42 > 0:05:44You take us up, Danny? This is brilliant.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47It's like having a cultural lift, do you know what I mean?
0:05:47 > 0:05:50It's incredible, isn't it? I've never seen one this close.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59- And the Victorians loved embellishment, didn't they? - They had to embellish it.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01And put their own stamp on it.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Fashion, taste and style changes every so often.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07What are those mosaics there?
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- Those are the signs of the Zodiac. - Gosh.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Which are done in tiny bits of ceramic and glass.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16Well, like an exterior on a building, they really are very, very fine mosaic, aren't they?
0:06:16 > 0:06:18They are very, very beautiful.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21What's the frieze down there? Come on, Danny, first floor.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24The frieze that runs across the facade of this building shows
0:06:24 > 0:06:27the stages of ceramic production and it's really interesting
0:06:27 > 0:06:30because it shows the traditional things like throwing and
0:06:30 > 0:06:34turning but it makes you realise how busy the industry was.
0:06:34 > 0:06:35Ah, this is fantastic.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38Well, you realise what a lot of work the builders have got on
0:06:38 > 0:06:40but it's going to be worth it when it's done.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- Ah, it's going to be breathtaking when it's finished.- We'll have to come back for a look.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46- You're on.- Yeah? We'll have to book Danny.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52The Institute's first phase of renovation is nearly finished
0:06:52 > 0:06:56with a second phase starting in 2017.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Just under £7,000,000 is needed to be spent to bring it back to
0:07:01 > 0:07:02its former glory.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Construction firm William Anelay and their team of skilled workmen
0:07:09 > 0:07:14have had their work cut out with the first phase of this project,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17which involved making sure the structure was safe with
0:07:17 > 0:07:20contracts manager Bob Martindale at the helm.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27It looks like you caught this just in the nick of time, Bob.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29I mean, what a mess. Such a lot to do.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Well, it's a lot tidier now than when we first came.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- Really?- Just those holes were open, pigeons were flying around in
0:07:35 > 0:07:39- here...- I can see.- ..causing a real mess.- It's like the facade on the outside.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41It kind of looks OK at first glance.
0:07:41 > 0:07:42You get close up.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45There is such a lot of fine work to be done but then you get
0:07:45 > 0:07:49inside and the building needs to be functioning as
0:07:49 > 0:07:53a 21st-century building to make more use of it. Where do you start?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56What you've got to do is look at the walls and you've got to get
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- right back to the brick...- Yes. - ..to the basic structural strength of the building.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03And with any timber that's damaged like this what we see,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06- you rip it out and start again if it were too far gone.- Yes.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09This timber looks all right underneath the bird droppings.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11You'd have to sort of investigate a bit further I think before we
0:08:11 > 0:08:13decide what we're going to do with that.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16Do you learn that when you're building that you kind of just hold
0:08:16 > 0:08:18your horses till you have a good look?
0:08:18 > 0:08:22- You look at the options, don't you? - Yeah.- And what you can afford to do.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26But then, what would a new build cost this size in a city centre?
0:08:26 > 0:08:29- Probably 20 million, something like that.- Yeah, and it wouldn't have half the charisma
0:08:29 > 0:08:31of the Wedgwood Institute.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- No. You cannot replace this type of building, can you?- No.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36You can only bring it back to life.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Shall we move on to the next room?
0:08:42 > 0:08:46This renovation project requires just under 2,000 litres of paint,
0:08:46 > 0:08:5272 panes of glass for the roof lights, weighing up to 57kg each,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55and six weeks of pointing.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01So far, they've installed new roof installation and lighting and
0:09:01 > 0:09:03made the ground floor accessible.
0:09:06 > 0:09:08The plan is to restore the whole building
0:09:08 > 0:09:10so it can be used by small businesses.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16But when they started work, there were one or two headaches for Bob.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18- Good grief!- Once again, the pigeons.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24It's like a pigeon apocalypse, isn't it? There's dead pigeons, there's live pigeons.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26This is a sign of pigeon as vermin, isn't it?
