The title is Raising the Roof! but it could just as easily be Hold Your Breath. The latest edition of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust takes on projects where a single misstep could erase centuries of history. This isn’t just about dusting off old furniture; it’s a high-stakes logistical operation where the past is quite literally hanging by a thread.
The episode splits its time between two monumental tasks. First, we’re at Lanhydrock, a grand Jacobean mansion near Bodmin Moor, where a team is painstakingly conserving the 17th-century long gallery ceiling. Every square centimeter must be cleaned, stabilized, and repainted—a job so delicate that it makes most home renovation shows look like reckless demolition. The scale of the work is immense, a quiet battle against time and decay fought on scaffolding high above the ground.
Then it’s over to Coughton Court, a Tudor manor in Warwickshire facing a more immediate structural crisis. With the roofs and facades failing, the entire historic collection is at risk. The centerpiece of this segment is the removal of the Tabula Eliensis, a rare Catholic artifact depicting the coats of arms of gentlemen interned by Elizabeth I. To save it before the roof is restored, the piece must be hoisted by crane through a tiny opening in the ceiling. It’s a nerve-wracking procedure that puts the focus on the physical dangers of preservation work.
Catch the meticulous and tense restoration efforts when Hidden Treasures of the National Trust airs Friday, June 20 at 9:00 PM on BBC Two.
