1 00:00:01,630 --> 00:00:07,150 'I'm Richard Wilson and I'm on a driving tour of the UK.' 2 00:00:08,470 --> 00:00:11,190 The thing about the country lanes is that you never know 3 00:00:11,190 --> 00:00:14,110 what you're going to see when you go round the corner. 4 00:00:14,110 --> 00:00:17,550 'But I'm doing it without the aid of modern technology. 5 00:00:17,550 --> 00:00:19,990 No satnav for me.' 6 00:00:19,990 --> 00:00:23,230 Very twisty. Twisty-turny. 7 00:00:23,230 --> 00:00:26,910 'I'm using the rather splendid collection of Shell Guides, 8 00:00:26,910 --> 00:00:28,990 first published in the 1930s, 9 00:00:28,990 --> 00:00:31,870 to see how Britain has changed over the decades.' 10 00:00:36,430 --> 00:00:39,990 'The Shell Guides centre around the counties of Britain 11 00:00:39,990 --> 00:00:42,910 and mapped out where to go, things to do...' 12 00:00:42,910 --> 00:00:44,630 Oh! 13 00:00:44,630 --> 00:00:46,590 '..and even what to eat. 14 00:00:47,430 --> 00:00:49,470 When they first appeared, 15 00:00:49,470 --> 00:00:52,470 going for a drive was a pleasurable experience...' 16 00:00:52,470 --> 00:00:55,510 (GASPS) Oh, Mummy, Daddy! 17 00:00:55,510 --> 00:00:58,630 '..something that's harder to accomplish today.' 18 00:00:58,630 --> 00:01:01,470 (MUMBLES) I'm trying to reverse. 19 00:01:01,470 --> 00:01:03,870 (HORN BEEPS) Oh, shut up. 20 00:01:04,670 --> 00:01:07,590 'But I'm sure that me and my Daimler...' 21 00:01:07,590 --> 00:01:10,430 Which I have christened Deborah. 22 00:01:10,430 --> 00:01:12,870 '..will get us where we need to go.' 23 00:01:15,390 --> 00:01:18,270 'Today, I'm in Dorset, in the South West of England, 24 00:01:18,270 --> 00:01:22,550 using the 1936 guide, written by Paul Nash, 25 00:01:22,550 --> 00:01:26,510 a county with a coastline dating back millions of years, 26 00:01:26,510 --> 00:01:28,590 magnificent landscapes 27 00:01:28,590 --> 00:01:31,750 and some of the most beautiful beaches in Britain. 28 00:01:31,750 --> 00:01:35,710 I'm choosing to follow the guide's recommendations around the South 29 00:01:35,710 --> 00:01:38,150 and travelling from east to west. 30 00:01:38,150 --> 00:01:41,190 I'm sailing across Poole Harbour to Swanage, 31 00:01:41,190 --> 00:01:45,030 before heading to Lulworth Cove and then on to Dorchester.' 32 00:01:48,510 --> 00:01:52,030 It's obvious when you read the 1936 Shell Guide to Dorset 33 00:01:52,030 --> 00:01:55,990 that the author, Paul Nash, loved Dorset, 34 00:01:55,990 --> 00:01:58,590 and the overriding impression he had of the place 35 00:01:58,590 --> 00:02:00,470 was a land of distant time. 36 00:02:01,350 --> 00:02:05,790 But he was worried that Dorset might be ruined by developers. 37 00:02:05,790 --> 00:02:07,790 I'm going to follow the guide 38 00:02:07,790 --> 00:02:10,230 and go to some of the places that Nash enjoyed, 39 00:02:10,230 --> 00:02:12,070 this window into the past, 40 00:02:12,070 --> 00:02:15,310 to see if his worries were justified. 41 00:02:15,310 --> 00:02:17,310 (ENGINE STARTS) 42 00:02:20,390 --> 00:02:22,230 (HORNS BEEP) 43 00:02:22,230 --> 00:02:25,830 The guide says 'the coast is the most compelling feature 44 00:02:25,830 --> 00:02:29,230 of the county' and it's a good place to begin my adventure. 45 00:02:29,230 --> 00:02:33,070 The ferry runs across Poole Harbour to Studland, 46 00:02:33,070 --> 00:02:34,830 and the quick five-minute trip 47 00:02:34,830 --> 00:02:38,110 cuts out a 25-mile journey around the bay.' 48 00:02:39,790 --> 00:02:43,830 The first Guide to Dorset was written in 1936. 49 00:02:43,830 --> 00:02:47,350 The car ferry was already in existence at that time 50 00:02:47,350 --> 00:02:51,510 and he even puts in a handy little timetable at the back. 51 00:02:52,830 --> 00:02:56,910 'It used to run twice an hour, now, it runs three times an hour. 52 00:02:56,910 --> 00:03:00,310 Considering there are so many more cars on the road, 53 00:03:00,310 --> 00:03:02,910 that's not such a a big change. 54 00:03:02,910 --> 00:03:07,430 Well, that was the quickest ferry I've ever been on. 55 00:03:07,430 --> 00:03:11,310 I'm driving three miles along the aptly-named Ferry Road 56 00:03:11,310 --> 00:03:14,990 to Studland Beach, which the Shell Guide describes as 57 00:03:14,990 --> 00:03:18,950 undisturbed, quiet and lovely. 58 00:03:18,950 --> 00:03:21,790 Growing up on the banks of the River Clyde in Scotland, 59 00:03:21,790 --> 00:03:24,630 I love being near water.' 