0:09:26 > 0:09:30- Yeah, you get nasty diseases in the atmosphere from when they're flying about.- Yes, yes.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34And this is an area where we've not worked in, therefore they're getting
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- through every little crevice in the roof that we've not repaired.- Right.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41The builders certainly have their work cut out with a facade
0:09:41 > 0:09:45outside measuring 340 square metres - there's a lot to be done.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49Olly, so how do you go about cleaning the facade of
0:09:49 > 0:09:50a building like this?
0:09:50 > 0:09:54Basically you start with the mildest method first which is
0:09:54 > 0:09:57basically just to use water and a brush. De-ionised water...
0:09:57 > 0:10:01- Purer than rainwater, even. - Pure water, very pure.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05Just soaking it in a poultice form and scrubbing and see if that
0:10:05 > 0:10:07takes some of the dirt away.
0:10:07 > 0:10:09- It's not doing much.- It's not, no.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11At least we can see that it's not doing much and we can
0:10:11 > 0:10:14discount it and move on to the next stage.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17- We'll move onto a non-ionic detergent.- Right.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19We'll use that on the affected area and basically have
0:10:19 > 0:10:22a good scrub again and see if that lifts it any more.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24You can give it a little dampen with some water.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26This is the non-ionic detergent.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32- OK? A little bit of that on there. - Get a lather up?- Yeah.
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Give it a good scrub.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36A good scrub, come on.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40It's having some effect, isn't it?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43It will take off some of the grime, yeah, it will. It certainly will.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46This is the first time this building has been touched with
0:10:46 > 0:10:48a scrubbing brush for decades.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- Aye.- Now just give it a good rinse off with the water.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55And you will see there will be patches where it has taken it off.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58And once that's dried you will be able to see the full effect
0:10:58 > 0:11:00of that clean.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03While it's wet it gives you a bit of a false representation.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06It's an awfully dreary colour.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09The next stage we would use after that would be the mild acid.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11- Should we try stage three? - Let's try stage three, yeah.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15You can't make a mistake with that. Mild acid, vinegar.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Cleary labelled. There we go, just give it a good soak.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Now give it a good scrub.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23Now we're talking.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Josiah Wedgwood, I bet he's turning in his grave now.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28He'll be going potty!
0:11:28 > 0:11:31We just need to rinse it down with some water now, Dave.
0:11:31 > 0:11:32We'll see how that looks.
0:11:33 > 0:11:35- That's coming up, isn't it?- It is.
0:11:35 > 0:11:40Each stage will generally tend to lift another layer of grime off.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Olly, you've worked on these buildings for
0:11:42 > 0:11:44a while now but what do you think of this one?
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Fantastic. It's a perfect example of its style of building.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53There's such a lot of work that's worth preserving.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- That's coming up there, it's a lot lighter.- It is.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58I'd love to have a look at stage four to see what that does.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Let's see stage four, then, yeah?
0:12:00 > 0:12:04- Is that Sam?- That's Sam.- Sam is stage four.- Sam is stage four.
0:12:04 > 0:12:05Come on, then.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Builder Sam is using a tougher technique on another section
0:12:10 > 0:12:11of the building's facade.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- So, what's Sam doing, Olly? - This is stage four.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18If the other stages haven't been successful we move on to
0:12:18 > 0:12:21a high-pressure wash heated to 180 degrees
0:12:21 > 0:12:24which will lift all the dirt and grime off the building.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Is there a chance that could lift some of the masonry away?
0:12:27 > 0:12:31There is a chance but in that process it's better that
0:12:31 > 0:12:34that masonry comes away now so we can deal with it so that it
0:12:34 > 0:12:37doesn't come away in the future and maybe fall on people's heads.
0:12:37 > 0:12:38So someone makes a note of it,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40what's happened, and go back and rectify it.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42We'd repair it accordingly, yeah.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47- That's bound to work, really.- Yeah, it does a lot of the time, yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50There are basically five different stages to cleaning the
0:12:50 > 0:12:52exterior of a building like this,
0:12:52 > 0:12:55with the builders working their way through the phases until it
0:12:55 > 0:12:56is successful.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00With a final stage being to apply chemicals to clean the
0:13:00 > 0:13:01building's facade.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06It's a truly stunning building -
0:13:06 > 0:13:10one which I'm sure Josiah Wedgwood would have been proud of.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Born into a family of potters in 1730, he followed in the
0:13:15 > 0:13:17family footsteps.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21This famous potter's wares are known worldwide for their
0:13:21 > 0:13:22distinctive pale blue colouring.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25That's become known as the Wedgewood Blue.
