Mastercrafts

Friday 12 February

9.00-10.00pm BBC TWO

Monty Don presents Mastercrafts, celebrating six of the traditional crafts that helped build the nation and its heritage, ranging from thatching to stonemasonry.

A huge fan of traditional crafts, Monty keeps a watchful eye on three hopefuls who are passionate about learning these trades. They are put through their paces by the country's leading practitioners of wood craft, metal work, thatching, stone masonry, weaving and stained glass. After six weeks of training and hard labour, their work and achievements are judged by experts in their field to see who has best mastered the craft.

In the first episode, 46-year-old garden designer Charles Hooper; 33-year-old full- time student and single mum Sarah Charlton; and 29-year-old supply teacher Tom Vaughan begin their intensive apprenticeship with green wood, undeterred by the gruelling schedule.

At its peak, the green wood industry employed more than 20,000 labourers and "bodgers" camps were a familiar sight in the forests. Bodgers were the men who turned the parts for the mass production of chairs, carving the wood on site.

To appreciate the skills involved in the restoration of early medieval timber buildings, Monty makes a visit to the current Heritage Lottery Fund supported restoration taking place at Hereford Cathedral Barn, where he talks to the skilled craftsmen involved in the work.

Click here to see the programme, available until 2 March.

While Monty explores the historical importance of green wood, the trainees learn how to cleave the raw material; to turn blocks of wood on the pole lathe; and to manipulate the components fresh out of the steam bender.

Photographs by Mark Robertson