The Restoration Man

The Restoration Man
Genre	Home improvement
Presented by	George Clarke
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	6
No. of episodes	41[1]
Production
Running time	60 minutes
Production company(s)	Tiger Aspect
Release
Original network	Channel 4
Picture format	16:9
Original release	14 March 2010

The Restoration Man is a British home improvement television series presented by George Clarke. It first aired on Channel 4 on 14 March 2010.

Synopsis

Architect George Clarke travels around Great Britain profiling people restoring historically and architecturally significant buildings.^[2] The series typically features people aiming to convert non-residential structures – including churches, water towers and windmills – into homes.^[3] Each episode chronicles the difficulties the owners face during the conversion, including restrictions in place for listed buildings. Clarke researches each building's history and architecture, interviews people who previously lived or worked there, and shares his findings with the new owners.

Episodes

Series 1

Episode	Title	Location	Directed by	Original air date	Structure Type
1	"Bath Lodge"	Ormskirk, Lancashire	Jenny Byrom	21 March 2010	folly
The series begins with a Gothic Revival folly in Lancashire that was rumoured to be a bath lodge.
2	"Llanreithan Church"	Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire	Jenny Byrom	28 March 2010	church[4]
Gareth and Jill Williams buy a disused medieval church in Wales. The 15th-century building must first be excavated by archaeologists – with the Williams covering the cost at £600 a day.
3	"Melin Newydd Windmill"	Anglesey	Jenny Byrom	4 April 2010	windmill[5]
Clive, an electrical engineer, aims to restore an 1833 windmill on the island of Anglesey and turn it into a vacation home for him and his wife, Jane, who is recovering from cancer. Problems include rotting beams and damage from storms, and Clive's motivation wanes when Jane's cancer returns.
4	"Towers"	Kent / East Renfrewshire	Lionel Mill	11 April 2010	Martello tower / Keep
Clarke visits with two people set on restoring two old towers: a Martello tower in Kent and the 15th-century Caldwell Tower in Scotland.
5	"Field House"	Piling, Lancashire	Lionel Mill	18 April 2010	cottage
A couple work to restore a 17th-century cruck-framed fieldhouse into a home for their combined family, and ask George Clarke to design the extension. The structure is surprisingly not listed, but they still need permission from the local council, which rejects their plan for the extension.
6	"Thorington Gate Lodge"	Thorington, Suffolk	Lionel Mill	25 April 2010	gatehouse
Retired boxer Scott Welch rescues a gate lodge, the only remaining building on a demolished country estate.
7	"Coach House"	Hankham, East Sussex	Lionel Mill	2 May 2010	carriage house
Lisa and Darren Walker convert a Grade II-listed 18th-century coach house into a home. Converting agricultural structures requires special consideration, as these buildings typically have never had water or electricity.
8	"Ice House"	Crinan, Argyll and Bute	Lionel Mill	9 May 2010	ice house
Laird Henderson restores an 1833 ice house, used in the booming western Scottish salmon industry. Clarke visits Petworth House to see an extravagant 18th-century ice house, built solely for the Duke of Somerset's family to indulge in ice cream.
9	"Medieval Hall and Mansion"	Cardiff / Aberystwyth	Lionel Mill	16 May 2010	hall house / mansion

Series 2

Episode	Title	Location	Directed by	Original air date	Structure Type
1	"Reeds Windmill"	Kingston, Kent	Emma Slack	5 January 2012	windmill
A couple, Pete and Nikki, attempt to restore a windmill that has been in Pete's family for a century. However, midway through the conversion, Nikki is diagnosed with terminal cancer and given months to live.
2	"Congleton Water Tower"	Congleton, Cheshire	Emma Slack	12 January 2012	water tower
3	"Gothic Church"	Gamblesby, Cumbria	Jonathan Barker	19 January 2012	church
A couple take on the restoration of a 19th-century Victorian Church. To save money, their brother-in-law acts as project manager, but he's inexperienced with restoration. Meanwhile the bank denies their request for an additional mortgage, and extreme weather causes problems.
4	"Engine House"	Uffington, Oxfordshire	Emma Slack	26 January 2012	brickworks
A couple renovate a 19th-century brickworks, the only remaining building from what was once a thriving Victorian industry in the village.
5	"Towers Revisit"	Kent / East Renfrewshire	Emma Slack	2 February 2012	towers
Clarke returns to the towers in Kent and Scotland, neither of which had received planning approval during his first visit.
6	"Medieval Hall Revisit"	Cardiff, Glamorgan	Emma Slack	9 February 2012	hall house
7	"Settle Water Tower"	Settle, North Yorkshire	Jonathan Barker	16 February 2012	water tower[6]
Mark and Pat Rand convert an 1876 water tower into a residence. The Grade II-listed water tower lies on the historic Settle-Carlisle Line and has been out of use since the 1960s.
8	"Llanreithan Church Revisit"	Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire	Rob Farquar	23 February 2012	church
9	"Bath Lodge Revisit"	Ormskirk, Lancashire	Oliver Wilson	30 February 2012	folly
10	"Ice House Revisit"	Crinan, Argyll and Bute, Scotland	Oliver Wilson	1 March 2012	ice house
11	"Gothic Church Revisit"	Gamblesby, Cumbria	Oliver Wilson	8 March 2012	church