60 00:03:24,630 --> 00:03:27,470 This is one of Dorset's finest beaches. 61 00:03:27,470 --> 00:03:30,790 It seems to go on for miles and miles and miles. 62 00:03:30,790 --> 00:03:34,910 'There are very few locals about. Ah, he looks a friendly chap.' 63 00:03:34,910 --> 00:03:36,670 Hello! Hello! 64 00:03:36,670 --> 00:03:39,790 'Wait a minute...he's nude.' 65 00:03:39,790 --> 00:03:43,790 You must be a naturist. I am indeed, yes. 66 00:03:43,790 --> 00:03:45,830 A nudist. Yes. 67 00:03:45,830 --> 00:03:48,710 What are you doing nude today in this freezing weather? 68 00:03:48,710 --> 00:03:50,710 Well, I wouldn't say it was that freezing. 69 00:03:50,710 --> 00:03:52,950 There's some sunshine and it can be quite warm. 70 00:03:52,950 --> 00:03:55,710 Well, you're a brave man. Oh, yeah. 71 00:03:55,710 --> 00:03:59,190 And you've got nothing on underneath that towel? Nothing at all. 72 00:03:59,190 --> 00:04:01,790 (LAUGHTER) Well, it's very nice to meet you. 73 00:04:01,790 --> 00:04:03,510 I won't keep you. OK. 74 00:04:03,510 --> 00:04:07,030 You want to...? I wouldn't go in there, I'd go and get dressed. 75 00:04:07,030 --> 00:04:09,670 Yes, well, you never know. I might try the water. 76 00:04:09,670 --> 00:04:11,910 Thanks very much. Thank you. 77 00:04:11,910 --> 00:04:14,230 'Rather him than me. 78 00:04:14,230 --> 00:04:17,350 Think I'll keep all my wrinkly bits under wraps. 79 00:04:18,470 --> 00:04:20,870 I need a cuppa to warm up after that. 80 00:04:21,910 --> 00:04:25,110 Nash doesn't mention anything here about nudists, 81 00:04:25,110 --> 00:04:27,710 but I've a feeling he wouldn't have approved. 82 00:04:31,750 --> 00:04:35,630 My encounter on the beach reminds me of a quirky section of the guide 83 00:04:35,630 --> 00:04:38,030 devoted to a giant ball. 84 00:04:38,030 --> 00:04:41,830 Shell commissioned the up-and-coming artists of the day 85 00:04:41,830 --> 00:04:45,910 to design posters to encourage people to take to the road, 86 00:04:45,910 --> 00:04:49,990 and the globe appeared, memorably, in a 1932 poster. 87 00:04:51,510 --> 00:04:55,310 I've driven a few miles along the Ulwell Road to Swanage 88 00:04:55,310 --> 00:04:58,790 to see the Great Globe at Durlston Country Park.' 89 00:04:59,790 --> 00:05:03,830 Built in 1887, it's one of the largest spheres in the world 90 00:05:03,830 --> 00:05:06,750 and it weighs in at a hefty 40 tonnes. 91 00:05:06,750 --> 00:05:10,990 It's made up of 15 pieces of Portland stone. 92 00:05:12,350 --> 00:05:16,710 'The Great Globe owes its existence to a local Victorian businessman, 93 00:05:16,710 --> 00:05:19,630 George Burt, who made his fortune in London 94 00:05:19,630 --> 00:05:22,710 and wanted to give something back to his home town. 95 00:05:24,590 --> 00:05:27,310 Now, what's this concrete slab?' 96 00:05:28,670 --> 00:05:31,830 (READS) Persons anxious to write their names 97 00:05:31,830 --> 00:05:35,550 will please do so on this stone only. 98 00:05:35,550 --> 00:05:41,550 Ah, well, that's obviously to stop people writing on the sphere, 99 00:05:41,550 --> 00:05:44,750 so since I'm here... 100 00:05:44,750 --> 00:05:48,710 'It feels deliciously naughty indulging in a spot of graffiti. 101 00:05:48,710 --> 00:05:50,350 I could get a taste for this. 102 00:05:51,910 --> 00:05:57,950 My memories of Swanage will be ones of big balls and nudists. 103 00:05:57,950 --> 00:06:01,950 Following the guide, I'm heading further west along the coast 104 00:06:01,950 --> 00:06:05,550 to view Nash's promise of Lulworth Cove 105 00:06:05,550 --> 00:06:08,670 and to catch my first sight of the Jurassic Coast.' 106 00:06:08,670 --> 00:06:11,550 I'm really looking forward to seeing it for the first time. 107 00:06:11,550 --> 00:06:14,550 The guide was describing Lulworth Cove 108 00:06:14,550 --> 00:06:18,670 as one of the most impressive and charming spots in Dorset. 109 00:06:18,670 --> 00:06:23,790 Long-famous as a beauty spot, it deserves all homage. 110 00:06:23,790 --> 00:06:28,390 So if I don't like it... I'm going to be in trouble. 111 00:06:29,470 --> 00:06:32,350 'In the guide, Nash wrote about the many wonders 112 00:06:32,350 --> 00:06:34,950 along the 95-mile stretch of coastline, 113 00:06:34,950 --> 00:06:37,150 including Stair Hole 114 00:06:37,150 --> 00:06:40,270 and the theatrical phenomenon of Durdle Door, 115 00:06:40,270 --> 00:06:43,190 but he was really impressed by the Jurassic Coast 116 00:06:43,190 --> 00:06:46,030 and the wealth of fossil remains to be found here. 117 00:06:47,150 --> 00:06:50,870 Local geologist Richard Edmonds is here to tell me more.' 118 00:06:52,070 --> 00:06:55,430 The Jurassic Coast is World Heritage. 119 00:06:55,430 --> 00:06:57,470 When did that happen? 120 00:06:57,470 --> 00:07:01,590 2001 and that's because we've got 70 million years here, 121 00:07:01,590 --> 00:07:05,470 but the whole Jurassic Coast records 185 million years 122 00:07:05,470 --> 00:07:07,350 of geological time. 123 00:07:07,350 --> 00:07:09,230 And what we have is this complete record 124 00:07:09,230 --> 00:07:12,110 through the Triassic and the Jurassic and the Cretaceous. 125 00:07:12,110 --> 00:07:14,150 There's nowhere else in the world 126 00:07:14,150 --> 00:07:17,230 where you can walk along a 95-mile section of coast 127 00:07:17,230 --> 00:07:21,430 and walk through that 185 million years of time. Nowhere in the world? 128 00:07:21,430 --> 00:07:24,270 Nowhere else in the world. It's incomprehensible. 129 00:07:24,270 --> 00:07:27,030 It is. It is, it's a very hard - But not to you? 130 00:07:27,030 --> 00:07:29,550 Well, we get very used to it. Yes, absolutely. 131 00:07:29,550 --> 00:07:33,870 So is it possible that underneath all that lot somewhere 132 00:07:33,870 --> 00:07:37,030 there are lots of huge things to be found? 133 00:07:37,030 --> 00:07:40,630 There are fossils along the whole length of the coastline. 134 00:07:40,630 --> 00:07:44,310 I realise my life has been missing something. (LAUGHS) 135 00:07:44,310 --> 00:07:48,510 'The Jurassic Coast is certainly a window into an ancient world, 136 00:07:48,510 --> 00:07:51,030 and I'm sure Nash would be delighted to know 137 00:07:51,030 --> 00:07:53,670 that nearly 80 years after he wrote the guide, 138 00:07:53,670 --> 00:07:55,990 it hasn't been affected by developers 139 00:07:55,990 --> 00:07:58,150 and now never will be. 140 00:08:01,990 --> 00:08:05,790 Lulworth Cove has looked the same for millions of years, 141 00:08:05,790 --> 00:08:08,790 but there is one man who is taking the natural elements 142 00:08:08,790 --> 00:08:11,670 and creating something quite extraordinary. 143 00:08:11,670 --> 00:08:17,150 Adrian Gray is an artist and pioneer of stone-balancing art. 144 00:08:17,150 --> 00:08:20,910 He spends hours scouring nearby beaches to select rocks 145 00:08:20,910 --> 00:08:23,430 to create stunning sculptures.' 146 00:08:23,430 --> 00:08:26,790 This balancing act is extraordinary. 147 00:08:26,790 --> 00:08:31,510 So you've got to find the crunch point, as it were. Yes, exactly. 148 00:08:31,510 --> 00:08:33,390 Can you feel it? You can feel it? 149 00:08:33,390 --> 00:08:35,670 Exactly, I'm kind of listening with my fingers. 150 00:08:35,670 --> 00:08:38,710 Listening with your fingers. I'm making minute adjustments... 151 00:08:38,710 --> 00:08:40,910 Listening with his fingers. 152 00:08:40,910 --> 00:08:44,430 Now, there's a thing you haven't heard for a while. 153 00:08:44,430 --> 00:08:47,590 I'm a little bit wary of the breeze at the moment. Look at that! 154 00:08:48,830 --> 00:08:53,630 'It defies gravity. The stones are perfectly balanced. 155 00:08:53,630 --> 00:08:55,590 Amazing.' 156 00:08:57,710 --> 00:09:00,590 Have you got to be an expert to do this? 157 00:09:00,590 --> 00:09:03,070 Well... Yes. Yeah... 158 00:09:03,070 --> 00:09:05,990 (LAUGHTER) I mean, the thing is, everyone can balance things, 159 00:09:05,990 --> 00:09:09,110 it's kind of instinctive, but what I'm doing here, hopefully, 160 00:09:09,110 --> 00:09:12,830 is I'm creating sculptures that have an intrinsic beauty. 161 00:09:12,830 --> 00:09:16,150 A lot of people said they find them quite calming to look at. 162 00:09:16,150 --> 00:09:19,670 The only thing about it is it is very calming to look at, 163 00:09:19,670 --> 00:09:24,630 but then if you realise a tuft of wind can blow it away... 164 00:09:24,630 --> 00:09:27,470 Ah, yeah. What I do is erm... 165 00:09:27,470 --> 00:09:29,750 I fix them permanently. Ah. 166 00:09:29,750 --> 00:09:32,070 If someone wants one, I will fix it permanently. 167 00:09:32,070 --> 00:09:34,990 'Adrian's work is extraordinarily beautiful 168 00:09:34,990 --> 00:09:37,350 and it's incredible how his modern art 169 00:09:37,350 --> 00:09:39,830 blends in with the ancient landscape.' 170 00:09:39,830 --> 00:09:43,710 See, it takes... It's really quite firm. 171 00:09:44,990 --> 00:09:46,750 Oh! 172 00:09:46,750 --> 00:09:49,310 'Oops! Time for a speedy exit.' 173 00:09:49,310 --> 00:09:53,110 The Jurassic Coast, what I've seen of it so far, 174 00:09:53,110 --> 00:09:56,110 is absolutely spectacular. 