How We Built Britain

As part of Slice of Life, Kevin Fernihough and the team headed up to the North-East the and furthest point of the county to visit the people and buildings of the beautiful village of Easton On The Hill.

The Priest's House gate

The locals made the team feel most welcome and opened up their historic buildings so that they could discover the secrets and history lying behind the stone walls.

Mentioned in the Doomsday book, Easton on the Hill is an ancient village which remains relatively unchanged for hundreds of years. Although the two butchers shops, blacksmiths, 12 pubs and several brothels may have all gone, there still remains the two most ancient buildings in the village - the Church and the Priest's House.

All Saints Church and Priest's House

The church dates back to the 12th century and the Priest's House, back to the 15th. Although the history is sketchy, the Priest's House is believed to have been built and then later added to with a different style door, windows and a spiral staircase housed in a local sandstone made tower. Before it was built, the priest would have slept in the church.

Fern and listeners in the Priest's House

It later fell into disrepair and was used to house cattle until not too long ago when the National Trust took ownership of the property. Along with local residents, the house is now maintained by the trust which included it getting a new roof. Upstairs, there is now a small museum to the village with many artifacts from the area including an exploded bomb from WWII which took a story off a local house.

Listen to Mike Wilson, All Saint's Church Warden talk about the church and its organ:

During WWII the village played host to a regiment of Polish soldiers who later were deployed to Arnhem. Members of the village still visit their graves each year. And their presence their ensures that today the road around the back of the church to the Priest's house is still called the Tank Road.

The local steel producer from Corby, Corus, donated the steel for the new bell frame that holds the church's six bells in place. The church has no stained glass but does have box pews and a special seat for the priest's assistant. The organ is a much prized part of the church and is still played by various people who travel from all over the country to play it.

Listen to Tony Riley talk about the bells of the church and the bell ringing group:

Fern talks to Collyweston slater, David

The buildings of the village are mainly roofed in Collyweston slate which is the same material which covers the Houses of Parliament. Now in a heritage zone, any repairs or changes to buildings in the village, must ensure they use the same slate which means recycling the roves from barns and other buildings as the slate is no longer minned.

We spoke to a remaining Collyweston Slater, David Ellis about life as a slater and the Collyweston slates:

Click below to take a walk around the village with Kevin and Paul: