A stunning aerial guide to Britain's spectacular architectural heritage - from the producers of BBC TV's Wainwright Walks and Railway Walks.
Britain boasts one of the most diverse and rich collections of domestic architecture in the world. In this spectacular film we explore the building of Britain’s homes from the very earliest days to the modern houses of today.
Stunning aerial photography, from Skyworks's advanced high definition cameras, offers unrivalled views of some of the most important and landscape-defining buildings as we travel through the development of architecture. From ancient Celtic settlements to modern suburbia, this is an absorbing journey - with narration from Richard Mervyn - through the styles, influences, demands and social impact of ever-changing home design.
The cameras tour the length and breadth of Britain to show the remains of Roman villas, the Norman statements of power, mediaeval fortified manor houses, the grandeur of the Tudor age, the Baroque and Neo-Classical traditions and beyond to the solutions to increasing demand for homes in the 20th century.
The influences of Europe are shown with aerial footage from Denmark, France and Italy, and we are treated to mouth-watering views of the great British “homes”, including the Tower of London, Longleat, Chatsworth House, Castle Howard and Blenheim Palace. We witness the impact of architectural development on towns, including the Roman influences on York, the Neo-Classical shaping of Bath, Bristol and Edinburgh’s New Town and even the tower blocks of the 1950s.
Building Britain also charts the work of the great names behind the design of British homes, such as Sir Christopher Wren, Sir John Vanbrugh, Robert Adam, Inigo Jones, the champion of the Arts and Craft movement William Morris and the genius garden designers, such as ‘Capability’ Brown, whose work defined the building of Britain as much as the fine houses.
Building Britain is not only a fascinating guide to changes in architecture over more than 2,000 years, it is also a wonderful opportunity to see many of the most famous buildings like never before, viewed in detail from the air.