175 00:09:57,030 --> 00:09:59,390 'But it's farewell to the coast for the moment. 176 00:09:59,390 --> 00:10:03,150 Next, I'm off to inland Dorset and Hardy country.' 177 00:10:06,680 --> 00:10:11,040 'I'm Richard Wilson and I'm exploring Dorset without a satnav. 178 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:16,680 Instead, I'm using the 1936 Shell Guide written by Paul Nash. 179 00:10:16,680 --> 00:10:18,520 The next part of my journey 180 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:21,560 takes me to the home of Thomas Hardy, in Dorchester, 181 00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:26,000 and back to the coast to discover relics even older than me.' 182 00:10:26,680 --> 00:10:30,040 The author, Paul Nash, loved Dorset, 183 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,240 he thought it was a window into an ancient time, 184 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:35,360 but he was also worried 185 00:10:35,360 --> 00:10:38,080 it might fall foul of the developer's bulldozer. 186 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,400 Nash wasn't the first to worry 187 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:44,960 about the beauty of this county being under threat, 188 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,960 100 years before him, one of Dorset's most famous authors, 189 00:10:48,960 --> 00:10:52,720 Thomas Hardy, was writing about the same thing. 190 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:57,040 'Hardy was deeply concerned about the impact of the modern world 191 00:10:57,040 --> 00:11:00,320 and how it might effect his much-loved Dorset. 192 00:11:00,320 --> 00:11:03,680 I'm going to Hardy's hometown of Dorchester, 193 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:07,320 which the guide describes as an imposing, attractive town. 194 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:11,600 I'm on the A352 to see if it still is.' 195 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,960 It looks a rather charming little town, 196 00:11:14,960 --> 00:11:17,280 very individual, 197 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,440 not taken over by high street giants. 198 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,280 'I'm meeting Alastair Chisholm, 199 00:11:23,280 --> 00:11:27,720 an expert on Hardy who's going to show me where he lived and worked.' 200 00:11:27,720 --> 00:11:31,360 God save the Queen! 201 00:11:31,360 --> 00:11:35,080 'But first, I've agreed to pick him up from his day job.' 202 00:11:35,080 --> 00:11:38,560 Hardy himself was born just three miles away in a delightful cottage, 203 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:40,560 which you should visit, Richard. Well... 204 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:43,240 And then, of course, this was the town in which he grew up, 205 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:45,040 in which he went to school, 206 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:47,520 where he was apprenticed as an architect... 207 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:51,000 'It's slow progress back to the car.' 208 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:52,800 Thank you very much. Thank you. 209 00:11:54,720 --> 00:11:56,720 (LAUGHTER) 210 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:58,760 How do you do? I do do. 211 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:01,800 'The price of fame.' Now, come on, smile for me... 212 00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:04,320 and I'll take it back to Yorkshire. 213 00:12:04,320 --> 00:12:06,320 Oh, I thought it was me she wanted! Say cheese! 214 00:12:06,320 --> 00:12:09,280 Come along, Richard. (LAUGHS) 215 00:12:09,280 --> 00:12:11,200 Say cheese. Cheese. 216 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:12,920 Is this...? It's Friday. 217 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,160 It is. Friday. You know? 218 00:12:15,160 --> 00:12:16,920 Is it...? Is it...? It is. It is. 219 00:12:16,920 --> 00:12:19,200 It is, it's not a lookalike, it's the real thing. 220 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:23,120 It is, isn't it? It is! The voice. Our Tony's favourite! 