Secrets of the National Trust with Alan Titchmarsh — Season 5
About this season
Alan Titchmarsh and a host of familiar faces have a privileged insider’s view into some of Britain’s most intriguing historical homes and gardens. Alan visits a number of fascinating buildings including Hardwick Hall, Kingston Lacy and he even sets foot inside a notorious Workhouse. Throughout the series, Alan will be joined by the likes of Dan Jones, Angellica Bell, Suzannah Lipscomb and more famous faces.
Episodes (5)
1. Kingston Lacy
Aired 17 November 2020 • 45 min
The presenter visits the Dorset estate of Kingston Lacy, a country house with a vast collection of rare art, including an Egyptian obelisk which proved vital to the original deciphering of ancient hieroglyphics. The house also has a history of scandal involving its 19th-century owner William Bankes, who was forced to flee the country and live in exile - but is rumoured to have occasionally snuck back home. Plus, Alison Hammond meets the estate's herd of cows and Oz Clarke visits nearby Corfe Castle.
2. Kedleston Hall
Aired 24 November 2020 • 45 min
Alan Titchmarsh is joined by Shappi Khorsandi to explore Kedleston Hall in Derby, and learn about its most famous past resident - George Nathaniel Curzon, Viceroy of India.
3. Ham House
Aired 1 December 2020 • 45 min
Alan Titchmarsh visits Ham House on the banks of the River Thames, braving the house's ghost tour and learning of a remarkable female resident who lived during the Civil War.
4. Penrhyn Castle
Aired 8 December 2020 • 45 min
Alan Titchmarsh reveals the shocking truth about Penrhyn Castle and how it was built from fortunes made in the plantations of the West Indies.
5. Tyntesfield
Aired 15 December 2020 • 45 min
At Tyntesfield, Alan learns about the rise of William Gibbs, who became the richest non-aristocrat in 19th-century Britain through the trade of guano - otherwise known as bird droppings. Meanwhile, Chef Tony Singh and presenter Miriam O’Reilly explore beyond the Victorian Gothic house to discover the estate’s gardens, while Louis Emerick visits Mr Straw’s House in Nottinghamshire where, like Tyntesfield, it seems as though time has stood still for almost a century.