1 00:00:02,080 --> 00:00:04,400 Britain is world-famous for its stately homes. 2 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:07,320 And when it comes to food, 3 00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:11,360 our country houses were the taste-makers. 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:15,520 Curry and cockle, it's an absolute first for me. 5 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,120 In this series, we'll sample delicious dishes. 6 00:00:19,120 --> 00:00:21,320 They look wonderful, Mary. 7 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:23,680 And enjoy the lavish hospitality 8 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,440 that these homes were celebrated for. 9 00:00:26,440 --> 00:00:28,880 You look absolutely stunning. 10 00:00:28,880 --> 00:00:30,720 I'll show you how to cook 11 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,960 tasty, modern recipes inspired by the history of our great houses. 12 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:38,600 This is actually Napoleon's chair from Waterloo. 13 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:40,480 Mind you, I could do with a cushion. 14 00:00:40,480 --> 00:00:44,600 Join me as I meet the families who own these exceptional homes. 15 00:00:44,600 --> 00:00:46,640 The best thing about the staircase, obviously, 16 00:00:46,640 --> 00:00:49,680 is going down on a tray or on your bottom. Oh! 17 00:00:49,680 --> 00:00:52,560 And find out what it's really like to live... 18 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,400 It looks quite saucy. 19 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:55,480 ..work... 20 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:56,720 It's very like cutting a hedge. 21 00:00:56,720 --> 00:00:58,720 I think you're better at baking! 22 00:00:58,720 --> 00:01:03,560 ..and party in the nation's most beautiful stately homes. 23 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:05,200 I'm not going to drop it! 24 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:08,040 This week, I'm meeting the young family 25 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,960 breathing new life into Powderham Castle. 26 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:13,200 Do you like it, Jackie? I love it. 27 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:16,560 And I'll join them at a magical woodland party to thank 28 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,280 everyone who's helped them settle in. 29 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,080 It's been quite a journey. Fairy tales happen. 30 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:28,240 This is your invitation to dine at some of Britain's grandest tables, 31 00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:31,680 in some of the most beautiful houses in the land. 32 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,040 I'm in Devon, just south of Exeter, 33 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,400 crossing the great estuary of the River Exe. 34 00:01:55,280 --> 00:02:00,280 I just love Devon, even on a blustery and rather misty day. 35 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,040 The smell of the sea is all very tempting. 36 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,640 And waiting to meet me is the Earl of Devon himself, 37 00:02:10,640 --> 00:02:12,080 Charlie Courtenay. 38 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:18,280 Hello, Mary. Oh, it's lovely to be back in Devon. 39 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,440 Thank you for coming in this lovely weather. Oh, who cares! 40 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:29,720 Charlie's family has been connected to this estuary for over 600 years. 41 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:33,960 You know, the estuary is such a remarkably vibrant place. 42 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,000 I think in medieval times, it was something like England's 43 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,000 second or third biggest port. Was it? 44 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:40,720 And, so, we were a French family 45 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:43,040 and all the trading from Exeter would have gone out 46 00:02:43,040 --> 00:02:46,160 to the south of France, to Bordeaux, around there. 47 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,760 And they would have brought wine back, and wool out, 48 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,040 so it was very much a trading estuary. 49 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:53,200 Wow! 50 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:54,720 TRAIN HORN BLOWS 51 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:02,720 I'm on my way to the house that's been 52 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:05,600 the Courtenay family home since 1391, 53 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:07,320 Powderham Castle. 54 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:10,840 There it is in all its glory, Powderham. 55 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,760 So, there's Powderham Castle. Flag flying. Yes, that's my flag, 56 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:15,440 the Earl of Devon's flag. 57 00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:19,320 I think I'm the 28th generation of the family to move my kids in, 58 00:03:19,320 --> 00:03:20,760 which is rather nice. 59 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:27,800 I feel as though there ought to have been a drawbridge. 60 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,840 I know. Well, we've stood down the knights from the top! 61 00:03:32,800 --> 00:03:34,520 Charlie inherited Powderham 62 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:37,720 two years ago on the death of his father. 63 00:03:37,720 --> 00:03:41,240 Before then, he, his wife and their two young children 64 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:44,000 had been living in America for 11 years. 65 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,240 Let's get in, out of the rain. Yes. And you can tell me more. 66 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:50,920 And, now, as Earl of Devon, 67 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:55,080 he's become the custodian of one of the oldest aristocratic titles 68 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:57,240 in the country... Welcome to Powderham. 69 00:03:57,240 --> 00:04:01,520 ..and a sprawling castle which has evolved over six centuries. 70 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:05,800 Mary, this is the big dining room. 71 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:08,840 Which, for all its appearances, 72 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,280 is actually the most modern room in the house. 73 00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,000 It was built by the Victorians, 74 00:04:13,000 --> 00:04:16,040 effectively to provide a really nice functional space 75 00:04:16,040 --> 00:04:17,760 to have big dinner parties in. 76 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:20,880 It's one that we use a lot as a family for Christmas dinners, 77 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:22,520 Christmas lunches. 78 00:04:22,520 --> 00:04:26,480 I can just imagine this room as it is with a roaring fire. 79 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,640 Oh! We've been out in all that cold. 80 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,280 I know, it's a good place to warm up after a morning outside. 81 00:04:32,280 --> 00:04:35,000 And, even though it's the most modern room in the house, 82 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,880 it tells a very old story because it has throughout the coats of arms 83 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,920 on the walls, the family tree, effectively, 84 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,680 dating back to Athon in the far corner who was a French knight who 85 00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:49,520 fortified a town called Courtenay in France in about 1000 AD. 86 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:51,400 So, he was the original Courtenay. 87 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,960 And you see the story of the family line ever since 88 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,280 up to William, who built the room in 1830. 89 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,240 The Courtenay family have an impressive lineage. 90 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,600 But now I want to meet the next generation. 91 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:08,320 Come on through and meet the family. 92 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:12,440 Mary, this is my wife, AJ. 93 00:05:12,440 --> 00:05:15,280 Hello, AJ. It's really nice to meet you. And this is Jocelyn. 94 00:05:15,280 --> 00:05:18,680 Hi. I love the hat. And Jack, my son. Aha. 95 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,320 So, this is actually where you live, sort of, 96 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,960 within the castle. Yeah. It feels very cosy here. Oh, it is cosy, yes, 97 00:05:25,960 --> 00:05:29,560 it's actually nice and warm. And I recognise an American accent, 98 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,880 is that right? Yeah. AJ and I met in a bar in Las Vegas. 99 00:05:34,320 --> 00:05:37,520 I was on a rugby tour, AJ was on a hen weekend. 100 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,640 And the rest is Jocelyn and Jack. 101 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:42,720 Ah, lovely. And how is England for you? 102 00:05:42,720 --> 00:05:45,120 The main problem is the weather. 103 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:47,920 We're used to warm, scorching. 104 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:49,920 And when we come here, we're just like... 105 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:53,640 Ah, but you've got the beauty of Devon. 106 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,640 Yes. I most likely will need a bit of help later 107 00:05:56,640 --> 00:05:58,720 making a Devon cream tea. 108 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:00,400 Can I rely on you two? 109 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:02,080 I don't know how to make one. 110 00:06:02,080 --> 00:06:05,040 You know how to eat it. Cream first, then jam. 111 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:06,720 Right. We'll have it that way. 112 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:09,080 But now I want to see the rest of the house, come on. 113 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,200 Yes, let's go through this door and explore the house. 114 00:06:15,040 --> 00:06:18,160 Powderham began as a medieval castle, 115 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:22,120 but it was in the 18th century that the modern house took shape. 116 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,840 From the magnificent music room for grand entertaining... 117 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,080 ..to the elegant libraries... 118 00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,360 ..this was a home designed to impress. 119 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:39,760 And here's the staircase hall. 120 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:46,440 What an extraordinary, glorious colour. 