To the Manor Reborn - Avebury Manor

[essexbearhunter]

The National Trust have joined forces with the BBC in a series of 4 programmes showing the restoration of Avebury Manor.
The house had been tenanted but stood empty (but visitable) since 2009. The BBC were seeking a period house to decorate and furnish, for which the furniture-free Avebury was well-suited.
The brief is slightly more unsettling - with 9 rooms in four different styles (Tudor, Georgian, Victorian and 20th century). How this will sit with the Queen Anne bedroom with its bold plaster ceiling is uncertain. The NT magazine picture showing it with powder green and off-white wood panelling could be the "Before" or "After" and looks quite good.

The Trust is hoping to re-open the house this autumn to co-incide with the airing of the series. This is going into my "Must-Do" book whatever the series is like, if only to see the broken pediment gateway and the hump-backed porch in real life....they look like perfection in stone!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34517490@N00/3501628175/

http://shortfinals.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/avebury-manor.jpg?w=560

 

[jocelyn plummer]

Yup, in my must do book too-- sounds good and maybe we can feast our eyes on the room styles without too much chit chat from those who lisp, grimace, and patronise : :wink:

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Yup, in my must do book too-- sounds good and maybe we can feast our eyes on the room styles without too much chit chat from those who lisp, grimace, and patronise : :wink:

Sorry - no, I'll be watching it too. And my Grimacing Hat and Patronising Shoes are right next to the sofa :?
But I wealize you mean gwimace and patwonise...

 

[jocelyn plummer]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[JoceAndChris]

Let's hope there isn't too much faux eccentwicity from the presenters and we can all enjoy this exciting project.

 

[Nigel Watts]

Penelope Keith is one of the presenters I believe. I don't think it will be very hi-brow.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Many (many) years ago I seem to recall Penelope Keith presenting a couple of good "heritage" documentaries - one specifically on Stowe and the other on Capability Brown.

Of course, that was in the days when presenters (and their egos / eccentricities / tics) generally weren't the largest object on the screen at any one time, filling the gap between the camera and whatever they were talking about. There were even odd occasions when the presenter was heard in voice-over only. (I will make exceptions for John Betjeman, Ian Nairn, Alec Clifton-Taylor's heroically high waistband, and even Jonathan Meades.)

 

[Flyfisher]

Many (many) years ago I seem to recall Penelope Keith presenting a couple of good "heritage" documentaries - one specifically on Stowe and the other on Capability Brown.

Capability Brown? I'm pleased to hear that 1970s English prog-rock is recognised as an important part of our heritage. :wink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4We_kuIn-GI