- 5 months ago
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00:01Welcome to Blenheim, jewel of Oxfordshire, built by Sir John Vambrough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.
00:11This is a real honour, and for me.
00:14With nearly a million visitors annually.
00:16Lots to see then, lots to do.
00:19Exploring the 300-year-old estate.
00:22Et voila, the door is open.
00:24It's non-stop.
00:25We're slightly overwhelmed, to be honest.
00:27For the staff behind the grandeur.
00:29Got to protect the palace.
00:30As they conserve.
00:32Oh, aren't they beautiful?
00:33Entertain and inspire.
00:36I love the place, I love the people.
00:39Welcome to the beating heart of Britain's greatest palace.
00:47Coming up, head shepherd, Sean, has a difficult birth on his hands.
00:52Nothing's ever straightforward.
00:54Social historian, Antonia, inspires young minds.
00:57The mice are hidden somewhere in the room.
00:59And head of innovation, David, lets the dogs out.
01:02Doesn't bite, it's very well behaved.
01:08It's spring in Oxfordshire, and nestled in the beautiful countryside is Blenheim Palace, a stunning 300-year-old historic house.
01:17The estate stretches over 2,000 acres, and includes gardens, lakes, forests, and sheep.
01:25And for the farming team led by Sean, it's a very busy time, as it's lambing season for these four-legged lawnmowers.
01:32With the vast pastures as their birthing room, Blenheim sheep deliver later than other breeds born indoors.
01:37So, with around 1,500 lambs due, it's an early morning start for Sean.
01:44First of all, we'll have a drive around, do all the checks, making sure that everything that's born is healthy and ready to go.
01:56With 1,000 sheep, nothing's ever straightforward.
02:00On and off, I've been lambing sheep since I was 13.
02:03I started with my grandad.
02:05He was a shepherd.
02:06It's been a constant, really.
02:07The first check of the day at 4am is the most important, as many lambs are born overnight.
02:16But finding the sheep that need help with labour is easier said than done.
02:21For the last two and a half weeks, I've been driving around four, five, six times a day.
02:27We didn't get in till half past ten last night.
02:30Lambing season is about a month long, and more often than not, lambs are born without any issues.
02:36There's one just been born there.
02:38That's probably been born ten minutes, and it's looking for the milk now, look.
02:42Going underneath, yeah, trying to find the teeth.
02:47If they've been born, and the mother's with them, just leave them be.
02:51Don't mess about with them.
02:53And hopefully, everything should be all right.
02:57The search for sheep in distress continues, as Sean reflects on his job at Blenheim.
03:02I've got a good handling system where you can bring the sheep in,
03:06good facilities, cracking bunch of people that I work with.
03:10You know, with graze grass, rear sheep, it doesn't really get much better than that.
03:19Most lambs birth naturally, without issues.
03:22But interventions are sometimes needed to ensure safe labour.
03:25So there's one across there, she's got a water bag out, and she's just about to lamp.
03:33You see, this could take five minutes, it could take 45 minutes.
03:38You never know.
03:39But Sean can spot the signs of distress, and knows when nature needs a helping hand.
03:50Go on, then.
03:53Go on.
03:54That's all right.
03:55With the mother struggling to deliver the lamb, Sean can see that time is not on their side.
04:02Go on.
04:03She's had a bit of stress, she won't push in, nothing.
04:10So his head's been there for a while, his tongue's a little bit swollen.
04:20Come on.
04:24That's it.
04:25There you go.
04:26With Sean's help, it's a successful birth.
04:29But there's another problem.
04:31The mother seems disinterested in her newborn,
04:34and Sean will need to intervene in these vital first moments
04:37to make sure the lamb isn't abandoned.
04:39If I let her go, she just might do a runner.
04:42Once she licks it, once she talks to it, yeah, she'll be fine then.
04:47Just needs to get used to the fact that she's a mother.
04:52As dawn becomes morning on the other side of the estate,
04:56visitors are starting to arrive
04:57as the staff finish off their morning preparations.
05:00The wind's in our favour today, isn't it?
05:03Although the palace is 300 years old,
05:06it's been open to the public since 1950,
05:09attracting tourists from all over the world
05:11to view the amazing art collections and historical artefacts.
05:19And today, keeping an eye on things, is apprentice George.
05:23It's gotten a bit mucky from people touching it when they walk past.
05:28Some artefacts have unique stories and important significance today,
05:32like the copy of the flag which John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough,
05:35and leader of the Allied troops,
05:37captured during the Battle of Blenheim in 1704.
05:41I'll just get something to clean that.
05:43The battle proved to be a decisive victory against the French
05:46in the War of Spanish Succession,
05:48a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire,
05:51and led to Queen Anne gifting the royal estate
05:53and the funds to build the palace to the Churchills.
05:56It also led to a peculiar agreement between the palace and the crown.
06:00So this flag is a quit-rent standard,
06:04paid in lieu of money instead of rent to the royal household.
06:09As long as the flag is delivered annually to Windsor Castle
06:13by the anniversary of the battle, on the 13th of August,
06:16Blenheim doesn't need to pay the monarch rent.
06:18But with a trip to Windsor imminent,
06:21head of palace Kate has gone to the archives to make sure it's ready.
06:25As we are on royal land,
06:27we're essentially leasing, if you like, from the crown.
06:32And so since it was given to the first duke in 1704,
06:36every year we have to take essentially a small flag
06:40and present it to the Queen or the King,
06:43and they hang it in the Guard's Chamber,
06:45and the one from the year before goes into their archives.
06:48I've got this one carefully out.
06:50I get them made three years in a row,
06:53and it has to be delivered to Windsor
06:55before the anniversary of the Battle of Blenheim.
07:00The flag, effectively, it quits your responsibility
07:03for having paying rent.
07:06It's more of a symbolic payment than anything else.
07:12The flag, carrying the French fleur-de-lis symbol,
07:15is handmade locally by a company carrying the royal seal.