121 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:51,440 Yeah, it's Powderham blue, it's a very unique colour. 122 00:06:53,600 --> 00:06:57,960 I interestingly had a call from a French count a couple of months ago 123 00:06:57,960 --> 00:07:00,640 asking to reproduce it in his French castle. 124 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:03,800 So, it's the Powderham blue, and people obviously seem to like it. 125 00:07:05,440 --> 00:07:07,520 What striking plasterwork. 126 00:07:07,520 --> 00:07:10,600 It was done by a couple of local Exeter craftsmen. 127 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:14,000 But what you notice, in the top corners, there's a different animal. 128 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:18,200 There's a squirrel here, there's something like a stoat there. 129 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,920 And a hare with great, long ears. 130 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,200 And birds, lots of birds. 131 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:31,400 It's depicting the countryside. 132 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:34,200 Absolutely. And it depicts the pursuits of the people 133 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:36,400 that lived in the castle when it was built. 134 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,760 So, 1750, you could see the musical instruments they were playing. 135 00:07:39,760 --> 00:07:41,000 A violin or something. 136 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:43,120 It almost looks like cake icing, doesn't it? 137 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:45,680 It does. Very beautifully done, too. 138 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:55,200 All that is missing is a lady coming down in a marvellous dress 139 00:07:55,200 --> 00:08:00,160 billowing out. Imagine all the men standing here with their drinks, 140 00:08:00,160 --> 00:08:02,400 watching them all coming downstairs. 141 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,600 The best thing about the staircase, obviously, 142 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,160 is going down on a tray or on your bottom. 143 00:08:09,160 --> 00:08:12,000 When I was a child, we didn't have carpets on the stairs, 144 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:14,320 and it was just a plain, wooden staircase. 145 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:17,000 And you'd get really good speed going up and down the stairs. 146 00:08:17,000 --> 00:08:19,280 Yes, cos you couldn't slide down the banisters 147 00:08:19,280 --> 00:08:22,160 cos you'd get stuck halfway. On a tray would be a good idea. 148 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:24,360 Great fun. I'll show you the marble hall. 149 00:08:29,600 --> 00:08:33,240 So, this is the marble hall which is the bottom half 150 00:08:33,240 --> 00:08:37,400 of the old medieval great hall. On the far side of the hall, 151 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:39,280 you see the old medieval archways. 152 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,520 And the archways go to the buttery, the kitchen and pantry. 153 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,560 And the whole meal would be processed from the kitchen 154 00:08:45,560 --> 00:08:49,000 down the corridor, through that door to the big table up there. 155 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:52,040 The whole purpose of the house was cooking and serving food. 156 00:08:52,040 --> 00:08:54,680 And entertaining. And entertaining, exactly. 157 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:56,880 But there's no food coming from that kitchen now. 158 00:08:56,880 --> 00:08:58,480 No. Well, we'll go and have a look 159 00:08:58,480 --> 00:09:00,480 and see if we can make something happen. 160 00:09:02,480 --> 00:09:05,760 Today, Charlie and AJ do their own cooking 161 00:09:05,760 --> 00:09:10,240 in their private family kitchen. But in the 19th century 162 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:13,960 this house employed over 30 domestic servants, 163 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,720 including cooks and kitchen maids. 164 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:20,920 The kitchen they worked in has been perfectly preserved. 165 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:24,040 Mary, this is the Victorian kitchen. 166 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,960 It's so lofty and big. 167 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,520 And the copper, gosh, I'm glad I don't have to clean that. 168 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:33,040 Yes, I mean, what's amazing about this space is it's been the kitchen 169 00:09:33,040 --> 00:09:35,680 of the castle since 1390, when the castle was built. 170 00:09:35,680 --> 00:09:39,000 So, you can sort of think of 600 years of just preparing food 171 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:41,320 and feasting from this kitchen. 172 00:09:41,320 --> 00:09:43,160 But in the 20th century 173 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,040 the grand entertaining came to an end. 174 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,560 In the 10, 20 years after the war, you know, the butler left, 175 00:09:49,560 --> 00:09:52,680 the housemaids left. My grandparents had to diversify, you know, 176 00:09:52,680 --> 00:09:55,040 generate an income and open it to visitors. 177 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,600 And that was a learning curve 178 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:58,800 because you find out you need a tearoom. 179 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:02,560 Exactly. So, here's my grandmother Venetia overseeing the baking of the 180 00:10:02,560 --> 00:10:06,320 scones. She'd have loved to have met you, Mary. Ah. 181 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:10,000 I couldn't come to Devon without having a cream tea, 182 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:11,600 a Devon cream tea. 183 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,040 Would you like to see my scones? 184 00:10:14,040 --> 00:10:15,440 I think they're very special. 185 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:19,320 They're crispy on the outside and all soft and spongy in the middle. 186 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,000 Oh, Mary, we would be honoured and would really, really enjoy 187 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:23,920 to have some of your cream tea. 188 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,320 There's nothing more tempting than warm, home-made scones, 189 00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:34,080 fresh from the oven. 190 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,200 This recipe is a classic. 191 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:40,960 To please everyone, I'm making both plain and fruit scones. 192 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:47,800 So, for my scones, this is the recipe I've done year in, year out. 193 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:50,080 And it seems to be a very good one. 194 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,600 The ingredients couldn't be simpler. 195 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,080 450g of self-raising flour. 196 00:10:59,080 --> 00:11:02,800 Then, for extra lightness, two teaspoons of baking powder. 197 00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:09,840 50g of sugar and 100g of butter. 198 00:11:11,120 --> 00:11:14,200 I've made more scones in my time than I can think of, 199 00:11:14,200 --> 00:11:17,320 because the ingredients you've always got on the shelf. 200 00:11:17,320 --> 00:11:19,240 They're very easy to make. 201 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:24,920 Just rub it and lift the air into it until it looks like breadcrumbs. 202 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:29,600 Next, I'm beating two eggs and adding milk 203 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:31,920 to bring it up to 300ml. 204 00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:39,320 Then, I use a knife, and I just work it in. 205 00:11:39,320 --> 00:11:42,480 It'll be a fairly sticky dough and that's what I want. 206 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:44,240 And I won't handle it too much. 207 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,600 And the little bit that is at the bottom I'll use it to brush over 208 00:11:49,600 --> 00:11:53,000 the scones to give them a nice, shiny top. 209 00:11:55,440 --> 00:11:58,200 That looks like a nice, sticky dough. 210 00:11:58,200 --> 00:11:59,800 Not too dry. 211 00:11:59,800 --> 00:12:01,320 Now it's ready to shape. 212 00:12:02,480 --> 00:12:04,360 I've got some flour over here. 213 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:08,960 So, I'm putting my hand in there so that, as I work it all together, 214 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:10,680 it won't stick to my hand. 215 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:12,480 Well, not too much anyway. 216 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:13,600 So, bring it together. 217 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:19,040 And, then, onto a floured table, just tip that out. 218 00:12:20,400 --> 00:12:23,000 And I'm not doing an awful lot of kneading. 219 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:26,520 I'm going to cut it in half. 220 00:12:26,520 --> 00:12:28,640 One half I'll keep for the plain scones 221 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,200 and the other half I'll mix with the sultanas. 222 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:34,000 Knead those in. 223 00:12:35,360 --> 00:12:39,080 You don't really need a rolling pin, just pat it all over. 224 00:12:39,080 --> 00:12:41,640 Now, what I'd really like are two little helpers. 225 00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:43,480 Coo! 226 00:12:43,480 --> 00:12:45,120 There we are. 227 00:12:46,120 --> 00:12:47,760 How about, Jack, you come here? 228 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:50,240 Have you made scones before? 229 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:51,840 Um, no. No. 230 00:12:51,840 --> 00:12:55,720 And what about you? Not really. So, what I do when I'm cutting them out 231 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,400 is to get a little pile. 232 00:12:57,400 --> 00:13:00,480 And what you do is just do that and it stops it sticking. 233 00:13:00,480 --> 00:13:04,360 OK. And wriggle it like that backwards and forwards. 234 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:06,560 That's it. Oh, that looks a beauty. 235 00:13:08,400 --> 00:13:12,120 We'll pop the scones on a greased baking tray, flour side down. 236 00:13:17,240 --> 00:13:19,920 Right, now, we want them with shiny tops. 237 00:13:19,920 --> 00:13:22,400 A little bit on each one. 238 00:13:22,400 --> 00:13:25,360 Try not to get it too down the sides because, if you do, 239 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:26,800 it sticks to the tray. 240 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:31,480 So, Jocelyn, when you came from America, 241 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:34,360 what was it like to come over here to live in a castle? 242 00:13:34,360 --> 00:13:36,120 Do you ever get lost? 243 00:13:36,120 --> 00:13:40,360 I got lost for 20 minutes trying to find the kitchen for breakfast. 