Category: 91Èȱ¬
Date: 07.02.2006
Printable version
Independent producers from across England have contributed to a new series of regionally-based documentaries to be screened on 91Èȱ¬ ONE this month - Seven Man-Made Wonders.
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The series builds on the success of the English Regions' series Seven Natural Wonders which screened regionally on 91Èȱ¬ ONE.
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All of the programmes have since been repeated on 91Èȱ¬ TWO network.
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From the North West to the South East, each 91Èȱ¬ region across England is simultaneously broadcasting a regional programme that explores seven man-made wonders in their local areas.
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The sites - all built before 1901 - were nominated by 91Èȱ¬ viewers and listeners and are considered to be wonders of the modern world.
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The programmes can be seen on the evening of Sunday 12 February at 6.15pm, with some of the programmes broadcasting as a network series later in the spring.
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Each of the 11 regional films has been made by an independent company, including Little Gem for the West region and Seventh House Films for the East region.
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From castles, factories and cathedrals to lighthouses, stone circles, and canals - even countryside shaped by human hand - these regional programmes visit some of the awe-inspiring man-made structures across England.
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Some are familiar, whilst others may be new discoveries for viewers.
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Here is a selection of some of the Seven Man-Made Wonders each 91Èȱ¬ region has to offer:
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East and West Midlands: Iron Bridge, the world's first ever all-iron structure; Chatsworth House, the magnificent stately home; and Stamford with its mix of medieval and Georgian buildings which has been turned into a film set for several period dramas.
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East of England: The Norfolk Broads - until around 50 years ago it was thought they were natural but they are in fact man-made; and the Triangular Lodge in Rushton, adorned with mysterious carvings and symbols, their hidden meanings disguising the building's true religious significance.
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London: St Paul's Cathedral designed by Christopher Wren; and the Metropolitan Line, the world's first underground railway.
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North: Salts Mill, once a textile mill employing 3,000 workers, now part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to David Hockney art galleries, shops and offices; and the Ribblehead Viaduct rising some 100 feet above the floor of the Pennines and carrying the Settle to Carlisle railway in considerable style.
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North East and Cumbria: Durham Cathedral, said by Bill Bryson to be "the best cathedral on planet earth"; the 900 tonne Swing Bridge over the Tyne at Newcastle; and Vindolanda - a fort on Hadrian's Wall.
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North West: The iconic symbol of Blackpool, the Blackpool Tower; and a building claimed to be Europe's finest example of neo-classical architecture - St George's Hall in Liverpool.
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South: The New Forest, created in 1079 by William the Conqueror as a hunting area; and Stonehenge thought to have been completed around 1300 BC.
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South East: the romantic Leeds Castle; and Canterbury Cathedral which became the centre of Christianity in Britain.
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South West: the Royal Albert Bridge, Brunel's last masterpiece; and the Bishop Rock Lighthouse which stands defiantly off the Scilly Isles withstanding the worst that the Atlantic Ocean can throw at it.
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West: The Kennet & Avon Canal, including the magnificent Caen Hill flight of 16 locks, a scheduled Ancient Monument; and Silbury Hill, the largest man-made earth mound in Europe.
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Details of the independent companies and the Seven Man-Made Wonders for each region are available to the media on request.
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