221 00:12:23,120 --> 00:12:25,640 It's the voice. The voice. It's the voice. 222 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:27,920 Hello. It's my husband's favourite. 223 00:12:27,920 --> 00:12:31,680 You husband's favourite? You're not particularly keen? 224 00:12:31,680 --> 00:12:33,840 Oh, yes. If he were still alive... 225 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:35,640 Oh, he loved your programmes. 226 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:38,960 (LAUGHS) Oh, let me take your photograph. Oh! 227 00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:40,760 Oh, you are going to take a photograph. 228 00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:42,520 I can't send it to him... 229 00:12:42,520 --> 00:12:44,800 Oh, it's made my day! Fancy that. 230 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,280 Are you coming into it? Of course. Yes. 231 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:50,280 Yes. I'm not having that. 232 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,080 Careful, Eileen. 233 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:53,880 (LAUGHTER) Fabulous. 234 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:57,520 'I'm still not entirely sure they knew who I was. 235 00:12:58,280 --> 00:13:00,680 Finally, we're off on the A35 236 00:13:00,680 --> 00:13:04,600 to the tiny hamlet of Higher Bockhampton, where Hardy lived.' 237 00:13:05,880 --> 00:13:08,120 It's a delightful cottage, as you'll see. 238 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:09,840 You've not visited it before? No. 239 00:13:09,840 --> 00:13:12,560 No, well, it lives up to its reputation. 240 00:13:12,560 --> 00:13:15,800 It is still comparatively isolated. 241 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:18,120 'There have been times on my solo journey 242 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:20,040 when I wish for some company. 243 00:13:20,040 --> 00:13:24,360 But you know the old saying, be careful what you wish for.' 244 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:26,840 He changes the names of places, as you well know, 245 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:28,800 so Dorchester becomes Casterbridge, 246 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:31,280 Bournemouth becomes Sandbourne, and so on. 247 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,680 'Will he ever stop?' 248 00:13:33,680 --> 00:13:36,560 He didn't like to be touched. Oh, really? 249 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:40,440 And I think that is something that, if you acquire celebrity, 250 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,480 as you will know yourself, people like to get up close. 251 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:45,200 You know what I mean? They do. 252 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:47,680 'He's got something to say about everything.' 253 00:13:47,680 --> 00:13:50,040 And we're going to turn left at this crossroads... 254 00:13:50,040 --> 00:13:52,200 'Ah, at last, we're there.' 255 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:54,160 Where are you? Ooh! 256 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:58,600 This is the back of the cottage, Alastair? This is the back, yes. 257 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:03,120 And on the other side, strangely enough, is the front. (LAUGHS) 258 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:06,160 'Isn't acute observation a wonderful thing?' 259 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,400 What room are we going to look at first, Alastair? 260 00:14:10,400 --> 00:14:13,720 I think we'll look at the room to the left, the parlour. Yeah. 261 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:16,760 If there was going to be any fun, or a party, or a dance, 262 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,920 this, being the largest room, would have been where it was. 263 00:14:19,920 --> 00:14:23,400 'After Alastair's grandstand performance on the way here, 264 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:25,880 the actual house seems a bit of a comedown.' 265 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:29,480 So this would have been the office. Yeah. 266 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,400 And there's no habitation for at least three miles. 