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BBC Radio 4 - 92 to 94 FM and 198 Long Wave

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OPEN COUNTRY

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	PROGRAMME INFO

	Saturday 6.10-6.35am Repeated Thursday 1.30-2.00pm


	From Shetland to the Scilly Isles, Open Country travels the UK in search of the stories, the people and the wildlife that make our countryside such a vibrant place. Each week we visit a new area to hear how local people are growing the crops, protecting the environment, maintaining the traditions and cooking the food that makes their corner of rural Britain unique. Email: [email protected] Postal address: Open Country, BBC Radio 4, Birmingham, B5 7QQ.


	LISTEN AGAIN


	Listen to Open Country for 11 February


	PRESENTERS

	HELEN MARK and RICHARD URIDGE



	More about Helen Mark




	More about Richard Uridge


	PROGRAMME DETAILS

	Saturday 11 February
The Blean is an area of ancient woodland around Canterbury, Faversham, Whitstable and Herne Bay - still full of peaceful rural charm, but a place with a history of violence and conflict. It is, for instance, the site of the Battle of Bossenden Wood - the last battle to take place in England. In May 1838, a rabble of agricultural workers led by the self-styled Sir William de Courtenay, faced armed soldiers there in protest against the poverty of their lives. Sir William (actually a Truro wine merchant called John Nicholas Thom) was a flamboyant character with a history of mental instability. But his charisma won people's hearts and David Wood, a descendent of one of his followers, tells Helen about "Sir William's" colourful life. And at Mount Ephraim House Sandys Dawes shows Helen his collection of memorabilia. But it seems that people have always fought over the area. At Bigbury Iron Age Hill Fort, archaeologist Vivienne Coad tells Helen about this original ancient fortification. But it wasn't just the site of local spats between warring tribes - it's thought to be the site of Julius Caesar's first battle against the Britons during his expedition of 54BC: the description in his Gallic Wars account matches the area exactly. But The Blean isn't just famous for battles - it was a key area for gunpowder production. Local historian Arthur Percival meets Helen at the ruins of the Oare Gunpowder Works, near Faversham. Founded in about 1690, the Oare Works slowly expanded, and was progressively modernised, throughout its 250-year working life. And to complete her military meanderings, Helen comes across a tribute to the British Navy - in the middle of a field! Clive Steward of the Woodland Trust shows her round Victory Wood, which is being planted to commemorate the Battle of Trafalgar. The trees form a pattern which shows the confrontation between Nelson's ships and the French and Spanish enemy forces just one minute before battle commenced. Email Open Country: [email protected] The BBC is not responsible for external web sites

	RELATED LINKS BBC Holiday Category BBC Country file