244 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,760 I expect there are many places to play hide and seek. 245 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,680 Yes. A lot. My parents have said that we probably shouldn't play it 246 00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:50,920 cos once one of my friends got very much lost. 247 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,320 Gracious! 248 00:13:54,320 --> 00:13:56,400 Our scones are ready for the oven. 249 00:13:57,560 --> 00:13:59,560 Bake them at 200 degrees fan 250 00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:03,240 for about ten minutes until they're crisp and golden. 251 00:14:04,720 --> 00:14:07,240 And, then, for the ultimate test. 252 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:12,600 Serving our Devon cream tea... 253 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:16,360 Oh, yay! ..to the Earl and Countess of Devon. 254 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,880 That is amazing. Or Mum and Dad, to Jocelyn and Jack. 255 00:14:22,520 --> 00:14:24,640 What goes next? AJ: That's a well-made scone. 256 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:26,400 JOCELYN: The cream before the jam. 257 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:29,160 The cream before the jam. This is because we are in Devon, 258 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:32,600 is that right? Yes. We were doing some interviews for positions, 259 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:36,960 and Charlie put the question, "Cream on top or jam on top?" 260 00:14:36,960 --> 00:14:39,440 If they got it wrong, I just couldn't save them. 261 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:43,440 And the first recorded account of a cream tea, apparently, 262 00:14:43,440 --> 00:14:46,680 comes from the archive of Tavistock Abbey. 263 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:51,800 Following a Viking invasion in 997 AD, they knocked down the abbey. 264 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:54,800 And, in order to rebuild it, they employed a number of craftsmen, 265 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:56,480 and it was the Earl of Devon, 266 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:59,120 a predecessor of mine called Odrwulf, 267 00:14:59,120 --> 00:15:02,760 he ordered them scones, cream and jam. 268 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,240 Well, that is a good heritage, isn't it? 269 00:15:05,240 --> 00:15:07,840 It proves we invented it and not the Cornish! 270 00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:11,360 That's quite a claim. 271 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:17,120 But I imagine it takes more than cream teas 272 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:19,720 to keep a house like Powderham going. 273 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,680 The castle is set on a 3,500 acre estate. 274 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:30,280 It's home to a working farm as well as a magnificent deer park 275 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:33,280 run by gamekeeper Dick Durrant. 276 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:36,880 The deer, to me, they look like little Bambis. 277 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:39,560 Yeah, I mean, they're a super-looking animal. So pretty. 278 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:43,400 Dick started looking after the deer here nearly 20 years ago 279 00:15:43,400 --> 00:15:45,880 when Charlie's father was still Earl. 280 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:50,440 The deer herd originates from post English Civil War. 281 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:52,120 So, about 300 years. 282 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:56,000 And so it kept going through all the family, through all the generations, 283 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:57,880 and is continuing? 284 00:15:57,880 --> 00:15:59,320 Nothing changes? Exactly. 285 00:15:59,320 --> 00:16:00,560 That's part of the reason 286 00:16:00,560 --> 00:16:02,920 I really enjoy working in this landscape is that 287 00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:05,320 you're working in a piece of almost living history. 288 00:16:05,320 --> 00:16:08,680 Because it's been in the same family ownership for the past 600 or so 289 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:12,680 years, it has changed, but still looks incredibly similar. 290 00:16:15,280 --> 00:16:17,960 Every year, the Powderham estate 291 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:22,560 attracts around 35,000 visitors from all over the UK. 292 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:26,760 But there are some guests who travel from much further afield. 293 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,800 This must be a wonderful landscape for wildlife. 294 00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:32,560 It's so peaceful. 295 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,520 Yeah. During the winter, you will see large amounts 296 00:16:35,520 --> 00:16:36,720 of widgeon and teal, 297 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:39,680 and the birds nest in the north-west of Russia. 298 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,720 Gracious. So, they come all that way to here? Yes. 299 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:44,520 Yeah. To come for our winter. 300 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:46,240 Do you shoot any of the wild duck? 301 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:49,080 Yeah, we do shoot a very small percentage of them 302 00:16:49,080 --> 00:16:51,720 each year, which we would take away and eat, obviously. 303 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:58,360 Duck has been on the menu at Powderham for over 300 years. 304 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:01,520 But you don't need to live on a country estate to enjoy it. 305 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:05,960 This is my pan-fried breast of duck, 306 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,520 served with a rich apple sauce with Calvados, 307 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:13,160 in honour of the Courtenay family's French heritage. 308 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:16,720 I really like duck. 309 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:20,440 And, so often over the years, I've done it duck a l'orange. 310 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,680 But it goes really well with apples. 311 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:26,400 I like to remove the skin. 312 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:28,840 Use a sharp knife for any tough bits. 313 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:31,880 That's come off very nicely. 314 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:35,720 Season the duck breasts. That's it. 315 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:39,240 Then, fry them in a hot pan for four minutes on each side. 316 00:17:39,240 --> 00:17:42,880 Right, that looks a bit of all right, lovely colour there. 317 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:45,440 PAN SIZZLES Turn it over. 318 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,880 That smells pretty good. 319 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:51,600 Once they're evenly cooked on both sides, 320 00:17:51,600 --> 00:17:54,160 leave them to rest for 15 minutes. 321 00:17:55,120 --> 00:17:59,440 And resting is all-important. Why? Because the heat that you had 322 00:17:59,440 --> 00:18:04,360 on the outside will go on cooking and also it makes it more tender. 323 00:18:05,720 --> 00:18:08,240 Then it's on to my apple and Calvados sauce... 324 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:11,760 ..made with eating apples. 325 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:14,880 I'm going to do it in butter because I want the buttery taste. 326 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:18,600 There's a tiny little bit of residue from the duck, 327 00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:22,520 and that will help to give a little bit of brown to my apples. 328 00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:29,440 Gently cook the apple slices until they're tender and golden. 329 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:33,400 Now, that's getting soft but not quite. 330 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:37,560 The reason why I wouldn't use something like a Bramley, 331 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:40,200 a cooking apple, because it would get to this stage 332 00:18:40,200 --> 00:18:43,640 and it would be a beautiful buttery mush, and I don't want that. 333 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:47,760 I want to have a bit of texture within the sauce. 334 00:18:50,440 --> 00:18:52,040 I reckon we're there. 335 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:54,080 Now leave the apple to cool. 336 00:18:55,480 --> 00:18:56,880 That's it. 337 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:00,760 Then it's time for the star of my sauce, Calvados. 338 00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:05,000 Of course, Calvados is apple brandy. 339 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:09,120 I'm using 100ml and I'm just going to evaporate that just until 340 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:12,040 it's half, that'll drive off the alcohol. 341 00:19:12,040 --> 00:19:14,960 Mind you, that smell, it makes me think of Christmas, 342 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:17,280 it makes me think of special things. 343 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:18,680 It's lovely. 344 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:22,360 Once the Calvados has reduced by half, 345 00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:25,080 it's onto the next part of the sauce, 346 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:29,120 100ml of stock and 200ml of apple juice. 347 00:19:29,120 --> 00:19:31,560 Add to the pan and reduce again. 348 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:35,280 I want the sauce to be slightly thickened, 349 00:19:35,280 --> 00:19:38,080 so I'm going to do that with cornflour instead of flour. 350 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,840 It gives a more translucent look to the sauce. 351 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,720 Mix a teaspoonful of cornflour with a splash of apple juice. 352 00:19:49,640 --> 00:19:51,480 Add some of the sauce. 353 00:19:51,480 --> 00:19:54,360 In it goes. Give that a good stir. 354 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:57,920 Back into the pan there. 355 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:01,320 And bring it to the boil, stirring as it thickens. 356 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:06,560 I'm going to add the apple to it now. 357 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:09,880 And take it off the heat. 358 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:12,080 I don't want that apple to go all mushy. 359 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:17,400 For an extra hit of flavour and colour, 360 00:20:17,400 --> 00:20:21,240 add any remaining juices from the meat to the pan. 361 00:20:21,240 --> 00:20:23,120 Right. We're ready to serve. 