267 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,240 You walk across the heath and then you come to Puddletown 268 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:40,440 or, as Hardy calls it, Weatherbury. Oh, violins. 269 00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:44,560 They're there to remind visitors of just how important music was. Yeah. 270 00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:47,880 And Thomas himself played... 'Alastair's a true Dorset character, 271 00:14:47,880 --> 00:14:50,440 he really knows his stuff and it's wonderful to see 272 00:14:50,440 --> 00:14:53,120 that Hardy's house has been lovingly preserved 273 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:55,520 and has escaped the clutches of developers. 274 00:14:57,120 --> 00:14:59,720 Ahh, the tranquility of solitude.' 275 00:15:01,480 --> 00:15:03,600 I was talking to Alastair 276 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:06,880 and I said I was reading The Return Of The Native. 277 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,040 He said, 'Oh, that's hard-going at the beginning.' 278 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:15,880 So I've decided to move on to The Mayor Of Casterbridge. 279 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:18,360 It's much more accessible. 280 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:23,800 And so, yes, I am becoming a bit more of a Hardy fan. 281 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:28,880 Look at this. I mean, this is beautiful. 282 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:32,840 That's unspoilt. 283 00:15:32,840 --> 00:15:35,880 The lovely undulating countryside. 284 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:40,000 'I love the Guide to Dorset. 285 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:42,960 Nash put a picture of a dinosaur on the first page 286 00:15:42,960 --> 00:15:47,680 as a reminder that they were the original inhabitants of this county. 287 00:15:47,680 --> 00:15:50,440 And I'm heading back to the coast, to Osmington, 288 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,880 to meet a man who came face-to-face with Dorset's past 289 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,000 and the find of a lifetime, 290 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:58,720 Kevan Sheehan, beachcomber and fossil hunter.' 291 00:15:58,720 --> 00:16:01,040 I'm being blown away. 292 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,640 'I think the best idea, rather than trek all the way down there, 293 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,240 is to wait for him to climb up.' 294 00:16:07,240 --> 00:16:09,400 Kevan! (LAUGHS) Hello! 295 00:16:09,400 --> 00:16:11,760 Lovely to meet you. And you. I'm Richard. 296 00:16:11,760 --> 00:16:14,600 Nice to meet you. How are you? Not too bad. Come down the caff. 297 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,440 I thought you were going to say come down the cliff! (LAUGHS) 298 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:19,440 After you. 299 00:16:21,520 --> 00:16:23,400 Oh, my goodness! 300 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:25,360 Gosh! Come and sit in here. 301 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:27,560 (READS) Large bricks, one and six, sma- 302 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:30,520 If you have the right money, you can have - Oh, that's ice cream, 303 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,560 I thought you were selling bricks. 304 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:36,280 'I love places like this. Eccentric and very British.' 305 00:16:36,280 --> 00:16:38,320 So you're a bit of a magpie. 306 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:40,720 Yeah. Oh, yeah, if it's not nailed down, it's mine. 307 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:43,320 (LAUGHS) Can I touch it? Yeah, please. 308 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,200 What is it? That's an ammonite. 309 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,040 It's a large aquatic snail. How old would this be? 310 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:50,040 I'd put it at about 100 million years old. 311 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:51,800 100 million years? 312 00:16:51,800 --> 00:16:54,240 'That really is old.' 313 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:57,000 But that is a nautilus. 