Day Out: Archive Films

Filmed in 1987 and broadcast in the local region in February 1988 was this charming half-hour television programme which took a look round Gloucester and surrounding areas.

Roman remains at the city's East Gate

As part of the BBC West 'Day Out' series - which visited a different Gloucestershire and West Country locale every week - presenter Angela Rippon is shown exploring the area.

Her journey begins at Kings Square - then with its fountains in operation. She then moves on to the city's East Gate where she explores the Roman and Medieval remains in the recently constructed viewing chamber.

Ancient game pieces in the City Museum

She then moves on to the nearby City Museum, where she is shown a unique board game dating from around a thousand years go. Malcolm Watkins from the museum explains how and where the game board was found and why it's so special.

The Cathedral makes a brief cameo appearance, then it's on to the docks. Angela explains why the Gloucester-Sharpness canal and docks were opened in 1827.

She explores the local area and then visits one of the tall ships moored there - the Soren Larson - which had been used a few years before in the filming of "The Onedin Line".

Robert Opie shows Angela around

The yet-to-be-opened National Waterways Museum in Llanthony Warehouse gets a mention before another of the old warehouses is visited - Albert Warehouse - then home of the Robert Opie Collection.

Next it's on to the River Severn at Garden Hill Cliff, and Westbury-on-Severn where Angela explores the unusual church.

She then visits Westbury Court Garden and explains how it was taken over by the National Trust in the 1960s and brought back to life after it had become derelict. The National Trust's Ken Vaughan is interviewed and he talks about some of the plants on display.

Jemima Parry-Jones

The Newent Birds of Prey Centre is the next stop on the tour. Founder Jemima Parry-Jones demonstrates the flying behaviour of "Sarah" the eagle before Angela tries her hand at handling a young harris hawk.

The last place to be featured is the dry ski slope at Robinswood Hill where Angela interviews David Watson and takes a tumble while attempting to glide from the top to the bottom.

Check out the other fascinating films from the 'Day Out' series which were filmed in Gloucestershire by clicking on the links at the top right of this page.