Petworth House: The Big Spring Clean
Andrew Graham-Dixon goes behind the scenes at one of Britain's most beautiful stately homes, spending a winter working with the National Trust's conservation team at Petworth House in West Sussex.
- 2011-2011
- 1 season
- Documentary
Andrew Graham-Dixon goes behind the scenes at one of Britain's most beautiful stately homes, spending a winter working with the National Trust's conservation team at Petworth House in West Sussex.
Season 1 Episode Guide
6 Episodes 2011
Episode 1
Putting the House to Bed
Andrew Graham-Dixon becomes an honorary member of the expert conservation team, as they commence the epic task of 'putting the house to bed' for the winter. He gets up close and personal with a Turner painting, does the dishes the National Trust way, vacuums one of Britain's rarest rugs and learns the secrets of a book which predates the invention of printing.
Episode 2
Pride & Petworth
Andrew Graham-Dixon uncovers the history of Petworth House, as he learns how to vacuum-clean sculptures, perfectly polish banisters, preserve Capability Brown's immense parkland and buff-up baroque angels in the chapel.
Episode 3
Natural Beauty
Andrew Graham-Dixon discovers an ingenious approach to caring for crumbling wood carvings, tackles Turner with a vacuum cleaner, sets sail across an 18th-century water feature and meets a world authority on the science of dust.
Episode 4
Below Stairs
Andrew and the team leave the grandeur of the main house behind in order to tackle the servants' block. He dons a boiler suit to take on the filthiest task of the winter and polishes some of the 1,000-piece copper cookware range. Also, a horologist visits to make sure Petworth's antique clocks are keeping time.
Episode 5
Art in the Deep Freeze
Andrew takes a turn around Britain's earliest globe and reveals the hidden identity of a 2,000-year-old Roman, while an ailing Gainsborough landscape is restored to glory.
Episode 6
Waking Up the House
To finish his stint, Andrew battles an invasion of moths in one of Petworth's 35 bedrooms, before uncovering the house's many treasures once more and welcoming back an eager visiting public.