Day Out: Archive Films

Originally filmed in 1985 and broadcast in January 1986 was this charming half-hour television programme which took a look round the Stroudwater Hills.

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

Angela Rippon in Bisley

She begins in the tranquil village of Bisley where she investigates the legend of the "Bisley Boy". The legend tells that the young Princess Elizabeth stayed at Over Court but she supposedly died there in the 1540s. A local boy was substituted for her - and that explains why Queen Elizabeth never married or had any children!

Angela visits the workshops of local wood carver Simon Cooper and his wife Julie who practices gilding. She then visits the forge of craftsman Norman Bucknell who is one of the last survivors of the famous Cotswold Group of Craftsmen.

Other features we see in Bisley include the churchyard, the stone built lockup, the Bear Inn which was once a courthouse, and the cockpit in Jaynes Court. The local vicar, The Rev. Eric Pyecroft, tells us of the well dressing ceremony which is performed on Ascension Day every year.

Norman Bucknell

Next stop is Minchinhampton Common. Here we learn about the common's inclusion in the 19th Century novel 'John Halifax, Gentleman' by Dinah Craik. Another literary connection is discovered in nearby Nailsworth where we hear about the author and poet W. H. Davies who wrote 'The Autobiography of a Super-Tramp'.

In Horsley Valley Angela visits the oldest trout farm in the country and speaks to James Nicholas who explains how the farm started in the 1870s. Then it's on to Woodchester where we visit an old mill now being used as a walking stick factory. We learn that each of the 90,000 sticks produced each year by the Chalford Stick Company go to the NHS.

The replica Woodchester Pavement

Angela meets local vicar The Rev. John Cull in Woodchester churchyard at the site of the Woodchester Pavement - one of the most spectacular Roman mosaics ever discovered in Britain. He explains its importance and explains why the mosaic hasn't been uncovered since 1973 - because too many people turned up to see it when it was last uncovered.

Other locations we see include Hetty Pegler's Tump, also known as Uley Tumulus, and Nypsfield Longbarrow at the Coaley Peak picnic site. Here Angela meets one of the Cotswold Wardens, Bob Yates, who explains how the Cotswold Way long distance footpath was formed by linking up various existing footpaths.

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.