Series 3

Episode	Title	Location	Directed by	Original air date	Structure Type
1	"Finchcocks Oast"	Riseden, Kent	TBA	27 December 2012	oast house
2	"Telford Church"	Berneray, Outer Hebrides	TBA	3 January 2013	church
A Newcastle couple, Keith and Sheenagh McIntyre, hope to restore a ruined church designed by Thomas Telford on the small island of Berneray, and turn it into an art studio and vacation home. Only the stone walls are left of the church, built in 1829. The extreme weather causes problems as strong winds shred the insulation and blows debris all over the island, angering local residents, and the McIntyres are dealt a major blow as the custom windows ordered from a Scandinavian company don't fit.
3	"Longhurst Lodge"	Cranleigh, Surrey	TBA	10 January 2013	gatehouse[7]
A couple renovate a tiny Victorian gatehouse.
4	"Thrum Mill"	Rothbury, Northumberland	TBA	17 January 2013	watermill
Dave and Margaret Hedley take on an old mill, which they plan to not only restore, but get working again to generate hydroelectric power for the house. Clarke discovers the first mills on the River Coquet were built by the Earl of Northumberland to earn income to pay his steep fine after he was accused of conspiring in the Gunpowder Plot.
5	"Pig Barn"	Rufford Abbey, Nottinghamshire	Oliver Wilson	24 January 2013	barn[8]
A retired couple renovate a dilapidated pig barn that formerly belonged to Rufford Abbey.
6	"Settle Water Tower Revisit"	Settle, North Yorkshire	Jonathan Barker	31 January 2013	water tower

Series 4

Episode	Title	Location	Directed by	Original air date	Structure Type
1	"Pumping Station"	Cheshunt, Hertfordshire	Larry Walford	7 January 2014	pumping station
Alison and Matthew Grey sell their London flat to buy an 1888 Victorian pumping station in Hertfordshire. After spending £750,000 to buy the station, they are left with a budget of only £60,000.
2	"Flint Mill"	Stone, Staffordshire	Larry Walford	14 January 2014	mill
Alan and Dora Appleby, who are experienced with restoring listed buildings, decide to restore a dilapidated flint mill into a retirement home. However, the cost of restoring the 18th-century mill ends up much higher than the Applebys had budgeted.
3	"Fisherman's Church"	Brixham, Devon	Larry Walford	21 January 2014	church[9]
Neil and Jackie attempt to convert an abandoned church into their family home. The church, built in 1874 and deconsecrated in 1977, has suffered water damage over the years and needs a new roof.
4	"Welsh School"	Pencader, Carmarthenshire	Larry Walford	28 January 2014	schoolhouse
A couple experienced in restoration take on a derelict school. With little money in the budget, they plan on doing the renovation themselves, and ultimately stretch themselves to the limit. Meanwhile, Clarke looks into the school's history and organises a reunion of its former students and teachers.
5	"Cow Barn"	Wellington, Herefordshire	Larry Walford	5 February 2014	barn
A young couple with no experience in restoration try to renovate a Grade II-listed barn that dates from the late 17th/early 18th century.
6	"RAF Bunker"	Watnall, Nottinghamshire	Jonathan Barker	12 February 2014	bunker[10]
Jamie and Jane Brown buy a World War II bunker to convert into a bed and breakfast. The bunker, which has been empty for more than 50 years, has no electricity or windows, and is flooded.
7	"Telford Church Revisit"	Berneray, Outer Hebrides	Larry Walford	19 February 2014	church
Clarke returns to Berneray to catch up with Keith and Sheenagh McIntyre, and discovers their renovation won a prestigious award from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland.[11]
8	"Thrum Mill Revisit"	Rothbury, Northumberland	Larry Walford	26 February 2014	mill
Clarke returns to Northumberland to see the 17th-century mill restored by Dave and Margaret Hedley, who now have the mill running again to provide power.