362 00:20:23,120 --> 00:20:26,120 I want it to be a gentle pink, 363 00:20:26,120 --> 00:20:28,600 and I think that's just what I've achieved, 364 00:20:28,600 --> 00:20:30,240 and I'm rather pleased about that. 365 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,960 I reckon that took me about half an hour to make. 366 00:20:43,960 --> 00:20:47,120 Oh, so simple to do, and yet so special. 367 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:51,040 And who better to sample it than the countess, 368 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:55,000 or AJ as she's known to everyone here at Powderham. 369 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,040 AJ, come in. I hope you're hungry. 370 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:01,080 Come in and have a taste. Oh, it smells amazing. 371 00:21:01,080 --> 00:21:02,520 I feel very lucky right now. 372 00:21:04,160 --> 00:21:07,320 It's perfect. The sauce isn't too rich. 373 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:09,160 No cream in there. No cream at all. 374 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:10,560 It's a perfect combination. 375 00:21:10,560 --> 00:21:15,760 So, how did you come to be countess here when you come from America? 376 00:21:15,760 --> 00:21:18,320 I met him in a bar in Vegas. 377 00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:21,400 I'd organised a bachelorette weekend. 378 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:23,280 A hen weekend. A hen weekend. 379 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:26,320 And I was on a TV show at the time, so I could get a really cool suite. 380 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,120 You were doing a show? 381 00:21:28,120 --> 00:21:29,800 So you were acting? Yes. 382 00:21:31,000 --> 00:21:32,640 Before she moved to Powderham, 383 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:36,400 AJ enjoyed a successful career as an actress in America. 384 00:21:37,920 --> 00:21:41,520 Over the years, she starred in shows including Seinfeld, 385 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:44,280 My So-Called Life and Baywatch. 386 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:48,120 So, as an actress, you were in a bar. 387 00:21:48,120 --> 00:21:52,320 And I looked across the bar, and I smacked my girlfriend, and I said, 388 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,120 "That one, yum." I can see you saying that, too! 389 00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:56,560 Well, who wouldn't? 390 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:59,600 And he was just smiling and flopping his floppy hair, 391 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:01,960 and we just looked at each other and smiled. 392 00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:06,440 So, when you got to know Charlie, quite well, in Las Vegas, 393 00:22:06,440 --> 00:22:09,080 did you know in fact that he had a title? 394 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:13,200 No. No, one of the guys said, "Hey, that's a good one, he's royalty." 395 00:22:14,280 --> 00:22:15,840 But I didn't... Didn't take it in? 396 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:19,280 No. And then the next morning I called my mom, and I said, 397 00:22:19,280 --> 00:22:20,680 "Mom, I've met the guy." 398 00:22:20,680 --> 00:22:23,880 We had a rendezvous in New York, like, a month later. 399 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:27,760 Letters started coming, and then phone calls like clockwork. 400 00:22:27,760 --> 00:22:31,880 And then we went to Isle of Skye, and then we drove back and he said, 401 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:36,360 "Do you want to meet my parents?" And, um, I was like, "Wow. Serious." 402 00:22:36,360 --> 00:22:39,280 And we show up at this house, and it's, like, this long driveway, 403 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,120 then these amazing gardens, and then this stone castle comes up, 404 00:22:42,120 --> 00:22:45,440 and I was just like, "Whoa, this can't be for real." 405 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,760 And it still happens, where you look out and just go, "It's magic." 406 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,520 That is a truly romantic story. 407 00:22:55,440 --> 00:22:59,720 I can only guess what it must have been like for AJ moving to this very 408 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,360 different world and taking on this vast house 409 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,160 with centuries of history and tradition. 410 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:07,880 Today, she's invited me 411 00:23:07,880 --> 00:23:12,160 to share some of the remarkable family stories she's discovered. 412 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:15,760 What splendour! 413 00:23:17,320 --> 00:23:19,560 Well, this is the state bed, 414 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,600 the place where Charlie's father was born. 415 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,320 When Charlie and I first got here to the house, 416 00:23:25,320 --> 00:23:28,840 we started walking through rooms and opening drawers and just seeing 417 00:23:28,840 --> 00:23:31,480 what's where. And we found... 418 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:32,920 ..we found this. Come see. 419 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:37,240 Hundreds of love letters. 420 00:23:37,240 --> 00:23:39,760 These are from Charlie's grandparents, 421 00:23:39,760 --> 00:23:41,680 from Christopher to Venetia, 422 00:23:41,680 --> 00:23:43,440 and from Venetia to Christopher. 423 00:23:43,440 --> 00:23:47,680 So, they met when Venetia was married to the Earl of Cottenham. 424 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:50,360 His cousin. Oh, married before? 425 00:23:50,360 --> 00:23:52,240 Yes, this was a bit of a scandal. 426 00:23:52,240 --> 00:23:55,400 And he travelled a lot, and wasn't very pleasant. 427 00:23:55,400 --> 00:23:57,400 That's where the trouble starts! 428 00:23:57,400 --> 00:24:00,440 And this is a beautiful picture of Venetia, 429 00:24:00,440 --> 00:24:02,080 and she was a very striking woman. 430 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:03,680 And her eyes. Beautiful skin. Yeah. 431 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:05,520 And this is Christopher. 432 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:11,200 So, they met and fell in love, and had this passionate romance, 433 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:13,880 and these are all the letters before they got married. 434 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:15,720 Can you see it? Look at this one. 435 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,880 "My wife, my best armchair, my private sanctum, our home." 436 00:24:21,040 --> 00:24:23,200 Very intense, very romantic. 437 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:24,640 It's just fantastic. 438 00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:27,200 They are ripped open. Look at the tops. 439 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,680 You can imagine, "I'm so excited, the letter's coming." 440 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:33,360 I want to know what's inside. Yes. This is from Christopher. 441 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,440 "I could not sleep. It was ten o'clock. 442 00:24:37,440 --> 00:24:40,000 "And I asked your picture if it could help me. 443 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,040 "It is marvellous how I can have a conversation with you when... 444 00:24:44,280 --> 00:24:45,960 "..we are miles apart, 445 00:24:45,960 --> 00:24:49,080 "and how you seem to put new life into me and help me always." 446 00:24:49,080 --> 00:24:51,000 It's all very touching, isn't it? 447 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,320 It is. And he'd just inherited 448 00:24:53,320 --> 00:24:57,440 Powderham at age 19 after three relatives passed away in succession. 449 00:24:57,440 --> 00:25:00,120 Then, finally, they got married, and they could be together, 450 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:02,640 and they were in the house together for one month, 451 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,400 and then he got called to war. 452 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:06,080 And what happened to him? 453 00:25:06,080 --> 00:25:08,280 Was it...? Brutal war. 454 00:25:08,280 --> 00:25:11,080 And he was never the same after the war. 455 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:12,840 It's a real drama. 456 00:25:12,840 --> 00:25:17,080 It's a real-life love story, and it's something we relate to, 457 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:20,480 cos I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Charlie having written me 458 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,120 love letters. 459 00:25:22,120 --> 00:25:24,880 And then this, this we have in the other room. 460 00:25:24,880 --> 00:25:28,800 Would you like to see some coronation robes? I'd love to. 461 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:34,520 In 1953, Christopher and Venetia attended the Queen's coronation. 462 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:45,600 They cared for Powderham until Christopher's death in 1998. 463 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:49,760 So, this is what Christopher and Venetia wore. 464 00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,680 Would you like to try a coronet? 465 00:25:53,680 --> 00:25:54,800 Aha! 466 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,280 Are you sure? Go for it! 467 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:05,920 That one's a lot more comfortable than the little one. 468 00:26:05,920 --> 00:26:09,200 I'd have probably been better at it if I went to the finishing schools. 469 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:12,920 You've got to balance it. That looks quite saucy. 470 00:26:12,920 --> 00:26:15,000 One shake and it would drop on the floor. Right? 471 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:18,200 And I dare say it's quite valuable. This one does have the little strap. 472 00:26:18,200 --> 00:26:22,480 So if there is, in the future, a coronation, 473 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:24,640 you would be wearing these robes? 474 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:27,160 Would I? 475 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:31,960 Wow. Cos I'm a little short for that one. 476 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:35,080 After all, you are a countess. Yeah, exactly. 477 00:26:35,080 --> 00:26:37,840 No, and it's like moving into this house, what are you doing? 478 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,920 You're embodying this role, and you study it. 479 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:44,240 I mean, the title of countess to me 480 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:47,680 just means that we're the ones that have to look after the place. 481 00:26:49,240 --> 00:26:52,440 This castle was built in support of its community, 482 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,920 so I'm actually really interested in strengthening ties 483 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:56,800 and finding out what purpose we can serve. 484 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,440 This is my favourite little cottage on the estate. 485 00:27:01,440 --> 00:27:03,480 They've just cut it all back. This morning, 486 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:06,760 AJ is showing me how she's opening up the castle... 