Caz's Cumbrian Quiz

The Radio Programmes

The programme maker - Caz Graham

Nestling close to the wall Cawfields Farm most certainly has some of the roman stone in its foundations. But the soldiers wouldn't have been greeted by the scent that wafts gently in the breeze today. Imagine the smell of oats, butter, caramel, chocolate and fruit, for this is where they make the most delicious flapjacks.

Justine Blake supplies select outlets across the lakes and the North East and the Lakes and now employs two local women in the former milking parlour.

Sadly back in 2001 Cawfields lost its 800 sheep and 200 cattle to foot and mouth. Anticipating the restrictions as the disease swept through the countryside Justine placed her goods in fridges all over the area and managed to keep supplying her customers.

She set up Border Homebake 12 years ago because she disliked the daily commute into Newcastle where she worked in a building society, so she decided to set up her own business at home.

The farm is owned by the National Trust and Justine and her pertner Nick are the tenants. They are looking into opening up a tea room and I can vouch for the fact the sweet smell will draw walkers in their droves.

Vindolanda Roman Fort predates the wall and it's where we met Kerry Bowes. She came here on a 2 week volunteer dig and it changed her life.

With her fine art training, she was asked if she could also sculpt some replica altars. She was so good they are now on display and after several years of weathering you would be hard pushed to tell the difference between her handiwork and the real thing.

Kerry noticed some of the orginal altars had mistakes in the patterns and suggests a bit too much wine the night before could have influenced the mason's skills. She became hooked with all things ancient and she's now training to become a museum curator.

Andrew Birley meanwhile is following in his parents' and grandparents' footsteps. The family set up a trust which now owns and excavates the site. The perfect soil conditions mean that relics can be lifted out of the ground as shiny and perfect as they day they were left behind. An immense number of writing tablets have been found and by logging all the names they're building up a soap opera of characters who lived at the camp over the centuries.

Large sections of the wall are now owned and cared for by the likes of English Heritage and the National Trust. Their dilemma has been to encourage visitors whilst ensuring they don't harm the wall.

The National Trust's property manager for the wall is Andrew Poad. He and his dog Ben think they have the best job in the world.

Historically no one can say for certain if the Romans ever walked along the top of Hadrian's Wall. Despite the obvious temptation walkers are encouraged to keep off and stroll alongside it instead. Andrew says most people understand when it's pointed out how fragile the wall is.

Back in Victorian times, John Clayton realised the wall was being plundered for its stone to build farm walls and buildings so he restored sections of the wall. But how can you tell what is original wall and what is a Victorian fake? Andrew says it's easy. The Romans used a lime mortar which can still be seen - usually there's some grass or plant growing out of it, but the Victorians used a dry-stone wall technique. Often you can see one reconstructed layer on top of the real one.

An Englishman's castle is his home.... well not quite here at Langley as it's now owned by an American Professor and he's turned it into an hotel. What's remarkable about the castle is that it has hardly changed since it was built in 1364. After only 50 years it was gutted by fire and though it passed through many hands no one made it habitable until in 1882. Cadwallader Bates bought the property and made it his life's ambition to restore it. Because none of the intervening generations had added their period influences to the architecture it looks pretty much as it did 600 years ago.

Sadly Cadwallader died in 1902, only a few years into his restoration project, but his wife Josephine realised his dream and even built a Catholic chapel in the south east Tower. She had to gain special permission from the Pope to be able to hold mass there in remembrance of her husband.