0:13:26 > 0:13:31He got the royal seal of approval in 1766 when Queen Charlotte
0:13:31 > 0:13:34agreed to call him Potter to Her Majesty.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40And when Wedgwood went to the great pottery in the skies his reputation
0:13:40 > 0:13:47was global and his fortune was worth £500 million in today's money.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51But roll forward to today and this famous pottery is
0:13:51 > 0:13:55no longer produced in Stoke but in Asia as the business was
0:13:55 > 0:13:59bought by a foreign company in 2009.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02I'd love to know what the potteries were like back in their
0:14:02 > 0:14:06heyday so I've popped down the road to Middleport to meet an ex-potter.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11David Copeland worked at a local pottery as
0:14:11 > 0:14:13a designer for over 18 years.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15Back when you were here, David,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18the whole area must have been alive and buzzing.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Yes, it was. In the '50s it was a smog-ridden place.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- It had been like that for 200 years and beyond.- Absolutely.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Did you have any involvement with the Wedgwood Institute?
0:14:28 > 0:14:29Yes, I suppose I did.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I didn't work there, but I used the Institute's library.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36And it was the first and probably the finest community centre.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40You would go in through the central entrance and the entrance was
0:14:40 > 0:14:44magnificent inside with wonderful Minton Hollins tiles
0:14:44 > 0:14:46and a good central staircase.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49The library was on the left-hand side for the adults and on
0:14:49 > 0:14:51the right-hand side for the children.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55How depressing was it for you to see the dereliction in the
0:14:55 > 0:14:57- Wedgwood Institute?- Terrible.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01To see that wonderful facade with plants growing out of it is
0:15:01 > 0:15:02very sad indeed.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09This impressive-looking building is Middleport Pottery and
0:15:09 > 0:15:10has been around since the 1880s.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16It's very similar to how the Wedgwood factory would have been.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19The pottery still uses traditional skilled methods and their
0:15:19 > 0:15:22magnificent bottle kiln is one of the few remaining still in
0:15:22 > 0:15:24use in Stoke.
0:15:25 > 0:15:30Back in 2011 it was just hours away from being demolished as it
0:15:30 > 0:15:32wasn't deemed a safe building.
0:15:33 > 0:15:38But thankfully the Prince's Regeneration Trust came to its aid
0:15:38 > 0:15:41and has helped restore it back to its former working glory.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48- Hello, Teressa.- Hi.- Hi, Dave. - Pleased to meet you.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49This studio we're in now,
0:15:49 > 0:15:53is this is where you make one-offs prior to the factory?
0:15:53 > 0:15:54No, this is where it all starts.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56This is the beginning of the whole process.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59So the first stage is making a mould.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01You can't make anything until you've made a mould.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03These are beautiful, aren't they?
0:16:03 > 0:16:05- They're like sculptures in themselves.- They are.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08- And we've got an archive of over 19,000.- How far back do they go?
0:16:08 > 0:16:11Beyond the beginning of our company, but we've got moulds from
0:16:11 > 0:16:14older factories that have closed down so it's really
0:16:14 > 0:16:17a record of social history from the last 200 years.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Gosh!
0:16:19 > 0:16:21- Tragic if we'd have lost that. - Definitely.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32- Oh, wow!- All the moulds! It is beautiful.- This is the casting shop.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Where we cast handles and cream-ware items.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39- All your little slop trays for your teabags.- Yes.- Teapot trays.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- Beautiful. - They're very popular at the moment.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44I thought you were going to say they're very fragile.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- They are very fragile. - I won't touch.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50Every stage of the process is done on site.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Including a transferring shop where designs and patterns are
0:16:54 > 0:16:56added to the pottery.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- Crumbs, it's like walking into a laundry.- Yep.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05- This is the transferring shop.- Wow!
0:17:05 > 0:17:06It's wonderful.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Certainly is. There's a chance this could have been lost.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12- We're so pleased to have it here today.- Yes.
