🎬Building a Cob house in a day. Filmed on the Beaulieu Estate by Meridian Broadcasting.

Imagine the year is 1650, a young couple, Jacob and Catherine are about to get married, but have nowhere to live together. Their respective houses are already over-crowded. Up to 10 or more people would live in a Cob house 25 feet long and 13 feet wide.

Hence the practice of erecting a house in a single day by the whole village for the newly-weds. A communal venture. Once the house was completed, the householder would treat their guests to a party of eating, drinking and dancing.

But how was it possible to build a house in a little over sixteen hours, and could it be re-attempted 350 years later? The following is an account of an incredible day and a brilliant group of volunteers who made it all possible.

Our thanks to the staff at Meridian Broadcasting in Northam for their help in sourcing this film.

🎬 The New Forest. A film exploring the rich landscape, people and forest traditions in the post war years.

18th century Agisters and pigs with rights to wander are just some of the ancient traditions celebrated in this beguiling look at life in the New Forest. Less familiar sights are captured, too, such as broom making and logging, forestry planting and sailing on the River Beaulieu near Buckler's Hard. No film about the area would be complete, though, without the famous Forest ponies – who are seen here in all their equine glory.

Filmmaker Roy Layzell made many films during this period including other local area films such as Pipelines Under Southampton Water in 1957.

Clifton Parker was a renowned British composer. With nearly 50 feature films under his belt, including The 39 Steps in 1959 and Sink The Bismark in 1960.

John Snagge (OBE) was the voice of the BBC from the war years to his retirement in 1980.

Featuring John Snagge
Music by Clifton Parker
Filmed and Directed by Roy Layzell
Original Cinema Release 1952

The film was commissioned by the Esso Petroleum Company in 1952, just as they were establishing a new refinery on the eastern edge of the New Forest at Fawley, but Forest Heritage is entirely concerned with the natural beauty and traditions of the area: ‘A place out of this modern world where simple pleasures are enough – a miraculous survival of pre-Norman England’.

🎬An unnamed local filmmaker set up his camera on the top deck of a Southampton Tram. The result is a wonderful window on life in the last year of the Victorian age.

Southampton 1900, A Tram Journey. Starting at North Gate, Bargate Arch. North along Above Bar Street. Finishing at The Clock Tower, Palmerston Park.

🎬 Part of the AMERICAN VISCOUNTESS series of programmes that looks at Britain's stately homes.

Not only is Beaulieu home to the National Motor Museum, but also to the extraordinary ruins of Beaulieu Abbey, which date back to the foundation of the monastery here in the thirteenth century. The more I visit historic houses around Britain, the more I realise how many of them have monastic roots.

In this episode, Lord Montagu guides me around some of the surviving buildings and shows me the exquisite wall hangings, stitched by his mother, which chart the history of the abbey. I also explore a hidden part of the Beaulieu estate where the well used by the monks still survives today. And I end my visit at the newly restored ice house – a glimpse back to the days when historic houses functioned more like life in the tv series, Downton Abbey.

🎬British Pathé – A look at how cattle which roam on the New Forest prairies are rounded up and checked once a year. New Forest, Hampshire. L/S of a red van driving up a leafy road, it passes some cows stood at the side. Various shots of cattle grazing at the side of the road as cars drive past. L/S of several people on horseback rounding the cattle up in a prairie. Various shots as they round the cattle up and herd them up the prairie. L/S as the cattle walk through a stream followed by seven herders. Various shots as the herders on horseback follow the cattle. Various shots of the cattle herded together, M/S as they go into a field. C/U of one of the men on a horse. M/S of the cows crowded together, M/S as they are herded under a tree. M/S as a man approaches one with a pair of clippers, M/S as he clips a bit of hair away from the cow's back. C/U as he brushes it away to reveal the letter 'R' branded on its back. M/S as another man clips a cow, C/U of a young man looking on. M/S of a man putting a rope round a heifer's neck. M/S of a man on horseback. M/S as a heifer is pulled along by the rope

🎬British Pathé – Ordinary mortals get the chance to be cowboys and cowgirls in Hampshire. Story about the Flying G Ranch where friends and holidaymakers can enjoy "life on the range" and pretend to be cowboys. The ranch is owned by the transatlantic airline pilot Captain Leslie Gosling. C/U of a gun being loaded with bullets, cut to show man in cowboy hat and glasses (looks a bit incongruous) who is holding the gun. Horses are saddled up for a ride. Various footage of the holidaymakers riding their steeds around the ranch and out in open fields. They run into the local hunt which again looks strange - worlds colliding. Nice majestic western music accompanies shots of the riders. C/U of hamburgers being barbecued as the ramblers return for an outdoor feast. Good shots of the food being distributed and the riders enjoying their meals. A young cowboy and cowgirl polish their saddles. "We've never seen a sharpshooter in horn rimmed glasses before" quips the narrator as our friend from earlier shoots a few rounds and knocks down a few cans. The cowboys and cowgirls sit around on blankets listening to one of their group playing the guitar. I want to go. Cuts exist - see separate record