07:20Technically, if we didn't deliver it,
07:23they could repossess the land we're on and everything that's on it.
07:27But I'd like to think they wouldn't do that.
07:30But back at the palace, not everything is draped in tradition,
07:36and making sure Blenheim is prepared for the future
07:38is head of innovation, David.
07:40As a former butler to the 11th duke,
07:43he's the perfect man to bring the palace into the 21st century,
07:46and today he's meeting with some very special guests
07:49from Oxford Robotics.
07:51Hey, guys, how are you doing?
07:52Hi, David.
07:53Good to see you.
07:54Oh, is it very exciting to have Spot here?
07:57Spot is a robot dog who will use light detection and ranging sensors
08:01to scan the palace and create a 3D map of the interior.
08:05This will help the palace prepare better for the future.
08:08So today we're just going to do a very simple walk around.
08:11Yes.
08:12We're going to install the frontage,
08:14and then we are ready to do some mapping.
08:17Brilliant. Excellent.
08:18Well, I'm excited.
08:19But not everyone is as thrilled as David about Spot's presence.
08:23We get a lot of comments,
08:25like they've seen the robot on TV and it looks scary,
08:28but it actually is a very friendly robot.
08:32There's no need to be nervous, right?
08:33No.
08:33You just need to be nervous of Kate and Carmen.
08:36If you knock anything over, you're in trouble.
08:39The palace may hold many treasures,
08:41but Spot is also extremely valuable.
08:44OK, so, David, we're going to turn the Spot on.
08:48So I do require a two-metre distance.
08:50Two-metre distance, absolutely.
08:51Whenever you're ready.
08:56But Spot doesn't want to go walkies.
08:59We will take him for a walk, or her.
09:06Now, who says never do a live demo, right?
09:08I heard something.
09:10Now I don't feel comfortable.
09:14I did everything right.
09:16I just heard the noise,
09:18and now I'm shaking all over.
09:23Coming up, social historian Antonia
09:26inspires the next generation.
09:29I think you can do a little bit of cleaning up in the air.
09:32And the palace roll out the red carpet
09:33for some unexpected VIPs.
09:36Here's our first competitors.
09:37One of them just pissed at me.
09:48Built in 1705,
09:51Blenheim Palace stands majestic
09:52in the Oxfordshire countryside.
09:55Set in magnificent parkland,
09:57it's hard to beat the view
09:58from the tree-lined avenue to the Great Court.
10:01And standing at its midway point
10:03is the Column of Victory,
10:04built to honour the first Duke,
10:06John Churchill.
10:07At 134 feet tall,
10:09it's exactly twice the height of the Great Hall,
10:12where robot dog Spot
10:13is headed to map the interior
10:15and help Blenheim protect itself for the future.
10:18If only David and friends can wake him up.
10:20They do say never work with animals.
10:23I was working earlier in the lab, right?
10:26So...
10:27Yeah.
10:28There we go.
10:29Spontops.
10:30Yeah.
10:33Powering on.
10:35Okay.
10:35So, you got it.
10:37Fantastic.
10:38Awake from his long nap,
10:39Spot is ready to wander around
10:41and map everything in his range.
10:43People are already looking intrigued.
10:44We need to go this way,
10:46and you need a ticket.
10:47Yeah.
10:48LAUGHTER
10:48I think this is the best selfie moment
10:52we've ever had.
10:55One of the key things here, actually,
10:56is to build additional twin or Blenheim
10:58and to recognise the changes.
11:00So, when you start thinking about
11:02the cracks and the movement
11:03and how the building is changing and evolving,
11:05this sort of technology
11:06is absolutely right up there.
11:08And if we can predict failure in the building,
11:10it means we can manage our restoration
11:12and conservation work much, much better.
11:15Spot has an important job to do,
11:17but it's not every day you let a dog loose
11:19in a palace full of priceless objects.
11:22It doesn't bite.
11:23It's very well behaved.
11:25I don't particularly like it.
11:27No?
11:27I think it scares me.
11:28Does it scare you? Why?
11:29Yeah.
11:30I don't know.
11:31It's too realistic.
11:32Yeah, I think so.
11:33You think so?
11:34But Spot is feeling right at home.
11:38Well, very well behaved.
11:39Don't need to walk it.
11:40Don't constantly walk trees.
11:42No vet spills.
11:42No.
11:44And a dog not on its lead amongst the exhibition.
11:48The risk assessment for this is quite fun, by the way.
11:50Yeah, I can.
11:50You know.
11:52Is a unique bonus for the guests.
11:54I just love the reactions from our visitors today,
11:56especially when you're bringing something
11:58as cutting edge as this
12:00into this 350-year-old building.
12:03People don't expect to see it.
12:04You know, Vivian Westwood
12:06with a Boston Dynamics robot.
12:08Who would have thought, right?
12:11That's enough socialising for today.
12:13A Spot has a lot of work to do
12:15bringing innovation to Blenheim.
12:17But he's not the only one.
12:19On two legs this time,
12:21social historian Antonia
12:23is helping create content
12:25for the Culturati project,
12:27a Europe-wide initiative
12:28to innovate heritage sites
12:30using new technologies.
12:32And her office is a treasure trove of history
12:34just waiting to be brought to life.
12:41You might be interested in the Victorians,
12:44and we've got these wonderful photographs
12:47dating back to 1896, I believe.
12:50It was when local fire brigades
12:53all got together and came to Blenheim,
12:55and they camped in the park,
12:57and they had all these demonstrations
12:58and competitions,
13:00and there's the Blenheim Brigade.
13:02And it was formed,
13:04most part,
13:05by members of the Blenheim staff.
13:08Fire is a serious concern
13:10for heritage buildings like the Palace,
13:12so it was essential for Blenheim
13:14to have its own brigade.
13:15And, in fact,
13:17we did have a number of serious fires,
13:19and one of them
13:20completely destroyed the orangery roof
13:22and the bakehouse above it
13:24and a whole collection of paintings
13:26by Titian.