487 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:11,480 ..with a new project based in the old kitchen garden. 488 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:13,200 This is a great wall here. 489 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,720 Yes, this is the walled garden. 490 00:27:15,720 --> 00:27:18,840 So this supplied the house with all the food and everything. 491 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,040 But, in modern days, it's kind of been used for charities, 492 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,840 and this has become a very, very magical place. 493 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:28,800 Powderham recently invited a local charity 494 00:27:28,800 --> 00:27:31,960 to take over the old Victorian greenhouses. 495 00:27:31,960 --> 00:27:36,240 The Dawlish Gardens Trust provides training and support to people 496 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,960 with physical and learning disabilities. 497 00:27:40,160 --> 00:27:42,680 Hi, Jeanette! Hi, AJ. Would you like to meet Mary? 498 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:44,560 Nice to see you. Hello, Mary. 499 00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:47,200 Hello. Jeanette? Yes, it is, yes. 500 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:50,040 If I can introduce the guys that we have here. 501 00:27:50,040 --> 00:27:52,560 We have Natasha and Caroline. 502 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:54,480 They are both deaf people. 503 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,080 Caroline is also deaf-blind. 504 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:58,480 It looks as though you're planting pumpkins. 505 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:01,840 Why pumpkins? In the castle, they have treasure hunts. 506 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,200 For the visitors, so lots of kids come. 507 00:28:04,200 --> 00:28:06,280 And when they complete the treasure hunt and get 508 00:28:06,280 --> 00:28:09,160 all the questions right, then they can have a pumpkin to take home. 509 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:11,640 And wonderful to have such great helpers. 510 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,640 Yes, and it's also wonderful we have a great space to offer, 511 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:18,480 and we're growing all the vegetables to feed all the animals here. 512 00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:20,640 In the beginning, when we first came, 513 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:23,440 we were just in one third of the section, but we worked so well, 514 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:25,600 we actually moved into the middle section. 515 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:28,840 You'll see all our people busy out there planting and picking. 516 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:32,640 Yep. They've done mosaics and crafts and photography and... 517 00:28:32,640 --> 00:28:34,240 It's just a wonderful space, 518 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:36,840 and this is something that I see Powderham doing so naturally. 519 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:40,040 You know, it was built to protect and serve its community, 520 00:28:40,040 --> 00:28:42,520 and we feel very lucky to have them around. 521 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,000 As a thank you to everyone who's helped them recently, 522 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:50,600 AJ and Charlie will be hosting a special party during my visit. 523 00:28:51,960 --> 00:28:54,600 Just what I need. And they're beautifully young. 524 00:28:54,600 --> 00:28:56,480 I think that'll be about enough. 525 00:28:56,480 --> 00:29:00,720 And I think it would be lovely to use some of their own delicious veg 526 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,000 in a recipe I'm sure everyone will enjoy. 527 00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:08,160 This is my refreshing midsummer salad. 528 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:12,920 Along with tender broad beans from the greenhouse, I'm using asparagus, 529 00:29:12,920 --> 00:29:14,920 figs and goat's cheese, 530 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,240 all drizzled with a Dijon mustard dressing. 531 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,240 Start by podding the broad beans. 532 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,400 Then it's on to the asparagus. 533 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,240 Cut off the tips and slice the stalks diagonally, 534 00:29:30,240 --> 00:29:32,560 which I think is an attractive touch. 535 00:29:34,000 --> 00:29:36,360 So, all those, I'm going to cook in boiling, 536 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:39,720 salted water for three minutes, just until they're tender. 537 00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,600 Cook them any longer and they'll lose their colour, 538 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:44,240 and they'll lose their flavour. 539 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:47,120 Pop them in boiling water... 540 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:50,280 ..season well... 541 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,960 ..and, after three minutes, they'll be ready. 542 00:29:53,960 --> 00:29:58,600 They should be a beautiful, bright green colour. 543 00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:02,720 But, to keep that colour, they need to go straight into cold water. 544 00:30:02,720 --> 00:30:06,920 Next, I like to take the cooked broad beans out of their skins, 545 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:10,560 if there's time. And then when you get inside, look at that. 546 00:30:10,560 --> 00:30:13,120 It's a beautiful bright green colour. 547 00:30:14,680 --> 00:30:16,440 Then take some ripe figs. 548 00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:21,040 Cut off the tops and slice them into quarters. 549 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,120 Now I've got some little gem lettuces. 550 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:29,440 Just take off the base of that, and then, 551 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:31,720 leaving the root on so it holds together, 552 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:33,760 just cut it in thin slices. 553 00:30:35,040 --> 00:30:37,120 So that's our base. 554 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,000 Arrange the lettuce on a large plate, add the figs... 555 00:30:43,200 --> 00:30:45,040 ..some of the mixed salad leaves 556 00:30:45,040 --> 00:30:47,600 and a sprinkling of colourful micro-herbs... 557 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:52,080 ..followed by the blanched beans and the asparagus... 558 00:30:53,440 --> 00:30:54,560 ..and pepper and salt. 559 00:30:55,560 --> 00:30:58,160 You're certainly going to get lots of textures here. 560 00:30:58,160 --> 00:31:00,320 You'll get a bit of crunch from the asparagus, 561 00:31:00,320 --> 00:31:02,600 and those beans have still got texture. 562 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:05,720 Now take some goat's cheese, 563 00:31:05,720 --> 00:31:07,960 cut off the rind and crumble it over the salad. 564 00:31:10,280 --> 00:31:14,440 The cheese gives it a real lift and a lovely flavour. 565 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:17,120 OK, you don't like goat's cheese - use feta. 566 00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:21,520 And finally, on to the dressing. 567 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:25,200 Chop some chives and add a teaspoon of caster sugar to a bowl. 568 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:30,960 Then I'm going to put a teaspoonful of Dijon mustard in there, 569 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:33,880 and about a teaspoon of lemon juice. 570 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:38,160 Then add a clove of crushed garlic... 571 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,560 ..and six tablespoons of mild olive oil. 572 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:44,960 And it will thicken a bit 573 00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:47,680 because the mustard always makes it a little bit thick. 574 00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:51,760 Season with pepper and salt. 575 00:31:51,760 --> 00:31:53,360 Then in go the chives. 576 00:31:54,480 --> 00:31:57,920 Then I'm going to just drizzle that over the top. 577 00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:00,360 And don't put this dressing on until the last minute. 578 00:32:01,320 --> 00:32:03,800 The whole effect, I think, is lovely. 579 00:32:03,800 --> 00:32:08,000 I really hope Charlie and AJ's party guests will enjoy it. 580 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:11,800 So, there it is, my midsummer salad. 581 00:32:11,800 --> 00:32:14,640 Beautifully healthy, rather different 582 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:16,800 and great for a special occasion. 583 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:30,680 We've got a bit of a... This is great. ..a storm brewing. 584 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:32,880 It's quite fun, isn't it? Lovely. 585 00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:38,920 For centuries, Powderham has been defined by its location 586 00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:40,880 on the estuary of the River Exe, 587 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:43,440 a place for both trade and for pleasure. 588 00:32:48,760 --> 00:32:50,040 On a day like this, 589 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:52,800 there couldn't be anywhere better than being in the estuary. 590 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:53,920 The estuary is amazing. 591 00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:56,400 The family have always had a great connection to the estuary, 592 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:58,120 particularly through sailing. 593 00:32:58,120 --> 00:33:00,560 Powderham was always approached from the sea 594 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:03,440 back in the days, and there was a harbour right in front of the castle 595 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:05,240 before they built the railway line. 596 00:33:05,240 --> 00:33:08,840 It overlooks this amazing main road, effectively, 597 00:33:08,840 --> 00:33:12,120 up and down from Exeter out to the sea. 598 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:13,880 As lord of the manor of Powderham, 599 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:17,880 Charlie owns much of the foreshore along the River Exe, 600 00:33:17,880 --> 00:33:20,760 which he leases to local shellfish growers. 601 00:33:20,760 --> 00:33:23,160 We're now, I think, approaching high tide. 602 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,800 At low tide, so much of this is all mud banks, mudflats, 603 00:33:26,800 --> 00:33:29,800 and this is where you get all the mussels and all the cockles 604 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,320 and all the amazing seafood. 