Buildings That Shaped Britain Episode Guide

Episode Guide

• Season 1 Episode 8: Modernism

  Simon Thurley's exploration of British architecture draws to a close with an examination of contemporary trends. He highlights the influences of Eastern Europe on modern buildings around the country, and how World War Two bombings changed many an urban horizon. Plus, the construction of high-density tower blocks in the 1950s and 1960s, and other late-20th-century practices. Last in series

• Season 1 Episode 7: The Industrial Revolution

  Simon Thurley's exploration of the history of British architecture reaches the Industrial Revolution. By 1850, the widespread use of such materials as iron, coal and lead gave rise to the mill - the largest type of structure conceived since the cathedral. Civic monuments of communal pride such as town halls, libraries and courtrooms, soon followed

• Season 1 Episode 6: The Countryside Revolution

  Simon Thurley's trawl through the history of British architecture reaches the 18th century. Garden writer Jane Owen reflects on a completely different attitude toward natural landscapes from that of today, visiting the landscaped park of Croome Park and Capability Brown's masterpiece, the grounds of Blenheim Palace

• Season 1 Episode 5: Birth of the Metropolis

  Simon Thurley investigates the evolution of cities across the country. He journeys from the garden squares of London to the Royal Crescent in Bath, before exploring the old and new quarters of Edinburgh. Along the way, he discovers how contemporary architectural features such as terraced houses, shop fronts and sash windows were conceived

• Season 1 Episode 4: The Country House

  Simon Thurley and garden writer Jane Owen investigate the history of the British country house, and how it mirrors the political shift that occurred following the Reformation. Originally a refined architectural design, the structure came to incorporate domestic features such as bedrooms and dining rooms, and became symbolic of the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern world

• Season 1 Episode 3: Castles and Monasteries

  Simon Thurley explores the number of castles and monasteries built in Britain between the 11th and 16th centuries. At the time of the Reformation, Henry VIII ordered the dissolution of the monastic houses, since they were symbols of a power that threatened his newly formed Church of England. Out of 800, all but 16 were destroyed, the remainder being held for the King's own religious purposes

• Season 1 Episode 2: Skyscrapers of the Middle Ages

  Simon Thurley turns his attention to Gothic architecture - a style that developed toward the end of the 12th century, characterised by pointed arches, flying buttresses and ribbed vaults. Originated by William of Sense, who designed a replacement east wing for Canterbury Cathedral, it was soon incorporated into churches and minsters throughout the country

• Season 1 Episode 1: Conquest

  Simon Thurley travels the length and breadth of the country, stopping off at historic landmarks. He explains how architecture has evolved over the centuries, and what buildings' structures reveal about the socio-political contexts of their time. In the first programme he recalls the Normans' invasion of Britain, and the edifices they left behind