13:28Normally,
13:29you wouldn't have access
13:30to this information,
13:31you wouldn't see this photograph,
13:33but with the Culturati project,
13:35with the platform that we're developing,
13:38you'll be able to see the photograph
13:39and there'll be a voiceover
13:41telling you exactly what's going on there.
13:43So this will make the whole
13:44audio guide experience
13:47completely different,
13:48and it's, you know,
13:51cutting-edge technology.
13:53So it's a fantastic project
13:54to be involved in.
13:56But you can't beat
13:57the traditional methods
13:58of visitor fun, too.
14:00I'm a great believer
14:01that if you drag children
14:03along to stately homes,
14:05then there needs to be
14:06something for them.
14:07And so these are the Marlborough mice,
14:09and we have a trail.
14:11The mice are hidden
14:12somewhere in the room.
14:13There's a little story
14:14attached to each of them.
14:16And the story's aimed at children,
14:18but it is factual as well.
14:20So, for example,
14:21Julian, who winds the clocks,
14:23you know,
14:23lots of children
14:24aren't familiar
14:25with the concept of clocks
14:26that don't run on batteries,
14:28et cetera, et cetera,
14:29and you actually have to
14:30wind them up every week.
14:32They're all called
14:33after members of staff,
14:35strangely enough.
14:36So, this is Heather.
14:38That's Kate.
14:40This is Carmen.
14:42So, yeah,
14:43they all have names.
14:46Let's put you...
14:47So, you can do a little bit
14:51of cleaning up in the air.
14:53As part of the project,
14:57Antonia is always looking
14:58for new ways
14:59to bring the mice to life.
15:03For the Culturati project,
15:05what we thought we would do,
15:07we want to do
15:07as many new things
15:10as we possibly can.
15:11So, we've taken the mice trail
15:13and we've animated it
15:15so that our visitors
15:16will be able to look
15:17and listen
15:19and hopefully
15:21it will engage
15:22the children and families.
15:23So, this is a little mouse
15:25called Steve
15:26who's the fastest mouse
15:27in the palace
15:28and he would pop up
15:30before the bell
15:31had even stopped ringing
15:32and a good servant
15:33would do that anyway.
15:35And it demonstrates
15:35how the little handles
15:37beside the fireplace
15:38were used to ring
15:39the bells for the servant.
15:41So, we then go on
15:42and ask a series of questions
15:44and then it will pop up
15:46with the answer
15:47and a final clip
15:48of Steve doing his job
15:50of changing the candles
15:52in the chandelier.
15:54We're absolutely thrilled
15:55with the animation.
15:57Oh, dear.
15:59But the real mice
16:01aren't quite as lively
16:02and they're not going
16:03to hide themselves
16:04so Antonia needs
16:05to get them to the palace
16:06before the next round
16:07of school groups arrive.
16:10Meanwhile,
16:11outside in the great court,
16:12events manager Natalie
16:13is overseeing the team
16:15rolling out the red carpet
16:16for something more immediate,
16:18the Blenheim Palace Triathlon.
16:19So, what we've got going on here
16:20is the install
16:21for the transition.
16:24These are bike racks
16:25that we're setting up now
16:26and carpet.
16:28The annual Blenheim Triathlon
16:30sees participants
16:31take part in three disciplines.
16:33A lake swim,
16:34a cycle around the park
16:35and finally,
16:36a three or five K run.
16:38So, once they've done
16:39their swim,
16:40they'll come and get their bikes
16:41and then they'll come back here
16:43after they've done
16:43their bike run
16:44and they will then
16:45go out and run
16:46along to the finish line.
16:48As you can see,
16:48it's important
16:49that we're protecting
16:50the stones on the floor
16:51and the cobbles.
16:52With over 5,000 participants
16:54expected over the weekend,
16:56the team will be working
16:57until the sun sets
16:58to meet the deadline.
17:00But for Julian,
17:01Deputy Events Manager,
17:02it's always worth it.
17:04The Blenheim Triathlon
17:05is 20 years old now,
17:06so the first one
17:07was in 2005.
17:08One event we thought
17:09we'd give it a go
17:10really worked out well
17:12and now it's been with us
17:13for all these years
17:13and, yeah,
17:14it's one of the highlights
17:15of the calendar.
17:16The two-day event
17:17stretches over large parts
17:19of the estate,
17:20so there is a lot to do.
17:23But as night turns to morning,
17:26Julian is making sure
17:28the long day
17:28starts off right.
17:31There you go, Julian.
17:32Yeah, there you go, Julian.
17:33Thank you very much.
17:34A little bit of noise.
17:36So I'll go around
17:37and make sure everybody's
17:37fed and watered.
17:40Thank you very much.
17:43An army marches better
17:44on a full stomach
17:45and the Blenheim troops
17:47are now energised
17:48and ready to go.
17:49Obviously, the layout
17:50outside changes.
17:51We have to sort of
17:52accommodate more people
17:53and some people
17:54who work inside
17:54will help outside.
17:56We all kind of
17:57do what we have to.
17:58And with everyone
17:59chipping in,
18:00it's the final push
18:01before the doors open.
18:03Everybody's in place
18:04and we've got our guys
18:05in the entry chaos.
18:07Just to confirm,
18:08the gates are now open.
18:09We're good to go,
18:09so have a great day.
18:11And with that,
18:12there's excitement in the air
18:13as participants
18:14join the resident geese.
18:15These are our first competitors.
18:17Oh, don't.
18:17One of them just pissed at me.
18:19I was absolutely petrified.
18:23Good morning.
18:24Welcome to the
18:25Blenheim Palace Triathlon
18:27for the 20th anniversary.
18:29We believe there are
18:3040% of you taking part
18:32that are newbies
18:33and that is absolutely incredible.
18:35And tackling the course today
18:37are three such newbies.