605 00:33:31,320 --> 00:33:33,440 But people pick all sorts of shellfish down here. 606 00:33:33,440 --> 00:33:35,560 It's an absolutely lovely source of food. 607 00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:41,080 As we come up, we're coming towards the Starcross Yacht Club, 608 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:44,200 and the yacht club has been sailing this estuary 609 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:45,880 since at least the 1770s. 610 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,200 It has a claim to being the oldest sailing club, 611 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:50,000 the oldest yacht club, in England. 612 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,400 It was formed originally in the village of Starcross 613 00:33:52,400 --> 00:33:55,440 by an ancestor of mine, William, the second viscount, 614 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:57,200 along with his friends. 615 00:33:57,200 --> 00:33:58,920 And in the 1950s, 616 00:33:58,920 --> 00:34:02,720 they moved from Starcross up to the old Powderham boathouse. 617 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:05,800 The founding members of the Starcross Yacht Club 618 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:09,360 started a number of unique Powderham traditions 619 00:34:09,360 --> 00:34:11,760 which still survive to this day. 620 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,760 So, Mary, this is one of the earliest illustrations that we have 621 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:16,760 of the castle from the estuary. 622 00:34:16,760 --> 00:34:19,320 It's a lovely print from the mid-1700s. 623 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,840 And it shows the family boat house down here, see, 624 00:34:22,840 --> 00:34:25,360 that the Starcross Yacht Club now occupies. 625 00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:28,560 But of course the other relic that we have from this era, 626 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,640 as well as the yacht club, is the Starcross Dining Club, 627 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:34,440 which was founded by the same group of gentlemen. 628 00:34:34,440 --> 00:34:37,320 And what's wonderful is that dining club, the Starcross Club, 629 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,920 still meets at Powderham, and they still eat the standard starter 630 00:34:40,920 --> 00:34:43,960 of curried cockles using cockles from the estuary, 631 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,520 and using curry from all these spice ships 632 00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:49,880 that would have been trading up and down the estuary. 633 00:34:49,880 --> 00:34:51,800 Charlie, curried cockles? 634 00:34:51,800 --> 00:34:54,240 Curried cockles. I need to know how to make them. 635 00:34:54,240 --> 00:34:57,080 Come and show me. Let's go to the big kitchen and have a go. 636 00:35:00,440 --> 00:35:02,800 Charlie is going to show me how to cook 637 00:35:02,800 --> 00:35:05,200 this historic Powderham favourite, 638 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:10,600 fresh Devon cockles smothered in a creamy curry sauce made with apples, 639 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:12,640 white wine and mango chutney. 640 00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:17,440 So, here we have the cockles. 641 00:35:17,440 --> 00:35:20,560 These would have been harvested out on the estuary. 642 00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:22,200 Hey, that's fresh, isn't it? 643 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:26,040 I have to confess, I have never cooked cockles. 644 00:35:26,040 --> 00:35:28,800 I've only had them in the East End in a sort of cup. 645 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,520 Right. And I can remember them being frightfully tough. 646 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:32,800 But this is interesting. 647 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,640 Charlie starts by frying a large onion. 648 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,040 We now host the cockle dinner here. 649 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:43,440 And how many come? 20 to 30 people. 650 00:35:43,440 --> 00:35:45,760 Some new family names, some old family names, 651 00:35:45,760 --> 00:35:47,120 the farmers and the landowners, 652 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:49,160 and they all meet and talk about what's going on. 653 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:51,440 And the first course is always this? 654 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:53,280 Always curried cockles. 655 00:35:53,280 --> 00:35:55,440 Now we need to add the famous spices. 656 00:35:57,040 --> 00:36:00,160 Charlie is adding garam masala, cumin, 657 00:36:00,160 --> 00:36:03,000 ground coriander and for some heat, 658 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:05,760 a quarter of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. 659 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:09,320 So this is the curry sauce, and, of course, curry, 660 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:13,000 when this was first made in the 1770s, was just becoming popular 661 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:16,680 as a sort of preservative of food in English cooking. 662 00:36:16,680 --> 00:36:20,280 And it often disguised flavours that had passed their... 663 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:22,840 Yes! You know, the fish was getting a bit stinky, 664 00:36:22,840 --> 00:36:26,360 and they put the curry powder in to disguise it. Exactly. 665 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:29,560 Now, add a generous splash of white wine. 666 00:36:29,560 --> 00:36:31,800 Shall I do that for you? Do you want to slosh it? 667 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:33,640 I'm pretty good at sloshing the wine. 668 00:36:33,640 --> 00:36:34,960 150ml. 669 00:36:36,680 --> 00:36:37,960 Exactly. Perfect. 670 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:39,920 And plenty left for us. 671 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,080 I'll pop that to one side. 672 00:36:42,080 --> 00:36:44,760 Then add 600ml of fish stock. 673 00:36:44,760 --> 00:36:47,440 Shall I stir while it goes? Give it a stir while I pour it in. 674 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:51,080 As that starts to thicken, pour in 150ml of cream. 675 00:36:52,240 --> 00:36:54,280 Devon knows about the cream. 676 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:56,800 Then chop two eating apples. 677 00:36:56,800 --> 00:36:59,280 So that will be coming to the boil, and the apple goes in. 678 00:36:59,280 --> 00:37:02,920 The point of the apple is to thicken up the sauce a little bit. 679 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:06,920 Now let the sauce simmer for a while and reduce. 680 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:11,800 Right. The next ingredient is some mango chutney. 681 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,520 And Charlie is being pretty generous with it. 682 00:37:14,520 --> 00:37:16,720 Never be shy on mango chutney. 683 00:37:16,720 --> 00:37:18,640 That's far more than most people would add, 684 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:20,560 and I think you're quite right to do it. 685 00:37:20,560 --> 00:37:24,640 And it just adds that little bit of sweetness to it. 686 00:37:24,640 --> 00:37:29,960 Then add lemon zest, the juice of half a lemon, and season. 687 00:37:31,520 --> 00:37:34,120 Shall we add the cockles? Go on, then. 688 00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:36,640 The cockles should be cooked in advance, 689 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:40,680 soaked in water for several hours, then steamed or boiled. 690 00:37:42,600 --> 00:37:45,440 I mean, it depends on whether your guests mind a bit of 691 00:37:45,440 --> 00:37:47,600 authentic Exe foreshore in their meal. 692 00:37:47,600 --> 00:37:48,680 But if they don't mind it, 693 00:37:48,680 --> 00:37:51,520 it's actually quite nice to have them sort of a little bit gritty. 694 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:54,360 This is ready, isn't it? We just need to add a little bit of garnish. 695 00:37:54,360 --> 00:37:57,120 We've got some coriander and some parsley, 696 00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:58,720 and then we'll serve it on a bed of rice. 697 00:38:00,720 --> 00:38:01,880 Curried cockles. 698 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:07,320 It's an absolute first for me. It's brilliant. 699 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:15,200 It's a bit of all right. That works, doesn't it? 700 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:17,040 It really works! 701 00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:19,960 This is fabulous, everybody! 702 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,880 It is really, really, really good! 703 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:25,360 I mean...curry and cockles. 704 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:29,080 I promise you, this'll be on the cards for me. 705 00:38:31,240 --> 00:38:34,440 Powderham is a castle that is full of cherished traditions. 706 00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:38,680 Preserving this heritage is a never-ending task. 707 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:43,960 There are 34 staircases to clean... 708 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:49,600 ..16 state rooms... 709 00:38:52,640 --> 00:38:54,360 ..nearly 40 bedrooms... 710 00:38:57,240 --> 00:38:59,480 ..and over 50 antique clocks... 711 00:39:00,600 --> 00:39:04,160 ..each of which needs to be wound every week, 712 00:39:04,160 --> 00:39:07,840 a job Maurice Down been doing for over 40 years. 713 00:39:09,840 --> 00:39:13,600 This morning, Charlie is showing me his next big challenge. 714 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:19,160 So, Mary, all the bedrooms in the house are numbered. 715 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:22,600 And these bedrooms up here are known as the '30s. 716 00:39:22,600 --> 00:39:27,160 And they've been unoccupied for about 20 or 30 years. 717 00:39:27,160 --> 00:39:29,320 And as you'll see, 718 00:39:29,320 --> 00:39:31,760 they've sadly fallen into something of a decline... 719 00:39:33,760 --> 00:39:36,800 ..with the paint peeling off the walls, 720 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:39,320 plaster falling off the ceilings. 721 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:41,280 Mould in the corners. 722 00:39:41,280 --> 00:39:44,320 But what's wonderful about up here is the treasures 723 00:39:44,320 --> 00:39:49,800 that the family have sort of collected for years in these rooms. 724 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:52,160 There are so many boxes and trunks. 725 00:39:53,840 --> 00:39:55,080 I wonder what's in here. 726 00:39:58,400 --> 00:40:00,880 Oh, look. That must have been for top hats. 727 00:40:00,880 --> 00:40:02,360 It's a top hat box, absolutely. 728 00:40:06,040 --> 00:40:08,680 Is that...? It looks like a bath shape. 729 00:40:08,680 --> 00:40:11,000 Travelling bath, Victorian. 730 00:40:11,000 --> 00:40:14,360 Everything you need for going around the Empire. 731 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:16,280 What else is there? What would that be? 732 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:19,520 Oh, it's got something written on the front. 733 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:20,880 That would be a tin hat box. 734 00:40:20,880 --> 00:40:23,120 It says, CP Courtenay, Esquire. 735 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,680 This would have been my uncle Charlie, great, great uncle Charlie, 736 00:40:26,680 --> 00:40:30,240 and that's his local police helmet. 