314 00:16:57,000 --> 00:16:59,440 'Ah, a marine mollusc.' 315 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:01,480 That's not a face, is it? No, no, no. 316 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:05,200 (LAUGHS) I thought that was an eye. 317 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:09,640 Now, that is a tooth of one of these large marine reptiles. 318 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:12,280 It would be about that length. 319 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:14,280 What's this bit in here? That's the nerve. 320 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:17,000 The nerve... I found it in two inches of water. 321 00:17:17,680 --> 00:17:21,120 'Five years ago, Kevan hit the fossil-hunter's jackpot. 322 00:17:21,120 --> 00:17:26,240 He now has an extinct species named after him, pliosaurus kevani.' 323 00:17:27,240 --> 00:17:29,840 What about this dinosaur you found? 324 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:32,440 Well, it just so happens I've got a picture of him here. 325 00:17:32,440 --> 00:17:35,200 (LAUGHS) This is one I made earlier. That's handy. 326 00:17:36,040 --> 00:17:38,200 That's the beast. Gosh. 327 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:40,960 Now, what is it? It's a pliosaur. 328 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:44,200 It's the largest of the marine reptiles. 329 00:17:44,200 --> 00:17:46,280 And this is a particular nasty beast. 330 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,840 So how long would that whole animal be? 331 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:53,000 I would say about the length of a London bus. It would be huge. 332 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,240 'It took Kevan five years to find, excavate and assemble 333 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:58,040 all the bits of the skull 334 00:17:58,040 --> 00:18:00,320 before he sold it to the museum in Dorchester.' 335 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:03,040 Are we allowed to ask what you got for it? 336 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,200 Yeah, you can ask me. 337 00:18:05,200 --> 00:18:08,920 (LAUGHTER) What did you get? I got ten grand for it. Ten grand. 338 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,040 'Ten grand for old bones, I wish my rate was that high.' 339 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:15,960 And is this the museum's best piece now? 340 00:18:15,960 --> 00:18:18,080 It's their pride of place, yeah. 341 00:18:18,080 --> 00:18:21,160 Having met you and I've met Attenborough, so... (LAUGHS) 342 00:18:21,160 --> 00:18:23,400 ..I wouldn't say my life's complete, 343 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,760 but it's...it's good fun. (LAUGHTER) 344 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,080 'Mentioned in the same breath as an Attenborough, that's high praise.' 345 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:34,080 Nash was worried about preservation. 346 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,640 But, of course, preservation is not just about buildings. 347 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,040 As an actor, it's the loss of ancient dialects that worries me, 348 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:43,080 so I've arranged to meet someone 349 00:18:43,080 --> 00:18:45,880 who's keeping the ancient Dorset language alive 350 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,480 and he's promised to buy me a pint. 351 00:18:50,640 --> 00:18:53,000 Hello. Hi, nice to meet you. 352 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:55,080 Hi, I'm Richard. Hi, how are you doing? 353 00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:57,680 'Bonny Sartin has lived in Dorset all his life. 354 00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:59,640 For the last 50 years, 355 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:02,560 he's been the frontman of a folk band, The Yetties. 356 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:05,560 He's something of a custodian of local dialect, 357 00:19:05,560 --> 00:19:08,200 versions of which are still spoken today.' 