18:39John, Pete and Tom.
18:41Childhood friends
18:42who decided to do a triathlon
18:43to celebrate turning 30.
18:45This is the first triathlon
18:46for all of us.
18:48I think the closest thing
18:49I've done to this
18:49is a 10K.
18:51It's the most beautiful
18:52triathlon in the UK.
18:54Fairly some luck, right?
18:55Good you.
18:55Yeah.
18:56I was up at 5.30
18:57ready to go.
18:58With safety being paramount
19:00at the triathlon,
19:01it might have been a good idea
19:03to read the rules.
19:05Make sure you've got your helmets on.
19:06No entry through here
19:07without your helmets, please.
19:09It's a bit late
19:10to ask this question.
19:11You do have a helmet in there,
19:12me, don't you?
19:13No.
19:15So what's happened, guys?
19:18One of these two
19:20has forgotten his helmet.
19:22Not allowed through
19:23without the helmet.
19:27Luckily for the guys,
19:28the organisers
19:29have seen it all before
19:30and there are kit stalls
19:31for any last-minute fails.
19:33Leave the bike with us.
19:34Go and find out
19:34how much they are.
19:34It's too hard.
19:35It's just as much
19:37my fault as Pete's.
19:39He's lending me the helmet
19:40and I didn't check
19:41that he had it
19:41until we pulled up,
19:43unfortunately.
19:46What's the cheapest one?
19:49Would you like to try
19:50it home first?
19:51Yes, please.
19:51Get the clothes and the prints.
19:52I'll do best.
19:56Right.
19:57Sorted.
19:59Yeah, that looks good.
20:00It looks faster
20:01than the one
20:01that I was bringing for you.
20:02With the crisis averted,
20:06there's no time to spare
20:07and the guys finally make it
20:09through the transition area
20:10so they can get suited up
20:12and begin their first-ever triathlon.
20:24Coming up,
20:25conservationist Philippe
20:27spots a hidden gem.
20:28It is the most extraordinary thing.
20:30and Sean the Shepherd's family therapy
20:32takes a turn.
20:34She'd have dropped that
20:35and just gone.
20:36Left it.
20:49In 1764,
20:51the fourth Duke
20:52at Blenheim Palace
20:53commissioned Lancelot
20:54Capability Brown
20:55to re-imagine the parkland
20:57which included
20:58the creation
20:59of the Great Lake
21:00and Cascades.
21:02Brown's work at Blenheim
21:04is considered
21:04one of the masterpieces
21:05of English landscaping.
21:08Today,
21:08the beautiful grounds
21:09are maintained
21:09by flocks of sheep.
21:11But not everything
21:12is running smoothly
21:13for Sean,
21:14the estate's head shepherd,
21:16who,
21:16having saved a mother
21:17and her lamb
21:18from a difficult birth,
21:19is still having trouble
21:20getting the pair to bond.
21:22The crucial first moments
21:23where the sheep
21:24licks her lamb
21:25and claims it as her own
21:26has not gone well.
21:28Go on.
21:28And Sean is trying
21:29every trick in the book
21:30to stop the lamb
21:31from being abandoned.
21:32With these sheep,
21:33it's just the wander off.
21:35Your lambs will get hungry
21:37and they've got to have
21:38that colostrum,
21:40that first milk,
21:41within the first couple
21:42of hours of being born.
21:44Come on.
21:46But with little success
21:47in the field,
21:48Sean's having to resort
21:49to drastic measures.
21:51Right, up you go.
21:51Come on.
21:54Don't go Mardy on me.
21:55That's it.
21:57In.
22:04It's clear to see
22:05why Sean's on lamb duty
22:0624-7.
22:09Should have dropped that
22:10and just gone.
22:11Left it.
22:12What we'll do now,
22:13we'll take it back
22:13to the pen
22:14and give it a bit of
22:16one-on-one bonding time.
22:19Try to convince it
22:20that it's going to be a mother.
22:24In the safety of Park Farm,
22:27Sean and the team
22:28can give the lambs
22:29the best chance of survival.
22:31We're going to get it in a pen.
22:33Give it some water.
22:35Just keep an eye on it.
22:37Once it's in the pen,
22:39it can't run off.
22:40That's half the battle done.
22:45Still not too bothered,
22:46is she?
22:48Go on.
22:51That way.
22:55Me.
22:56Not bothered.
22:58She'll come round.
23:01She'll start to take
23:02a bit of notice now.
23:05Me.
23:07Me.
23:07It seems Sean's
23:11going to have to get
23:12hands-on
23:13to encourage
23:13the mothering instinct.
23:15But first,
23:16a little housekeeping.
23:17We spray the navels
23:19with iodine.
23:20It kills all the bacteria
23:22around the navel
23:23and it dries the navel up.
23:26But it usually works
23:27that as her milk
23:28comes through
23:29the other end,
23:30she knows that
23:31it's hers then.
23:34I thought,
23:34if we could get him sucking,
23:36she might have
23:39a bit more of a bond
23:39with him,
23:40but...
23:41We'll keep it
23:45with her for a while,
23:46yeah.
23:47And hopefully
23:48she'll accept it.
23:51As Sean leaves
23:52a helpful note
23:52for his fellow shepherds,
23:54it's clear
23:54they've seen this
23:55all before,
23:56because this ewe
23:57isn't the only
23:58troublemaker.
23:59Oh, she's come out.
24:01Catch must have
24:01come undone.
24:02Come on.
24:04Come on.
24:05That way.
24:05That's it.
24:08She's been out once
24:09because she doesn't
24:10like one of her lambs.
24:11So, you know,
24:12that's just the way
24:13it goes.
24:16With order restored,
24:17Sean can check
24:18if a bit of ewe time
24:19has helped.
24:20And it's good news.
24:21Come on,
24:22let me have a drink.
24:27That's what it needs.
24:29That's the colostrum.
24:31Thick,
24:31thick,
24:32creamy colostrum.