0:17:12 > 0:17:14There's every chance this technique would have been lost and it is
0:17:14 > 0:17:16unique within the industry nowadays.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And it's such skilled work.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23With the pottery being rescued, the skills were saved and it can
0:17:23 > 0:17:26take seven years to learn these traditional pottery-making
0:17:26 > 0:17:28techniques. Great atmosphere in here as well.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30How often can you use the transfers?
0:17:30 > 0:17:32Presumably these are the transfers that are hanging on the
0:17:32 > 0:17:34- washing line. - They're printed as a one-off,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37they're printed fresh and then they come out on the wires to the
0:17:37 > 0:17:40ladies who cut out the sections they need and apply it to the work,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43which makes it sound easy but, of course, it isn't.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46It sounds a bit of a tricky job, as well, as Zoe is just about to
0:17:46 > 0:17:48show me.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51I think the important thing to remember here, Dave,
0:17:51 > 0:17:53is we can't make any more mistakes.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56As soon as it sticks it's adhered.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- Can I have a go, Zoe? - Yeah.- Wish me luck.
0:18:00 > 0:18:01Right.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Right, so I've got me transfer.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10- So now, do I need to cut this straight?- No, that's fine.- Yep.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Up to the handle and then round the belly of the mug.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18This is really fiddly, you know? It's like trying to shave an oyster.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I have to say, Dave, you're not the quickest so far.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23It's not speed, it's quality.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26- Exactly.- I can't remember what I do here. Then you just slice it.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Away from yourself.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32- It doesn't work.- It's not as easy as it looks.- No.- 45-degree angle.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40For a first attempt I don't think it was too bad.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44But the ladies seem to disagree. Oh, well.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47But once the stencil's on,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50the pottery goes to the next stage and the real reason I wanted
0:18:50 > 0:18:52to see Middleport Pottery -
0:18:52 > 0:18:55the firing process which can take up to three days.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03- This is it.- The bottle oven. This is what I would know as the kiln.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06Absolutely, bottle kiln, bottle oven - we call them both things but it's
0:19:06 > 0:19:11- something quite fantastic.- What sort of temperature would it be in here?
0:19:11 > 0:19:13Well over 1,000 degrees.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15Back in the day, how many bottle kilns
0:19:15 > 0:19:17would there have been in Stoke?
0:19:17 > 0:19:18Well over 2,000.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21- And how many survive today? - About 47.
0:19:21 > 0:19:22A lot of them got demolished, sadly.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25So was it quite a smoky, kind of dirty place, Stoke,
0:19:25 > 0:19:27when it was all fired up?
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Absolutely horrendous. When the kilns were still firing,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32they'd tell stories of not being able to find your way to school
0:19:32 > 0:19:35without holding on to buildings to be able to find your way around,
0:19:35 > 0:19:36it was that smoky, that bad.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39Do you know, it's been amazing to look around.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41I'm so pleased the factory's been saved,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and the factory's saved as it was.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Here's hoping Middleport Pottery continues to thrive
0:19:47 > 0:19:49for the next 135 years.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Back at the Wedgwood Institute,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56the builders have got some spooky tales to tell -
0:19:56 > 0:20:00by all accounts, it feels they are not alone on site.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03I was working away in one of the rooms
0:20:03 > 0:20:05and, basically, I'd just come down,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08popped out, gone back straight upstairs
0:20:08 > 0:20:10and then come back up
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and the door had locked on me.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14One of the other joiners heard, like, footsteps behind him,
0:20:14 > 0:20:16and he turned round and nobody were there.
0:20:16 > 0:20:20If it was haunted, it's probably Mr Wedgwood himself, really.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26It's no surprise to hear of ghostly goings-on,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30especially as this area has a long tradition of occult practices
0:20:30 > 0:20:34and a reputation for paranormal activities.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39One of the UK's most haunted pubs, The Leopard,
0:20:39 > 0:20:40dates back to the 18th century
0:20:40 > 0:20:44and lies just behind the Wedgwood Institute.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47And it is a frequent meeting place
0:20:47 > 0:20:48for a local group of witches.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Did you ever get stories when you were a kid?