737 00:40:30,240 --> 00:40:32,720 But look down in there, there's a spike, 738 00:40:32,720 --> 00:40:34,640 and you unscrew it and put it on the top, 739 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:36,840 would you think? Yeah. There we are. 740 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:43,920 Probably doesn't fit me. It's actually rather a small head. 741 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:47,440 His picture in the dining room makes him look like quite a tall man. 742 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:49,240 You're tall already. Yeah. 743 00:40:50,920 --> 00:40:53,440 There's an awful lot for you to do here, Charlie. 744 00:40:53,440 --> 00:40:56,800 People think living in a country house like this, 745 00:40:56,800 --> 00:40:58,560 that it's all like Downton Abbey 746 00:40:58,560 --> 00:41:00,600 and there are butlers and housemaids, 747 00:41:00,600 --> 00:41:04,320 but in reality, there are some parts that are just like this. 748 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:06,080 Yeah, constantly, you're repairing, 749 00:41:06,080 --> 00:41:07,880 constantly, you're trying to maintain, 750 00:41:07,880 --> 00:41:10,840 constantly, you're finding ways to generate a bit more income 751 00:41:10,840 --> 00:41:13,280 but without damaging things, maintaining things. 752 00:41:13,280 --> 00:41:16,560 So it's a constant balance, but it's a lot of fun. 753 00:41:24,440 --> 00:41:26,520 Do you know, this house is like a maze. 754 00:41:26,520 --> 00:41:28,320 I could so easily get lost. 755 00:41:28,320 --> 00:41:30,280 I'm really glad you're with me! 756 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:33,440 I know, it's amazing when you bring even experts around the house, 757 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:37,040 they all find themselves getting lost and disoriented 758 00:41:37,040 --> 00:41:40,080 because the house is so many different eras and so many different 759 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:42,640 histories all sort of combined together. 760 00:41:42,640 --> 00:41:44,800 And there are all these amazing doors here, 761 00:41:44,800 --> 00:41:47,600 and then every now and again, they'll add a secret door as well 762 00:41:47,600 --> 00:41:51,200 which takes you somewhere completely different. Goodness gracious. 763 00:41:51,200 --> 00:41:53,720 And this is a little servants' passage that takes you 764 00:41:53,720 --> 00:41:57,280 from the landing of the staircase through to the minstrels' gallery. 765 00:41:57,280 --> 00:41:58,320 Ooh! 766 00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:04,880 So, this is the minstrels' gallery. 767 00:42:04,880 --> 00:42:06,920 You can sneak in and no-one knows you're here. 768 00:42:06,920 --> 00:42:09,760 And there are some lovely holes in the panel here that were made by 769 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:12,320 my grandfather when he was a boy to be able to see 770 00:42:12,320 --> 00:42:14,280 what the grown-ups were doing up here. 771 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:17,520 So, Mary, here's the anteroom, 772 00:42:17,520 --> 00:42:20,120 which is the room that leads into the libraries. 773 00:42:20,120 --> 00:42:24,720 And in here, we not only have a few secret doors, but we also have... 774 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:27,600 ..a secret window. 775 00:42:31,680 --> 00:42:33,200 And the whole place lights up! 776 00:42:37,280 --> 00:42:40,240 So, Mary, here we are in the libraries. 777 00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:43,320 Now, there's a wonderful secret door in the second library. 778 00:42:43,320 --> 00:42:45,080 You're going to have to find it. 779 00:42:45,080 --> 00:42:47,680 I'm looking for a little cut-through. 780 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:50,240 It sort of must be in this section. 781 00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:54,600 Ah. You see, I can see here that it's all cut away. 782 00:42:54,600 --> 00:42:56,240 Is that right? That's it. 783 00:42:56,240 --> 00:42:57,960 Now you've got to find out how to open it. 784 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:00,960 Don't tell me, don't tell me. 785 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:03,000 I want to find it. You're getting warmer. 786 00:43:05,040 --> 00:43:07,840 I wonder if there's a button to press. 787 00:43:07,840 --> 00:43:11,120 Ah, there's a gap. Maybe I put my hand in here and pull? 788 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:12,760 Yeah. 789 00:43:12,760 --> 00:43:15,000 There's a handle at the end, just like a door handle. 790 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:16,040 Exactly. 791 00:43:17,680 --> 00:43:19,600 I can't imagine what it's going to reveal. 792 00:43:22,680 --> 00:43:25,800 Do you know, it's the most beautiful, romantic room, 793 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:27,880 in pale pink and turquoise. 794 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:30,840 Can I go through? Please do. 795 00:43:36,080 --> 00:43:39,080 Isn't it a wonderful room? Absolutely. 796 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:42,360 And, gracious, is that an organ at the end? 797 00:43:42,360 --> 00:43:46,560 Yes, so that's a 1769 organ that's recently been restored 798 00:43:46,560 --> 00:43:48,200 and works perfectly again. 799 00:43:48,200 --> 00:43:50,320 It's actually called the music room, 800 00:43:50,320 --> 00:43:53,400 and it was built for this chap's coming-of-age party. 801 00:43:53,400 --> 00:43:56,560 This is Kitty, William, the third viscount. 802 00:43:56,560 --> 00:43:58,360 He looks pretty dandy, doesn't he? 803 00:44:00,560 --> 00:44:03,600 He was the brother of 13 sisters. 804 00:44:03,600 --> 00:44:05,640 He must have been spoiled rotten by them. 805 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,520 Exactly. Kitty's father died when he was only a teenager, 806 00:44:08,520 --> 00:44:11,160 so he very much became the man of the house, and of course, 807 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:14,240 when he came of age, he wanted to make a real statement, 808 00:44:14,240 --> 00:44:17,840 and he threw a three-day party over a weekend that we have the most 809 00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:19,920 amazing records of in the archive. 810 00:44:19,920 --> 00:44:21,680 We have some of them over here on the table. 811 00:44:21,680 --> 00:44:23,080 That looks like an invitation. 812 00:44:24,080 --> 00:44:27,560 Your very own invitation to Kitty's weekend celebration. 813 00:44:27,560 --> 00:44:30,120 It's number 567. 814 00:44:30,120 --> 00:44:33,840 There were probably about 600 people invited to the weekend as a whole. 815 00:44:33,840 --> 00:44:36,360 The ball garnered amazing press and publicity, 816 00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:38,880 and there was a wonderful article in the Exeter Evening Post. 817 00:44:38,880 --> 00:44:40,360 Gosh. 818 00:44:40,360 --> 00:44:42,360 And it says, "Friday night was the masquerade, 819 00:44:42,360 --> 00:44:44,680 "it being particularly observed that 820 00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:47,040 "no black dominos were to be admitted." 821 00:44:47,040 --> 00:44:49,240 And, of course, it says that in handwriting 822 00:44:49,240 --> 00:44:50,960 on the front of the invitation. 823 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:52,240 What are black dominos? 824 00:44:52,240 --> 00:44:56,680 So, a black domino was just a black cloak that some people who weren't 825 00:44:56,680 --> 00:44:59,920 trying very hard would wear to a masquerade ball. 826 00:44:59,920 --> 00:45:02,480 And you say, well, you can't just half-do it, 827 00:45:02,480 --> 00:45:04,360 you've got to wear a proper costume. 828 00:45:04,360 --> 00:45:07,680 And so Kitty was incredibly keen that everybody should dress up. 829 00:45:07,680 --> 00:45:10,360 They ate at one o'clock in the morning! 830 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:12,560 Now, one o'clock in the morning, I'm ready for bed! 831 00:45:12,560 --> 00:45:18,000 And the tables were laden with viands - meat - fruits, preserves... 832 00:45:18,000 --> 00:45:20,280 And, of course, the food that they served would have been 833 00:45:20,280 --> 00:45:24,160 a real statement of intent, and every single person invited 834 00:45:24,160 --> 00:45:27,080 to the supper was given a peach on their plate. 835 00:45:27,080 --> 00:45:29,760 And a peach in those days was the most exotic and 836 00:45:29,760 --> 00:45:33,120 expensive of fruits, but you were really impressing your guests, 837 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:38,880 and it really launched Kitty into society as a man of great substance. 838 00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:43,240 As a young man, it seemed Kitty enjoyed a charmed life. 839 00:45:43,240 --> 00:45:47,560 But in later years, his fortunes changed. 840 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:49,440 His story then got rather tragic. 841 00:45:49,440 --> 00:45:53,000 He developed an affection for a young man called William Beckford, 842 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:54,520 and when they were quite young, 843 00:45:54,520 --> 00:45:58,400 they were discovered together in bed at Powderham, and a scandal broke. 844 00:45:58,400 --> 00:46:01,040 And that forced Beckford to be exiled. 845 00:46:05,360 --> 00:46:09,680 Kitty stayed at Powderham, lived here, but in 1805, 846 00:46:09,680 --> 00:46:14,480 someone filed gross indecency charges against him and he fled. 847 00:46:14,480 --> 00:46:17,760 Caught a ship bound for Manhattan Island, for New York, 848 00:46:17,760 --> 00:46:22,320 and in 1815, when Napoleon fell, he moved to Paris. 849 00:46:22,320 --> 00:46:25,320 He never returned until he did so in his coffin, 850 00:46:25,320 --> 00:46:27,720 and he's buried in Powderham Church. 851 00:46:27,720 --> 00:46:30,000 And when I was growing up at Powderham as a kid, 852 00:46:30,000 --> 00:46:33,000 there was a huge shame around the gay third viscount, 853 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:36,160 or the flamboyant third viscount, as he was called. Oh, how sad. 854 00:46:36,160 --> 00:46:38,280 We had no record of what Kitty was doing 855 00:46:38,280 --> 00:46:39,960 during the time he was in exile. 856 00:46:39,960 --> 00:46:43,480 And the assumption was this reprobate was just living it up 857 00:46:43,480 --> 00:46:45,600 in France and in America. 858 00:46:45,600 --> 00:46:48,640 And then, only about ten years ago, these letters were found 859 00:46:48,640 --> 00:46:52,840 in a coal chute in Hampton Wick in south London, 860 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:56,560 and they are the correspondence between Kitty and his lawyer. 861 00:46:56,560 --> 00:46:59,720 And he is managing the estate on behalf of Kitty, 862 00:46:59,720 --> 00:47:02,880 and this correspondence tells them all about the project for building 863 00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:04,480 a chapel at Starcross, 864 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:07,920 for which Kitty has donated the land and an endowment. 865 00:47:07,920 --> 00:47:11,240 And so this character that we all grew up knowing as this sort of 866 00:47:11,240 --> 00:47:15,880 reprobate, dissolute man who just left is shown to be the most 867 00:47:15,880 --> 00:47:19,960 conscientious landowner, really caring for the castle, 868 00:47:19,960 --> 00:47:21,920 for Starcross, for the estuary. 