24:33That's the first milk
24:35that any animal gives.
24:38It's got all the
24:39vitamins and minerals
24:41and everything in it
24:42that a lamb needs.
24:44I mean,
24:44a good drink here is.
24:47It seems finally
24:49mother and baby
24:50have bonded.
24:52It's moments like these
24:53that make all the hard work
24:55worth it.
24:56The highs and lows
24:58of lambing.
24:59You can never predict
25:00what's going to happen.
25:02Every day is different.
25:04But this one will be
25:05all right now.
25:05She looks like she's
25:06talking to it.
25:07So, yeah.
25:08I think we can scrub it off
25:09now, yeah,
25:10to be honest.
25:10Yeah, she looks all right.
25:11But with hundreds of lambs
25:16yet to be born,
25:17there's no time
25:18to rest for Sean.
25:20And it's straight back
25:21out again into the field.
25:27Meanwhile,
25:28social historian Antonia
25:29is making sure
25:30the palace has some
25:31animals inside as well.
25:33We have a mouse trail
25:34that goes throughout
25:35the palace
25:36and we hide mice
25:38and they do special
25:38little jobs.
25:40I think it's really
25:41important to engage
25:42children from an early age.
25:45And so,
25:46if they can come to us
25:48and have a bit of fun
25:50and learn something
25:51along the way,
25:52then they'll come back
25:53in the future.
25:55With a busy week
25:56of school trips
25:57on the horizon,
25:58Antonia has a lot
25:59of ground to cover.
26:01So, this is Bertie.
26:04And her little mice
26:05could be lurking
26:06anywhere.
26:07That little mouse
26:08is Steve the Speed.
26:11Each mouse is carefully
26:12placed to tell a story.
26:16We little mice
26:17really do have
26:18a bit of a job,
26:19don't they?
26:19Because this is the room
26:21where Winston Churchill
26:21was born.
26:22Let's put you in there
26:24and you can start cleaning.
26:26There we are.
26:27Happy day's work.
26:33In this bookcase,
26:35we have Martha and George.
26:37And Martha and George
26:38both work as part
26:40of the ops team
26:41and they're busy
26:42and they're busy
26:42putting this special film
26:44on top of the books
26:45to protect them
26:46from dust
26:47and they have
26:48quite a big job to do.
26:50There are 10,000 books
26:51in this library.
26:54Blenheim's long library
26:55has been used
26:56as a location
26:56for numerous feature films
26:58and it's the longest room
27:00in the palace.
27:01But this grandiose space
27:02has had many different uses
27:04throughout its history.
27:05This room has seen
27:08so many things
27:09in its lifetime.
27:11During the First World War,
27:13this space was used
27:14as a hospital,
27:16as a convalescent hospital.
27:18Lots of soldiers,
27:20a team of nurses
27:21and they really,
27:24really took care
27:25of these men
27:26and made sure
27:27that they recovered
27:27as best they could.
27:30During the Second World War,
27:32from 1939 to 1940,
27:35we had a school
27:36evacuated here
27:38and so the Malvern Boys'
27:39schoolhouse
27:40used this
27:41as their dormitory.
27:42One of the boys,
27:43who was a very,
27:44very good cricketer,
27:45took it upon himself
27:46to have a bit of practice
27:47and he managed
27:49to smash one of the windows
27:51in the centre
27:51of the room there.
27:53And if you look
27:54very carefully
27:55at that organ pipe,
27:56it's got a great
27:57big dent in it
27:58and I think
27:59that was down
28:00to this young man
28:01as well.
28:02And of course,
28:03no story of Blenheim
28:05is complete
28:05without its mouse.
28:08So you can see
28:09little Jess Mouse
28:10up there
28:10and her job
28:11is to make sure
28:12that all the organ pipes
28:14are clear
28:15because if the holes
28:16get blocked up,
28:17then no sound
28:18comes out.
28:19With every mouse
28:20in position,
28:22Antonia's job
28:22is complete.
28:24But while they're
28:25meant for kids,
28:26they seem to be
28:27going down a treat
28:28regardless of age.
28:31Meanwhile,
28:33outside the palace walls,
28:34visitors are exploring
28:35the rest of the estate
28:37through the annual triathlon,
28:39which is currently
28:39in full swing.
28:47every wave of participants
28:53start at the Great Lake
28:54where Annie
28:55and the safety team
28:56are on hand
28:57to make sure
28:58everything is going swimmingly.
29:00I'm a Londoner
29:01and I always say
29:03the London events
29:03are my favourite
29:04but this is certainly
29:06the most stunning venue
29:07that I've ever worked
29:08at the triathlon
29:09or done a triathlon.
29:11All precautions
29:12are in place
29:13as the team
29:14at the lake
29:14are aware
29:15things can go wrong
29:16very quickly.
29:18We'll have a team
29:19of canoeists
29:20who just a few
29:21will stay right
29:21by the start
29:22all the time.
29:23Supporting Annie
29:24from the boat
29:24is Paul
29:25and it's fair to say
29:26he's seen it all.
29:28The most common thing
29:29is crank
29:30probably followed
29:31by panic attacks
29:33from people
29:33that weren't prepared
29:34for the cold water
29:35or something like that.
29:37Good morning
29:38everyone
29:39we have
29:39welcome to
29:40the first time
29:41of 2024.
29:44The next wave
29:46of triathletes
29:46are raring to go
29:47including staff member
29:49Michael
29:49from the IT team.
29:51Oh it's fantastic
29:51I mean that's one
29:52of the beauties
29:52of our work
29:53in our plenum
29:53is it's stuff like
29:54this that's so varied.
29:55Remember
29:56you've done the training
29:57you've done the mental
29:58preparation
29:59I haven't done
30:01much training for it
30:01I cycle into work
30:03every morning
30:03which is a similar
30:04cycle release
30:05to what we're doing
30:05today so I'm hoping
30:06that's going to
30:07get me through it.