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Cos I used to get loads of them about Molly Leigh,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56the famous witch from Burslem.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01This pub has an ancient history and, of course, because of its age,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05this pub's history has seen it have many, many events
0:21:05 > 0:21:09that we would perhaps call ghost events or paranormal events.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12When I did work here, you used to have glasses flying off the bar.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15We've had bar trays being flicked off
0:21:15 > 0:21:17just when you've just cleaned them.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19There is a lot going on.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Especially doing seances down in the cellars,
0:21:21 > 0:21:24just to the corner of the little bar.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26You can stand there, and all of a sudden you'll feel drunk -
0:21:26 > 0:21:29and her name's Mary and she likes the gin.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Wedgwood Institute, we've had orbs coming past the windows,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37you've seen things being thrown past the windows,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39you've seen images at the windows,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43but it's one of them things you've got to experience for yourself.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48With talk of ghosts and ghouls on the Institute's doorstep,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51there's only one thing called for -
0:21:51 > 0:21:54a team of paranormal investigators who aren't easily spooked.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02Got to be honest...
0:22:02 > 0:22:05it feels like a man present.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07- Yes, a man.- A man. - It feels like a man.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12- Got a name then. - What's the name?- Edward.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16So is your name Edward?
0:22:16 > 0:22:19Would you like to come forward and speak to us, Edward?
0:22:19 > 0:22:20We mean you no harm.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25These ghost-busters have just the right bit of kit,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28which picks up any electromagnetic energy in the area,
0:22:28 > 0:22:32and all manner of things that go bump in the night.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34If there's any spirits with us in this room,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37could you come forward?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40We've got equipment set up, we can hear your voice.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44I think Edward's gone a bit shy.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47That vending machine there, it's like a drinks machine,
0:22:47 > 0:22:50it was wide open and then it just slammed itself
0:22:50 > 0:22:52while we were in here.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54- That's quite physical, then. - FAINT KNOCKING
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Did you hear that?
0:22:56 > 0:23:00There's definitely a man... Definitely a man up there.
0:23:01 > 0:23:02He's actually watching us.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06I was going to say, it makes me feel like I want to go to him.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09- It doesn't me! - CHRIS LAUGHS
0:23:09 > 0:23:11But it's that kind of feeling that...
0:23:11 > 0:23:15You know when someone's drawing you up, to go further?
0:23:15 > 0:23:17- That's what I mean. - Further up the stairs.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I really didn't want to come in here.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27- ELECTRONIC WHIRRING - Did you hear something?
0:23:27 > 0:23:28Yeah, twice.
0:23:28 > 0:23:32Whether you believe it or not, they think they've heard something.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34I'm not sure if our builder's convinced.
0:23:35 > 0:23:40So, has this ghost-busting extravaganza been a success?
0:23:40 > 0:23:43We've picked up a few names that will hopefully be verified,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45heard footsteps earlier.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I think it would be great to come back of a night.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50I'm not sure if I'm convinced.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52I think there might be something there,
0:23:52 > 0:23:56but you wouldn't really... know. So...
0:23:56 > 0:23:58No sign of Mr Wedgwood there, then!
0:24:02 > 0:24:05And not being one to be distracted,
0:24:05 > 0:24:09time to get a bird's-eye view with terracotta expert Gary Shea.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13Gary, what are the challenges in restoring a facade like this?
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Cos there's so many different materials and techniques.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20You've got so many different materials -
0:24:20 > 0:24:22as in, a lot of the string courses are stone,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25you've got, you can see, a lot of the decorative work
0:24:25 > 0:24:28is what we call true terracotta,
0:24:28 > 0:24:30but then you've got some of the ornate work on the top here
0:24:30 > 0:24:33is actually more like stonework.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36- Yes.- So it's about finding someone
0:24:36 > 0:24:39who can actually make these pieces for us,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42which is very few and far between now.
0:24:42 > 0:24:43Although we're in Stoke,
0:24:43 > 0:24:46where this was probably just made down the road,
0:24:46 > 0:24:50a lot of the companies don't exist any more, unfortunately.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Cor, Gary, we're 40 metres up - best part of 150 foot up.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Now you can really see Stoke.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59There's a bottle kiln there.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01There's kilns down there.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05It really was built on ceramics.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08It's really funny, the head-for-height thing.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10It's a leg-wobbler, isn't it?
