From
Brunel's engineering triumph, the Royal Albert Bridge, to the picture-postcard
beauty of Clovelly, Samantha Smith explores seven awe-inspiring man made structures
that make the South West so special. The wonders were nominated by BBC
South West viewers and listeners and were all built before 1901. Amongst
the wonders is Clovelly, the picture-postcard village which clings to the cliffs
of North Devon. Remarkably it's the work of just one man. There's
also one or two surprises on the list including Treffry's Viaduct, built by the
19th Century Cornish engineer Joseph Treffry. Talking about the making of
the programme presenter Sam Smith says, "Having explored the South West for
the Seven Natural Wonders programme, I thought discovering its man-made wonders
would involve a relaxing stroll around a few interesting buildings. "I
couldn't have been more wrong. I've been up ladders, down mines, airlifted to
a lighthouse and perched high up in a bizarre spherical rescue cage on the Plymouth
Breakwater!" |