David Dimbleby and the BBC at Cressing Temple

Presenter David Dimbleby filming in the heat at Cressing Temple.

On Monday the 17th of July 2006 we were pleased to welcome the well known television broadcaster David Dimbleby together with a BBC filmcrew to film a segment for a new series.

Following on from the hugely popular 'A Picture of Britain' shown in 2005, in which he discovered how artists had been influenced and inspired by the countryside the series will be called 'How We Built Britain'.

David Dimbleby walking past the Bakery into the Wheat Barn.

The new six-part series was shown in 2007 and Cressing Temple was chosen because of its significance in the mediaeval period, its social status, fantastic 800 year old buildings and its direct connections with the Knights Templar.

Filming the Great Barns from the Tudor Garden.

On a terrifically hot day two film crews worked on detailed studies of the Wheat and Barly Barns, a fantastic model of a timber-framed house and on Mr Dimbleby's commentary and 'piece to camera'.

Mr Dimbleby working on his 'piece to camera' by the Granary.

On hand to help with advice were Sheila Hennings, the site manager, Barry Hillman-Crouch, freelance archaeologist and Elphin Watkin, timber-framed building specialist. Mr Dimbleby showed great interest in the site and we were even able to supply him with some straw and an ancient flail to allow him to use the threshing floors.

On the Tuesday there was an helicopter fly-past for the aerial shots which will accompany the series. Mr Dimbleby's first series was broadcast on Sunday evenings and pulled in an average of five million viewers.

The week before, ex-Royal Correspondent Jenny Bond visited the site to film for 'Cash in the Attic' so we can look forward to being on that too.