0:25:10 > 0:25:12But it is the best view in the house.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16But back to the job in hand.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19What we've found here is a classic example,
0:25:19 > 0:25:21on this coping here, of...
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- The mortar's worn out, hasn't it? Washed out.- It's just gone.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Cos the mortar, being the glue that holds your bricks together,
0:25:27 > 0:25:29it also makes it watertight.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30That's it - spot-on.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34Which is why, if your pointing's gone on your house,
0:25:34 > 0:25:35you're going to get damp.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37So you need to do your pointing.
0:25:39 > 0:25:41- It's true - innit? - It's absolutely spot-on.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44A pot of mortar can save you thousands in the long run.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Back in the day, when me father taught me how to point,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49it was three parts sand, one of cement -
0:25:49 > 0:25:52knock your muck up, and a squirt of washing-up liquid to make it spread.
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Has it changed, Gary?
0:25:54 > 0:25:56No, that's pretty much as we do it today -
0:25:56 > 0:26:01except we're using lime, whereas they would've used lime putty.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Oh, that's a very dainty pointing doodah.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06- Pointing trowel. - Trowel's the word I was looking for.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Or pointing iron. Because what we want to try and do -
0:26:09 > 0:26:12we're trying to get as much into the joint as we can.
0:26:12 > 0:26:13What I love about all you guys
0:26:13 > 0:26:16is that sense of pride you have in these old buildings.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19You know, there's no short cuts.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20Well, we can't do.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23It's a passion that you have if you like old buildings -
0:26:23 > 0:26:25that's why we're doing what we're doing.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27We love the old buildings.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30'Right, I think I've watched for long enough.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33'Time to see if I can remember what my dad taught me.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:34Thank you.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40So it's...
0:26:42 > 0:26:43Oh, I like it, Dave -
0:26:43 > 0:26:45you've obviously done that before.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Do you know, it's perfectly true, this -
0:26:48 > 0:26:51when I was a kid, about me 11th birthday,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54me dad came up to me with a fine chisel, a trowel and a mallet
0:26:54 > 0:26:56for me birthday present,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59because he was too mean to pay somebody
0:26:59 > 0:27:01to point the backyard wall.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04If I was giving you marks out of ten for that, Dave,
0:27:04 > 0:27:05I'd have to give you a good eight.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09You've obviously done really well with that - you've done it before.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12I tell you what, Gary - I never got an eight on Strictly!
0:27:12 > 0:27:14THEY LAUGH
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Gary's handiwork will keep the Institute watertight
0:27:18 > 0:27:20for years to come.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22But there's still a lot of work to be done.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24It's fantastic on the inside,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26fantastic on the outside.
0:27:26 > 0:27:27Just going to be brilliant.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Do you know what I love about the restoration work?
0:27:30 > 0:27:33It's restoring the buildings so they're actually fit for purpose.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36If these things are not looked after and brought back to life,
0:27:36 > 0:27:37they'll just collapse,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40so we're just giving something back to the local area.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42This has been really worthwhile, doing this project.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44You've got a long way to go.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47'And, come autumn 2019,
0:27:47 > 0:27:51'when phase two of the Institute's restoration is finished,
0:27:51 > 0:27:54'there'll be merriment all round.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56'Coming up next time, I'll be in West Yorkshire,
0:27:56 > 0:27:59'helping to safeguard Pontefract Castle
0:27:59 > 0:28:01'for future generations.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03'I'll be doing some long-overdue gardening...'
0:28:03 > 0:28:07This place hasn't been weeded since the Civil War.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10'Finding out the answers to some difficult questions.'
0:28:10 > 0:28:12I mean, what was the point of things like, you know,
0:28:12 > 0:28:14being hung, drawn and quartered?
0:28:14 > 0:28:17'And going into battle with the Roundheads and Cavaliers.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Draw!
0:28:19 > 0:28:20You scoundrel!
0:28:20 > 0:28:22A pox on your King!