30:08Probably the swimmer
30:08is the strongest
30:09weakest would definitely
30:10be the runner.
30:11I'm not a runner.
30:12No turning back now
30:14hopefully he hasn't
30:15bitten off more
30:16than he can chew.
30:17Three
30:18two
30:19one
30:20off we go.
30:27But the grooming swim
30:28is only the beginning
30:30as the triathletes
30:31are instantly faced
30:32with a taxing hill climb
30:34before the cycling section
30:36and it's already having
30:37an impact
30:38on newbie John.
30:40A bit tired
30:41just going to conserve
30:43for the bike ride.
30:46With spirits mostly high
30:48the next stage
30:49will see participants
30:50cycling along the roads
30:52that wind through
30:53the scenic forest.
30:54Meanwhile
30:56deep in the parkland
30:58head of conservation
30:59Philippe
31:00is beginning
31:01a day of surveys.
31:02We look at a place
31:03like Blenheim
31:05and this is only
31:06250, 300 acres
31:07of this woodland
31:09over here
31:09and
31:10only 7%
31:12of woodland
31:13in the UK
31:14is in good condition
31:15so you think
31:16you've got something
31:16that is
31:17you can't even
31:18put a value on it
31:19it is so
31:20so so precious.
31:21And to help Philippe
31:23and his team
31:24monitor the area
31:25David and the
31:26innovation team
31:27have been busy.
31:28One of the things
31:29that we've developed
31:30at Blenheim
31:31is a biodiversity
31:33app
31:34where we record
31:35species
31:36take a picture
31:37of it
31:38and then we'll
31:39search it
31:40using AI
31:41and using
31:42a database
31:43and then we can
31:44record it
31:45and we know
31:45exactly
31:46what species
31:47it is
31:48and how the species
31:49are changing
31:49with the climate.
31:50And bees
31:51are a crucial
31:52part of the
31:53ecosystem
31:53transferring pollen
31:55between flowering
31:56plants and keeping
31:56the cycle of life
31:57turning.
31:58It's estimated
31:5984% of all crops
32:01exist thanks to bees
32:02and so great
32:04is their impact
32:04that if they're
32:05wiped out
32:06mankind might
32:07only have
32:07four years
32:08left to live.
32:09We've got about
32:1053 colonies
32:11that have survived
32:12over five years
32:14way beyond
32:16the life expectancy
32:17of a managed
32:18honeybee colony
32:19which is 18 months
32:20to a maximum
32:21of two years.
32:22And with the
32:23triathletes cycling
32:24through here
32:25there'll never be
32:26more than a stone's
32:27throw away
32:27from the life
32:28of the ancient forest.
32:29There's a honeybee
32:31colony
32:31and when you see it
32:33you will not
32:35actually believe
32:35that the millions
32:36of people
32:37that come through
32:38here
32:38we have the triathlon
32:40here 5,000 people
32:41come past here
32:42and have their cameras
32:43and their phones
32:45and their binoculars
32:46and no one
32:47has spotted
32:48these honeybees.
32:50It goes to show
32:50how much we've lost
32:51not only the sense
32:54of observation
32:55of eyes
32:55but also the sound.
32:59Here
33:00three metres
33:01from the road
33:02up in this
33:04incredibly
33:05beautiful oak
33:06we've got
33:07a wild honeybee
33:08colony
33:09and the conservation
33:10tools
33:11don't just
33:11stop at the app.
33:13Here
33:13I have
33:14a thermal camera
33:15if you want
33:16to see
33:17life
33:17through here
33:18you can see
33:19the beating heart
33:20of the tree
33:21it is the most
33:22extraordinary thing.
33:24And when
33:24Philippe's around
33:25no one gets
33:26to walk past
33:27and miss out.
33:29There's actually
33:29an idea
33:30that the pheromones
33:31released by the trees
33:32actually attract
33:33the honeybee
33:34they're very similar
33:34to the honeybee
33:35pheromones
33:36so are the trees
33:37calling the bees
33:38in?
33:44Coming up
33:45it's pest control
33:46for the palace
33:47collections team.
33:48Every time you do
33:49that I think
33:49but you find something.
33:51And the triathletes
33:52hurry
33:53towards a big finish.
33:56I can do
33:56with jumping
33:57back in the lake.
34:04Blenheim Palace
34:13jewel of Oxfordshire
34:14took more than
34:1528 years
34:16to complete
34:17after work
34:18was stalled
34:18due to finances
34:19and a change
34:20of personnel
34:20when the first
34:22Duchess
34:22Sarah
34:23fell out
34:24with the architect
34:24Sir John Bambra.
34:27Part of the
34:28magnificent house
34:29is the long
34:30library
34:30measuring over
34:3255 metres
34:33and thought
34:33to be
34:34the second
34:34longest
34:35room
34:35in England.
34:36It's home
34:37to a stunning
34:37collection
34:38of 10,000
34:39books
34:39and much
34:40like his
34:41rodent
34:41counterpart
34:41apprentice
34:42George's
34:43work
34:43involves
34:44taking
34:44care
34:44of them.
34:46I was told
34:46the yellow jacket
34:47was me
34:47but I've only
34:48just realised
34:48he has
34:48a necklace
34:49on
34:49which is
34:49not
34:50perhaps
34:50my style.
34:52But today
34:52Carmen
34:53Deputy Collections
34:54Manager
34:54is here
34:55to outline
34:56George's
34:56next task.
34:57George?
34:58Yeah?
34:59So what we need to do
35:00today
35:00if you don't mind
35:01is dusting
35:04these books.
35:05Sure.
35:06Now, do you want
35:07another challenge?
35:09I do.
35:09We can see what
35:11you can achieve
35:12in an hour.
35:13If we don't have
35:14any early groups
35:14you've got to
35:15until 30.
35:16Yes.
35:16By then
35:17everything must be
35:18locked and
35:19equipment cleaned,
35:20washed and
35:21safe.