869 00:47:21,920 --> 00:47:24,480 And it brings him completely back to life. 870 00:47:30,360 --> 00:47:35,680 Celebrating Kitty's story is just one of the ways Charlie and AJ 871 00:47:35,680 --> 00:47:38,480 are breathing new life into Powderham. 872 00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:45,680 It's been exactly two years since they took over, so tonight, 873 00:47:45,680 --> 00:47:49,000 to mark the occasion, they're having a party. 874 00:47:49,000 --> 00:47:52,320 And they've chosen a venue that was dear to Kitty's heart. 875 00:47:55,080 --> 00:47:57,600 AJ, where are you taking me today? 876 00:47:57,600 --> 00:48:00,560 I'm taking you to a very special place. 877 00:48:00,560 --> 00:48:04,000 It's one of the treasures that I feel is a hidden gem, 878 00:48:04,000 --> 00:48:06,400 because it hasn't really been opened to the public. 879 00:48:06,400 --> 00:48:07,840 I get really excited doing this. 880 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:10,520 It is, it's really lovely coming down here, 881 00:48:10,520 --> 00:48:12,720 because it's almost like a tunnel of trees. 882 00:48:21,160 --> 00:48:25,440 For decades, this woodland garden, created in the 1770s, 883 00:48:25,440 --> 00:48:28,320 was overgrown and neglected. 884 00:48:28,320 --> 00:48:32,600 Now AJ and Charlie are bringing it back to life. 885 00:48:32,600 --> 00:48:34,720 Just look at that. 886 00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:36,920 It is in the middle of nowhere. 887 00:48:36,920 --> 00:48:39,320 It is so beautiful. 888 00:48:39,320 --> 00:48:41,760 It's a folly, look at that. Yeah, I know! 889 00:48:41,760 --> 00:48:43,240 It's really rather theatrical, 890 00:48:43,240 --> 00:48:46,520 you can imagine a Shakespearean play being here... 891 00:48:46,520 --> 00:48:48,800 Yes. ..and the audience flanked. 892 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:53,680 For me, I just see Midsummer Night, Shakespeare, this is made for it. 893 00:48:53,680 --> 00:48:56,960 So, what's the story behind this folly? 894 00:48:56,960 --> 00:48:59,480 So, the folly is built by Kitty Courtenay, 895 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:01,600 the third viscount, to entertain. 896 00:49:01,600 --> 00:49:07,280 So Kitty would throw lavish parties and this would be the setting. 897 00:49:07,280 --> 00:49:10,880 A perfect place for a party. Perfect place for a party. 898 00:49:10,880 --> 00:49:15,040 And this is the two-year anniversary of us moving into the house, 899 00:49:15,040 --> 00:49:19,840 so we're thanking our staff and our local community. 900 00:49:19,840 --> 00:49:22,560 I mean, we've had massive support from the local community, 901 00:49:22,560 --> 00:49:26,520 so it's really just a thank-you party and letting everyone 902 00:49:26,520 --> 00:49:29,400 just be in the space and relax and enjoy it. 903 00:49:29,400 --> 00:49:32,880 And you're going to feed them? Yes. I might need some help. 904 00:49:38,000 --> 00:49:41,640 The garden is being transformed into a magical space 905 00:49:41,640 --> 00:49:43,560 for this special celebration. 906 00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:49,000 Meanwhile, I have a job to do too. 907 00:49:53,160 --> 00:49:58,160 I'm making a luxurious fruit pud using fresh Devon ingredients 908 00:49:58,160 --> 00:50:01,360 inspired by Kitty's extravagant birthday party. 909 00:50:05,320 --> 00:50:07,360 Kitty did things in great style. 910 00:50:07,360 --> 00:50:13,080 He gave everybody a peach, which was a sheer luxury at that time. 911 00:50:13,080 --> 00:50:16,840 So in Kitty's honour, I'm going to make a pudding with peaches, 912 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:18,920 and I'm calling it a peach posset. 913 00:50:22,840 --> 00:50:26,800 First, I'm going to skin six ripe peaches. 914 00:50:26,800 --> 00:50:30,960 I'm going to drop them into boiling water and then loosen the skin, 915 00:50:30,960 --> 00:50:32,440 just like you do for a tomato. 916 00:50:33,800 --> 00:50:36,240 As soon as the skin starts to loosen, 917 00:50:36,240 --> 00:50:40,040 plunge them in cold water to cool down. 918 00:50:40,040 --> 00:50:42,960 Then it's a matter of just peeling them gently. 919 00:50:44,320 --> 00:50:47,360 And doing it like this means... Can you see? 920 00:50:47,360 --> 00:50:50,720 You get that lovely mottley pink colour. 921 00:50:50,720 --> 00:50:52,840 If you try to do it with a knife, you lose all that. 922 00:50:54,400 --> 00:50:56,880 Next, chop the peaches into cubes. 923 00:50:58,720 --> 00:51:01,800 I'm going to add a couple of tablespoons of 924 00:51:01,800 --> 00:51:06,720 light muscovado sugar. That gives it a nice tinge of gold. 925 00:51:09,320 --> 00:51:11,520 And then some brandy. 926 00:51:11,520 --> 00:51:14,360 Adding the brandy to the peaches means, 927 00:51:14,360 --> 00:51:16,760 one, it gives a terrific flavour, 928 00:51:16,760 --> 00:51:18,760 and, two, it stops it discolouring, 929 00:51:18,760 --> 00:51:22,080 because you wouldn't like little brown pieces at the bottom. 930 00:51:22,080 --> 00:51:23,840 Two tablespoons is enough. 931 00:51:25,440 --> 00:51:28,280 Then I'm going to just stir that all together. 932 00:51:30,680 --> 00:51:33,560 And you leave that to marinate. 933 00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:39,240 I like this recipe because it's so easy, so simple. 934 00:51:39,240 --> 00:51:41,160 And now for the topping, 935 00:51:41,160 --> 00:51:44,880 a traditional English dessert called a posset. 936 00:51:44,880 --> 00:51:50,200 My interpretation of a posset is lemon, cream and sugar. 937 00:51:50,200 --> 00:51:52,720 Often it's in a glass on its own, 938 00:51:52,720 --> 00:51:55,840 but the addition of peaches makes it very special. 939 00:51:57,080 --> 00:52:01,200 Add the zest and juice of a large lemon to a pan 940 00:52:01,200 --> 00:52:05,360 and 75g of caster sugar. 941 00:52:05,360 --> 00:52:08,400 And 300ml of double cream. 942 00:52:08,400 --> 00:52:11,680 And stir it gently until it comes to the boil. 943 00:52:13,120 --> 00:52:15,040 It's really a bit like thick custard, 944 00:52:15,040 --> 00:52:18,160 but I promise you it tastes a far cry from that. 945 00:52:23,720 --> 00:52:27,320 As soon as it's bubbling, take it off the heat, 946 00:52:27,320 --> 00:52:29,680 pour that into the jug, 947 00:52:29,680 --> 00:52:30,720 and let it cool. 948 00:52:32,200 --> 00:52:36,600 Now divide the peach mixture between six glasses, 949 00:52:36,600 --> 00:52:38,520 leaving space for the posset topping. 950 00:52:39,840 --> 00:52:44,880 Make sure that they are pressed down so that the liquid is level. 951 00:52:44,880 --> 00:52:48,320 And that means the posset won't run down the side. 952 00:52:48,320 --> 00:52:53,240 I like it when there's not too much of this lovely, rich, lemony topping 953 00:52:53,240 --> 00:52:55,200 and masses of fruit underneath. 954 00:52:59,480 --> 00:53:02,560 Mmm. Quite pleased with that. 955 00:53:02,560 --> 00:53:04,440 Four hours, they will be set. 956 00:53:04,440 --> 00:53:07,800 I usually do it overnight because I like to get ahead. 957 00:53:09,680 --> 00:53:13,640 When they're fully set, they're ready for the finishing touch. 958 00:53:13,640 --> 00:53:16,960 You can do all sorts of things, you can put any edible flower - 959 00:53:16,960 --> 00:53:19,240 pansies or a tiny nasturtium - 960 00:53:19,240 --> 00:53:21,760 but I've got some borage here. 961 00:53:21,760 --> 00:53:24,480 So you just catch hold of the middle, 962 00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:27,160 like that, and pull off the stalk. 963 00:53:27,160 --> 00:53:30,120 I would like to put three in the middle of each one. 964 00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:34,160 It's very delicate, it's very summery, 965 00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:37,160 and it looks as though you've taken extra trouble. 966 00:53:39,320 --> 00:53:41,840 I think those look very, very special. 967 00:53:41,840 --> 00:53:43,200 Perfect for a party. 968 00:53:57,440 --> 00:54:01,200 The time for the celebration has finally arrived. 969 00:54:01,200 --> 00:54:05,160 I can't wait to see the garden in all its party glory. 970 00:54:12,840 --> 00:54:14,840 Hi, Mary. Isn't this enchanting? 971 00:54:14,840 --> 00:54:16,720 You've worked so hard. 972 00:54:16,720 --> 00:54:19,480 And look at it all laid. How many are you expecting? 973 00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:22,400 About three million. Are we? 974 00:54:22,400 --> 00:54:24,160 Well, hello! 975 00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:28,000 You look so lovely. 976 00:54:28,000 --> 00:54:31,880 Running a place like Powderham requires a huge team effort. 977 00:54:31,880 --> 00:54:33,760 Are you excited? Yes. 978 00:54:33,760 --> 00:54:36,520 Mary, this is Anita and Elise. Hello. 979 00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:38,920 Two local families who have helped us out 980 00:54:38,920 --> 00:54:41,400 over the past couple of years an awful lot. 981 00:54:41,400 --> 00:54:44,360 Friends, family, staff and neighbours, 982 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:48,680 everyone who has helped Charlie and AJ since they took over, 983 00:54:48,680 --> 00:54:51,600 has been invited to this very special celebration. 984 00:54:55,840 --> 00:54:58,280 And there's a wonderful feast in store for them. 985 00:55:05,960 --> 00:55:10,840 You and AJ have made me so immensely welcome, and what a finale this is. 986 00:55:10,840 --> 00:55:12,120 It is just magical. 987 00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:17,200 And I hope they all enjoy my contributions, 988 00:55:17,200 --> 00:55:19,600 my crispy midsummer salad... 989 00:55:19,600 --> 00:55:21,720 Delicious. Absolutely delicious. 990 00:55:25,880 --> 00:55:28,680 ..and of course that special Powderham pud, 991 00:55:28,680 --> 00:55:30,400 my delicate peach posset. 992 00:55:33,400 --> 00:55:37,480 It's a very informal celebration for a very informal family. 993 00:55:44,440 --> 00:55:46,360 GLASSES CLINK 994 00:55:49,840 --> 00:55:52,560 It's the two-year anniversary of Charlie and I 995 00:55:52,560 --> 00:55:56,200 driving up with the kids in a moving van to a castle 996 00:55:56,200 --> 00:56:00,720 and I want to thank all of you for being a part of our adventure. 997 00:56:00,720 --> 00:56:05,600 And it's true, fairy tales happen. 998 00:56:05,600 --> 00:56:07,040 Cheers to all of you. 999 00:56:09,240 --> 00:56:11,200 I just wanted to say, Mary, thank you. 1000 00:56:11,200 --> 00:56:15,000 You've been so brave, braving the ceiling and the attics, 1001 00:56:15,000 --> 00:56:17,320 and the curried cockles. 1002 00:56:17,320 --> 00:56:19,200 They're good. So, thank you, Mary, 1003 00:56:19,200 --> 00:56:21,760 and thank you, everybody, for making this really special. 1004 00:56:21,760 --> 00:56:24,040 APPLAUSE 1005 00:56:29,040 --> 00:56:32,240 I've loved every minute of my visit to Powderham, 1006 00:56:32,240 --> 00:56:35,240 a very different stately home. 1007 00:56:35,240 --> 00:56:39,800 It's a place with over 600 years of history and tradition, 1008 00:56:39,800 --> 00:56:43,960 both a family home and the heart of a vibrant community. 1009 00:56:45,400 --> 00:56:49,880 And it's wonderful to see how a new generation is keeping it safe 1010 00:56:49,880 --> 00:56:51,080 for the future. 1011 00:56:57,720 --> 00:56:59,640 Next time, I visit Goodwood, 1012 00:56:59,640 --> 00:57:04,200 where the March family have breathed new life into a great estate. 1013 00:57:04,200 --> 00:57:07,680 Wait until I tell the grandchildren, a lap of Goodwood. 1014 00:57:07,680 --> 00:57:09,720 I get to peek below stairs... 1015 00:57:09,720 --> 00:57:13,440 Here we go, Mary, this is where I keep my secret stash. 1016 00:57:13,440 --> 00:57:16,440 ..and bake for a magnificent cricket tea. 1017 00:57:16,440 --> 00:57:19,360 So fresh. If it falls apart, it's not my fault.