UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone!
  Castle Quest
  Castles In General & Medieval History
  LWT Dungeon Documentary

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
profile | register | preferences | faq | search

next newest topic | next oldest topic
Author Topic:   LWT Dungeon Documentary
Rob
Member
posted 03-13-2001 02:03 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Rob   Click Here to Email Rob     Edit/Delete Message
Hiya,

I am currently researching a documentary for London Weekend Television (LWT) and am keen to talk to people who know of interesting true stories associated with dungeons. Here is some further information about the programme to give you an idea about our project.

LWT has been commissioned by the Discovery Travel Channel to make a 60 minute programme on 'Dungeons'. The programme will be a travel show looking to reveal 'hidden' secrets of British history for American tourists planning to visit the UK. The intention is to give the impression of revealing secrets that only a few know. The programme will initially be shown on American television and will have a potential audience of 40 million.

We are looking for interesting stories relating to dungeons, the torture that took place inside them, modern-day uses for dungeons and anything else related to them. We are also keen to talk to experts in the field of dungeons & torture who would be able to help us find interesting places and characters for the documentary - as well as potentially feature in the programme themselves. The programme aims to incorporate dungeons around Europe as well as the UK

I am working towards a very tight deadline and ideally I would be keen to speak to someone this week (12th March) about the programme.

I hope this information is useful. Please phone me on my number below. I look forward to hearing from you,

Rob Lambie
Researcher LWT
(Direct) 020 7578 2381
Rob.Lambie@Granadamedia.com

Philip Davis
unregistered
posted 03-13-2001 02:22 PM           Edit/Delete Message
I would have thought you really want a profession historian (Richard Holmes seems to be the TV historian of the hour - no disrespect to Prof Holmes, just a comment on fashion). Here at CQ were really just castle buffs who are reliant on professional historians for our information as anyone - though perhaps some of use have read more and read with more judgement.
Since some of the most gory torture took place in the 12C - Robert Belleme Earl of Shropshire was the most notorious - and at this time specialised prison cells were rare (Store rooms and cellars were used -notable the store room at the base of a castle's great tower. The whole tower was sometimes called the Donjon from which is dervived the word dungeon. Castle afficinardo's usual try to avoid dungeon because of this confusion and refer to prison cells.) Indeed very little remains of any of Belleme's castles.
However, of the castles I've visited where prison cells are clearly seen and where there may be good stories I'd try;

  • Warwick Castle (always keen to be on the telly) with costumed intrepreters and a rack I recall.
  • Berkeley Castle. Famous as the place where Edward II was killed by the placing of a red hot iron poker in a part of his body where the scar wouldn't show. I personal like the idea of a king getting his come uppance but I suppose the religious right wing might like the idea of for other reasons.
  • The Tower of London

I'm sorry I don't do personal emails or calls in response to posts in public forums.

------------------
And the astronomyours beheldyne the constellacions of hys bryth by thare castle, and foundyn that he sholde bene wyse and curteyse, good of consaill
Secreta Secretorum

Visit Castellarium Philippis


Levan
Moderator
posted 03-17-2001 04:28 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Levan   Click Here to Email Levan     Edit/Delete Message
Threave castle in Scotland has a notorious dungeon - the Black Douglas' seemed to keep it, and their gallows, rather busy.

Rothesay Castle on the Isle of Bute has a well preserved bottle pit.

Levan

Peter
Member
posted 03-18-2001 02:10 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Peter   Click Here to Email Peter     Edit/Delete Message
Pontefract, Yorkshire.
Has a large wooden cover in the centre of the castle site, this leads down to a tunnel cut into the sandstone. Names & dates can be seen carved into the walls. Most of them from the civil war. Rarely open to visitors.
Off the top of my head I'd say Scotland would be a good bet for gory stories.

wurdsmiff
unregistered
posted 03-18-2001 07:14 AM           Edit/Delete Message
Possibly the most notorious and historical is Hermitage, in Liddesdale, associated with tales of witchcraft and other evils. One story which has not received much TV coverage, is the imprisonment and starvation to death of Sir Alan Ramsay, the prominent 14th c knight. Renowned as 'The Flower of Chivalry', Ramsay was starved to death in a dungeon by one time friend and associate Sir William Douglas.
The whole place is remote,atmospheric, evidently haunted and has many many historical associations (eg Bothwell and Mary Queen of Scots)- ideal for your purposes.

------------------
Demeure par la verite
Visit my revised web-site at
www.castlesontheweb.com/members/wurdsmiff/castles.htm

Gordon.


All times are PT (US)

next newest topic | next oldest topic

Administrative Options: Close Topic | Archive/Move | Delete Topic
Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Castles on the Web

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Version 5.40
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 1999.



Castles on the WebHome
Castles on the WebIntroduction
Castles on the WebCastle Quest
Castles on the WebSite of the Day
Castles on the WebCastle Tours
Castles on the WebCastle Collections
Castles on the WebNew Sites
Castles on the WebPopular Sites
Castles on the WebPhoto Archive
Castles on the WebMiscellaneous
Castles on the WebCastles for Kids
Castles on the WebCastle Glossary
Castles on the WebPalaces & Homes
Castles on the WebMedieval Studies
Castles on the WebAccommodations
Castles on the WebTop Rated
Castles on the WebCastle Postcards
Castles on the WebHeraldry Links
Castles on the WebMyths & Legends
Castles on the WebOrganizations
Castles on the WebCastle Books
Castles on the WebAbbeys & Churches
Castles on the WebWeapons/Supplies
Castles on the WebRandom Site
Castles on the WebAdd A Castle Site
Castles on the WebAcknowledgements
Castles on the WebSearch Options
Castles on the WebPlease Help Us!
Castles on the WebPlease Link To Us
Castles on the WebContact Us

Castles on the Web Copyright 1995- | Privacy Policy