35:23To avoid disturbing
35:24the visitors
35:25George must work
35:26quickly but with
35:27such a delicate
35:28task there's too
35:29much at stake
35:30to rush things.
35:32Well, I remember
35:32when I did first
35:33start cleaning
35:34the books
35:34and it was a bit
35:35of pressure doing
35:36it.
35:36I think it's just
35:37like, oh God,
35:37I'm going to go
35:38clean 200, 300
35:39year old books.
35:40What if I make
35:40a mistake?
35:41That never goes
35:42away, I must say.
35:44You're responsible
35:45for something unique.
35:47Yeah.
35:47Bigger than you
35:48and bigger than
35:49everyone else
35:50that are here.
35:50It's good to have
35:51that respect.
35:52It's good to have
35:52that fear.
35:52You don't get
35:53blasé, do you?
35:54Exactly.
35:55You know, you're
35:55not handling apples.
35:56No.
35:57Very true.
35:58And it's not
35:58only man-made
35:59damage that the
36:00conservation team
36:01fear.
36:02So I'm just going
36:02to check the
36:02front and back
36:03cover for moths
36:04and dust them
36:05and then check
36:06in the pages
36:06for moths a few.
36:09Book lice and
36:09moths are just
36:10some of the pests
36:11that keep the team
36:12up at night.
36:13They are now
36:15moving everywhere
36:16because everything
36:16is constrained
36:17and everything
36:18has been packed
36:18properly.
36:19So they are
36:20moving into
36:20different areas.
36:22I can't imagine
36:23how bad it would
36:23be if they spread
36:24to 10,500.
36:24And George
36:29is ever
36:30eagle-eyed.
36:34I'm going to
36:34avoid hoovering
36:35over damaged
36:36bits.
36:37Is it loose?
36:38Is it anything?
36:39No, I just
36:40didn't want to
36:40loosen it,
36:41you know,
36:41going over.
36:42It's fine.
36:42We just need to,
36:43when we put it
36:43back on the shelf,
36:44we just need to
36:44be careful that we
36:45don't put any
36:46weight.
36:46Yeah.
36:47It was quite dusty.
36:48I think it's
36:49the location.
36:50Every time
36:54you do that,
36:55I think that
36:55you find something
36:56in it.
36:57So as you do,
36:58I panic.
37:00As impressive
37:01as the library's
37:02collection is,
37:03back in the day,
37:04it was twice the
37:05size.
37:06The original
37:07collection was
37:07over 20,000 books.
37:09Unfortunately,
37:10time passed
37:12within the family
37:14and some money
37:15went away,
37:16so the seventh
37:16duke sold
37:17the Sunderland
37:18collection,
37:18the remaining
37:19were sold
37:20as well
37:20by the eighth
37:21duke.
37:21And then,
37:22thanks to the
37:23ninth duke,
37:24we managed to
37:25bring at least
37:25over 10,000
37:26books back.
37:27Even incomplete,
37:29the collection,
37:30with its many
37:30personal touches,
37:32is truly
37:32awe-inspiring.
37:33They go from
37:35gardening,
37:36a little bit
37:37of fashion,
37:39history,
37:40plenty of
37:41history ones,
37:42history of art,
37:43which they are
37:44my favourite.
37:45Oh, the natural
37:46history ones,
37:46because they
37:47always have
37:47pictures in them.
37:48Yes.
37:48Lovely watercolours,
37:50all sorts.
37:52If you go to
37:53the British Library,
37:54the books are
37:55rightly so,
37:56kind of pristine
37:57and unmarked,
37:58whereas here,
37:58there were notes
37:59I found,
37:59love letters in
38:00books,
38:00I found sketches
38:01of a woman in
38:02profile,
38:03you know,
38:03to my duchess
38:04in a book,
38:05which I think
38:05that personal
38:05touch makes
38:06it interesting
38:06for me.
38:07Yes,
38:07absolutely correct.
38:09I think you
38:10have this under
38:10control, George.
38:11I think so.
38:13Not at all.
38:13See you in a bit.
38:14See you in a bit.
38:14And with his
38:17deadline looming,
38:18George cracks
38:19on with the job.
38:21Meanwhile,
38:23Spot,
38:24the robot dog,
38:25is finishing up
38:26his scan of the
38:26palace's vast
38:27collections with the
38:28goal of creating a
38:29highly detailed 3D
38:31map of Blenheim.
38:32And today,
38:38David,
38:39head of innovation,
38:40is showing Kate,
38:41keeper of palace,
38:42the first results.
38:46It's pretty amazing.
38:47You can see a lot of
38:48detail on the ceiling.
38:49Can I go up to the
38:50ceiling?
38:50Yeah.
38:53This is a replica
38:54of the building,
38:55and again,
38:56we can make this
38:56more detailed.
38:57We can start looking
38:58at how we can
38:59predict failure
38:59in the building,
39:00and using these
39:01sorts of tools
39:02and techniques
39:03just enables us
39:04to do a lot more.
39:05Absolutely,
39:06and we can just
39:06keep an eye on
39:07any cracks that we
39:08have.
39:10Oh, wow.
39:12So, how about
39:12doing your work
39:13from home now?
39:17I'm not sure
39:17it will work
39:18all of the time.
39:19No.
39:20I'd say even
39:21monitoring, like,
39:22the tops of the
39:22curtains.
39:23But being able
39:24to go into detail
39:25and really inspect
39:26the fabrics as well,
39:27so whether it's
39:28a tapestry,
39:29higher.
39:29What do you think?
39:31I think it's
39:32amazing.
39:33Yeah.
39:33Yeah.
39:34Yeah, incredible.
39:35There's so many ways
39:35that can help.
39:37It's all about
39:38conservation at
39:39Blenheim,
39:40and back over in
39:41High Park,
39:42estate conservation
39:43manager Philippe
39:44is continuing his
39:45survey of the
39:46ancient woodland.