358 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,360 This is very nice. Cheers. Good, I'm glad you're enjoying it. 359 00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:13,840 Yeah. I've got a little passage 360 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,520 from Under The Greenwood Tree by Thomas Hardy... Yeah. 361 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:18,400 ..which I would like to read to you. 362 00:19:18,400 --> 00:19:21,080 I expect you to answer questions on this later on, OK? 363 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,120 And do it properly. (LAUGHS) OK, try me. 364 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:26,640 Righty-ho. (READS) I was settin' eatin' fried liver and lights. 365 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,880 I well can mind - ah, I was! And to save my life, 366 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:32,080 I couldn't help chawing to the tune. 367 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:34,080 I shall never forget that there band! 368 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,200 (LAUGHS) 369 00:19:36,200 --> 00:19:39,720 Very good. I think I understood that... 370 00:19:39,720 --> 00:19:42,680 I'm pleased about that. ..pretty well, by and large. 371 00:19:42,680 --> 00:19:45,720 In his guide, Paul Nash says, 372 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,480 "Dorsetshire has a distinctive tongue to this day, 373 00:19:49,480 --> 00:19:53,000 that is to say, it has the individuality 374 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,680 that the voice of a fox hound, maybe it's said to possess, 375 00:19:56,680 --> 00:19:59,160 over the voice of other dogs." 376 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,560 I'm not sure I like the comparison, 377 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,080 but, yeah, it is a distinctive accent. 378 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:06,200 But you've got to learn to count, of course. 379 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:08,920 One, two, dree... Dree. ..vor... 380 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:11,200 Vor. ..vive... Vive. 381 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:13,000 ..zix... Zix. ..zeben... 382 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:14,840 Zeben. ..eight... 383 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:16,560 Eight. ..neun... Neun. 384 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,440 ..ten. Ten. You've passed. 385 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:21,640 (LAUGHS) When do you want your certificate? 386 00:20:21,640 --> 00:20:24,000 Ooh, no, I'm not very good at accents. 387 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:27,480 'The Dorset dialect is a bit of a tongue twister, 388 00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,520 but fantastic that it's being kept alive. 389 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,440 When Nash wrote the Shell Guide, 390 00:20:32,440 --> 00:20:36,120 he was concerned that development might rob this county of its beauty. 391 00:20:36,120 --> 00:20:38,520 Well, from the places he recommended, 392 00:20:38,520 --> 00:20:40,720 the developers have been held at bay 393 00:20:40,720 --> 00:20:43,880 and his window into an ancient world is flourishing 394 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,480 and protected for ever more.' 395 00:20:46,480 --> 00:20:49,400 This is the most beautiful aspect... 396 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:52,840 ..and I could stand here for hours. 397 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:56,520 Not that I'm going to. 398 00:21:06,120 --> 00:21:09,800 'Next time, I meet some lovely Essex girls...' 399 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:12,720 You've all got your ice creams. 400 00:21:12,720 --> 00:21:15,080 I'm not going to share my ice cream with you. 401 00:21:15,080 --> 00:21:18,680 '..go out on a boat and eat the catch of the day...' 402 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:22,840 This was probably caught just out here. 403 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,880 '..but find it difficult to navigate on land.' 404 00:21:25,880 --> 00:21:28,520 Are the Roman remains up here? 405 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:32,160 They're not up here? Oh, somebody's sent me on a wild goose chase. 406 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:36,880 subtitles by Deluxe