Accidental Fame: FLAG Members’ Surprise TV Debut!

 

Ashby - Tea and cake enjoyed by all

Our summer outings always bring a few surprises, but this one truly caught us off guard! During a recent visit to a historic house, our members suddenly found themselves sharing the space with a TV crew filming on site. What started as a relaxed day out quickly turned into an unexpected brush with the spotlight, complete with interviews and the surreal moment of later spotting familiar faces on screen. It was a day full of laughter, excitement, and a reminder that being part of FLAG can lead to moments you’d never quite plan, but will never forget. 

 And here we are on the TV!!

From Channel 4 with Penelope Keith. FLAG members enjoy their tea! Follow the link to the programme to see the whole episode. 

 Here, our Secretary, Lyn shares her experience in her own words:

  

photo courtesy of C Gifford.

ASHBY MANOR HOUSE, ASHBY ST LEDGERS, NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

A private tour of Ashby Manor House and Garden was enjoyed by members of FLAG last September.The charming owner gave us a history of this beautiful house which included being   the home of the Catesby family from 1400 until 1612.  The famous gatehouse has an atmospheric room which is believed to be where Robert Catesby and his fellow conspirators may have hatched the Gunpowder Plot.  

Sir Edwin Lutyens made impressive additions to the original house and the gardens which, our host explained, are being  restored to the original Lutyens designs. It was a fascinating visit thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Throughout the afternoon our host was followed  by a camera crew which we discovered were from Channel 4 as Ashby Manor was featuring on the programme Penelope Keith Saving Country Houses. Giving tours of the house and garden was a new venture and our visit was filmed.  Of course, we have been looking forward to seeing this on TV and have recently enjoyed the whole series and especially the last episode which featured our visit!  We were even filmed tucking into delicious tea and cakes.  It was certainly a memorable visit!

 

Ashby. Photo courtesy of C Gifford

Ashby: Photo courtesy of C Gifford, who says: " Joined on to the manor house is a genuine half-timbered building which, far from being a survival of the early Ashby Manor, was resited here in 1908.You can see more of her photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carolyn_gifford/

 

 

Ashby - photo courtesy of C Gifford