39:47Over here,
39:48we've got a path
39:50that leads us
39:50into High Park,
39:53probably, you know,
39:53one of the most
39:54biodiverse and
39:55important areas
39:56in the U.K.,
39:57but an example
39:58of what we can
39:59do with ecology.
40:02This area was not
40:03touched by Capability
40:04Brown.
40:05This has just
40:06evolved through
40:07the ages and
40:07been maintained
40:08through the ages.
40:09Twice a year,
40:10we're going around,
40:11we survey all the
40:12trees, over
40:131,100 trees,
40:14individually.
40:16And we now,
40:17not only are we
40:18looking up,
40:18but we're looking
40:19down as well.
40:21We're just
40:21surrounded by
40:22veteran and
40:22ancient oaks.
40:23These are all
40:23magnificent,
40:24looking at
40:25300, 400,
40:26some of them
40:27600 years old.
40:30And today,
40:31Philippe has been
40:31joined by a
40:32colleague, Francis,
40:33to carry out
40:34the essential
40:34checks.
40:36We're measuring
40:36incremental growth.
40:38Believe it or not,
40:38these trees aren't
40:39static, they are
40:40still, in fact,
40:40growing.
40:42So we're just
40:43monitoring the
40:43progression of the
40:44tree as it
40:44keeps getting older.
40:47Good news,
40:48very good news.
40:48We'll check it
40:49against the database
40:49and see if it's
40:50grown in the last
40:51few years.
40:51At 600 years old,
40:53it's not done
40:54yet, and every
40:55ancient tree in
40:56this forest has
40:57a story to tell,
40:58but one has a
40:59greater story than
41:00any other.
41:02This tree has
41:03been here for
41:051,000 years.
41:07It was here
41:07before the palace
41:09was even thought
41:11of, before it
41:13was built.
41:13The era of
41:15William the
41:16Conqueror invading
41:18England, this would
41:19have been a
41:20sapling or it
41:21would have been
41:21germinating.
41:22It's managed
41:24to survive
41:25browsing, human
41:26interference, fires,
41:28droughts, heat.
41:30For me, there's
41:31a real sort of
41:31reverence about it.
41:34I mean, maybe
41:35it's just me, but
41:36I feel when I walk
41:37in these woods and
41:38I see a tree like
41:40this, or particularly
41:40when I'm around a
41:41tree like this, that
41:42you really get
41:44really get emotional.
41:48and with the triathletes
41:59approaching, thoughts
42:00turn to the impact
42:02the event has on the
42:03parkland.
42:04We'll see about
42:052,000 to 3,000 bikes
42:06sort of entering an
42:08area that they
42:08wouldn't normally be
42:09entering.
42:10It's normally quite
42:11low footfall in this
42:12area.
42:13Our biggest impact
42:14with the triathlon
42:14will be rubbish lost
42:16throughout the event.
42:18It tends to fall out
42:19of people's pockets
42:19and get blown around
42:21by the wind.
42:22The positive part of
42:23the triathlon is it's
42:25the message about the
42:27importance of these
42:28habitats.
42:29Yes, even though we
42:30want people to have a
42:30look at them, but just
42:31how precious they are
42:33and how they need to be
42:35protected.
42:41Meanwhile, with the
42:42triathlon nearing its
42:43end, the cyclists are
42:45exiting the forest and
42:46heading back towards
42:47the palace.
42:48The atmosphere is
42:49buzzing today.
42:51We are very happy.
42:52The sun is out.
42:53Participants are
42:54flowing.
42:56I guess they're
42:57having a great day.
42:59So we're really
43:00pleased with it.
43:01You started in the
43:03water.
43:04You took to your
43:05bike and now
43:06taking you home on
43:08your nets, your feet
43:09and your determination.
43:12And it's good news for
43:13Michael from the
43:13Blenheim IT team, as
43:15his cycle to work
43:16every morning seems to
43:17have been enough to get
43:18him across the finish
43:18line.
43:19But there's only one
43:20thing on his mind.
43:21I think I'm going to
43:22get a beer.
43:22That's my go-to after
43:24a race is a nice cold
43:26beer.
43:27And he's not the only
43:28one to make it.
43:29Triathlon newbies
43:30John, Paul and Tom
43:31can also delight in
43:33their achievement.
43:36About as difficult as
43:37I imagine it would be.
43:39I can do me jumping
43:39back in the lake.
43:42It's really stunning.
43:43Yeah, it's good
43:43saying.
43:44Good saying.
43:44Come back for a nice
43:45walk.
43:46Yeah, yeah, yeah.
43:47Definitely come to that
43:48place.
43:49For events manager
43:50Natalie, it's all
43:51about the people.
43:52I think what makes an
43:53event like this is the
43:55spectators and the
43:56supporters that come
43:56along and the atmosphere
43:58when they finish and get
43:59their medal is electric.
44:03The 20th anniversary of
44:05the Blenheim Triathlon has
44:06gone off without a hitch.
44:08And the team can tick off
44:09another event on the busy
44:11Blenheim calendar.
44:12Next time, history comes to
44:17life with the palace
44:18guides.
44:19We've got to make sure
44:19that your hair is straight
44:20at all times.
44:21Blenheim's property
44:22manager has a fight on
44:24his hands.
44:25It's the whole childhood
44:26make-believe.
44:27And the palace tapestries
44:28are getting a makeover.
44:30It's a really quick
44:31release mechanism.
44:32And that's brand new
44:36Blenheim Palace at the
44:37slightly earlier time of
44:3810 past 8 next Saturday.
44:40From the team that brought
44:41you all creatures, will
44:42their high society party
44:43see the hard acres gain
44:45respect at last?
44:46The family saga continues
44:47new Monday at 9.
44:49Next tonight, she's the
44:50princess of hearts whose
44:51speeches inspire a nation
44:52uncover her extraordinary
44:54journey in brand new Kate
44:55in her own words after the
44:57break.
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