Historic gardens to star in TV documentary series

Scotney Castle opened its doors to the BBC documentary which airs on Friday

A historic Kent mansion and its gardens are set to feature prominently in a TV documentary series.

Scotney Castle, near Lamberhurst, is one of the central stories in Friday's episode of Hidden Treasures of the National Trust on BBC Two.

The episode goes behind the scenes while staff conserve a table created by architect Anthony Salvin, who built Scotney’s mansion in the 1830s.

Helen Davis, the collections and house manager, said it was "Salvin's vision woven through the building and contents inside that links seamlessly with the picturesque landscape beyond".

Salvin's table is on display in the library in the mansion.

The documentary also features Christopher Hussey’s sketchbooks documenting his travels to country houses across the country from 1936 onwards.

They became the basis for articles in Country Life magazine, where Hussey highlighted the cultural and creative significance of the English country home.

The documentary features the restoration of a table by Anthony Salvin

Jerzy Kierkuc-Bielinski, cultural heritage curator, said: “Christopher's sketchbooks are a window into his passion for country houses and their rich collections.

"The watercolours and photos they contained would help Christopher to formulate his later approach to protecting this heritage and making it accessible to the public.”

To mark the series, a temporary display of Christopher Hussey’s sketchbooks is currently on display for visitors in the mansion.

Hidden Treasures of the National Trust airs on BBC Two on 24 May at 21:00 BST.