Series 5

Episode	Title	Location	Directed by	Original air date	Structure Type
1	"Shropshire Farmhouse"	Wem, Shropshire	TBA	7 January 2015	farmhouse[12]
First-time restorers Russell and Nadia Smith renovate a Grade II-listed farmhouse on a tight budget. George Clarke tries to date the property, that has a timber-frame back, typical of the 16th and 17th centuries, and a Georgian brick front typical of the 18th and 19th centuries.
2	"Tudor Revival School"	Great Braxted, Essex	TBA	14 January 2015	schoolhouse[13]
Jim and Bee Goody purchase a 19th-century schoolhouse to convert into a country home. Jim is frustrated by the restrictions on the Grade II-listed property, and they're forced to max their credit cards to get by when their old house doesn't sell.
3	"HMS Owl"	Fearn Airfield, Ross and Cromarty	TBA	21 January 2015	airfield tower
A couple takes on a very unusual renovation project: restoring an air traffic control tower from a World War II airfield. Clarke tracks down veterans who trained for combat missions at the airfield.
4	"Pannal Water Tower"	Pannal, North Yorkshire	TBA	28 January 2015	water tower
Carol and Majid Nadry buy an unusual water tower in Yorkshire. The building is not listed, but the property's "ransom strip" proves costly: £70,000.
5	"Longhurst Lodge Revisit"	Cranleigh, Surrey	TBA	4 February 2015	gatehouse
6	"Welsh School Revisit"	Pencader, Carmarthenshire	TBA	11 February 2015	schoolhouse

Series 6

Episode	Title	Location	Directed by	Original air date	Structure Type
1	"Baptist Church"	Oxenhope, West Yorkshire	TBA	7 January 2016	church
Colin and Emma Hewes convert a disused Edwardian church into a family home.[14]
2	"Railway Station"	Northumberland	TBA	14 January 2016	railway station
3	"Gazebo Tower"	Pembroke	TBA	TBA	gazebo tower
4	"Methodist Church and Sunday School"	Harrogate	TBA	TBA	Church and sunday school

References

1. "The Restoration Man". Radio Times. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
2. "Restoration Man George Clarke goes behind the scenes at Glasgow School of Art". The Herald. 20 June 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
3. Rahman, Miran (13 August 2015). "End in sight for Restoration Man couple restoring disused chapel". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
4. "Fishguard couple on Channel 4's Restoration Man". Western Telegraph. 28 March 2010. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
5. Owen, Cathy (27 March 2013). "Jonathan Creek fan Clive Bolton spent eight years restoring a Welsh windmill but now after his wife died he can't bear to move in". Wales Online. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
6. "Couple restore former Settle water tower into new home". Craven Herald Pioneer. 26 February 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
7. "Cranleigh lodge given Restoration Man treatment". 2 July 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
8. "Dream home bid on Channel Four show". Nottingham Post. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
9. "Forgotten Brixham church star of TV show Restoration Man". Torquay Herald Express. 21 January 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
10. "Restoration Man: Secret bunker is given stunning TV makeover". Nottingham Post. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
11. Weatherall, Nicola (5 January 2013). "Restoration Man George Clarke visits house of God". The Journal. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
12. Dean, Will (8 January 2015). "The Restoration Man, TV review: A wrecked Grade II-listed cottage is transformed into a cosy (and expensive) family home". The Independent. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
13. Watkinson, Will (13 January 2015). "Old Schoolhouse on Braxted Park Road to feature on Channel 4's Restoration Man". Essex Chronicle. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
14. Rahman, Miran (7 January 2016). "Project to convert disused Oxenhope church into family home will be on Restoration Man". Bradford Telegraph and Argus. Retrieved 8 January 2016.

External links

• Channel 4 website
• The Restoration Man at the Internet Movie Database