Churches: How to read them - BBC4

[Grahame]

Did anyone see the first episode of this new series on BBC4 tonight? They featured our very own John Moss teaching presenter Richard Taylor how to dowse inside Kilpeck church.
The Beeb had turned up for the filming during the recent EEG weekend there, and John took the opportunity to promote the BSD on national television. We weren't actually sure that they were going to keep the segment in, but kudos to the BBC that they did. They even managed to get the BSD name correct. Well done all!

The programme is repeated for the next 3 nights, or you can catch it on iPlayer here.


Edited by I.P. 2.9.10 - corrected title

[Ian Pegler]

Yes, I saw it.

I was actually more impressed with the dowsing than anything else about the programme.

Typical first-timer's reaction: "Naaaaaaaaah!!!!" Priceless.

Ian

[Ian Pegler]

The footage of Kilpeck starts at 15:26.

The dowsing footage is at 20:56 to 22:14.

An entertaining programme although when you become a dowser you get to learn about some of these symbols along the way.

Ian

[Grahame]

Typical first-timer's reaction: "Naaaaaaaaah!!!!" Priceless.

Agreed. Seeing a sceptic undergoing conversion on national telly is invaluable publicity though. Let's hope the Society gets a few membership enquiries from it.

[arthur hamlin]

I regret that I cannot seem to download the new flash player to obtain viewing of this.
I have uninstalled the previous flash player as requested but it doesn`t oblige for me.
Any help would be appreciated. I have windows XL.
Arthur

[Bonnie]

I get a "not available in your area" message on the viewing screen - I wouldn't have thought that geography would play a role in Flash presentations. That sounds like a fascinating program, wish I could watch it! Hope you can get the Flash player up and running, Arthur.

[Geoff Stuttaford]

Hi Bonnie,

"I get a "not available in your area" message "

Unfortunately videox or programmes originating from the BBC (as this one is) cannot be accessed directly by people in the States - something to do with copyright, I think. The only way that I know of is to try to find the programme on Youtube and it may take some time to appear there, if ever.

If it's any help, the dowsing part of the programme lasts about 3 minutes where the commentator is given a pair of rods by John and is asked to locate an underground stream that runs under the church. The commentator is successful in finding the stream and groans "Oh no !" when he does so.. .

[Ian Pegler]

Dan Brown was given a mention and I get the feeling that this series may have come about partly as a kind of reaction against the more alternative readings of church symbols typically found in DB's books.

Although Richard's own interpretations weren't always an improvement...!

"How you can interpret what's going on here is beyond me"

Ian

[Bonnie]

Hi Geoff, thank you for explaining about the copyright issue and also for describing what I'd missed. Much appreciated!

[Helen-Healing]

I just watched part 1 on iPlayer.

Richard Taylor's smug air is not very conducive to likeability IMO, I'm afraid. He irritated me right from the start when he said "my father used to bring my brother and I..." How an educated person, and an author to boot, can use bad grammar like this, beats me.

I loved the bit where the rods moved for him! As someone said - priceless!

[Ian Pegler]

I just spotted the trailer for the series on YouTube...



Ian

[Helen-Healing]

I see his wife commented he wasn't dull!! She didn't say anything about smug though.
I notice he doesn't wear a wedding ring.

He has written a book, apparently, with the same title as the series. Presumably the book came first.

[Bonnie]

Thank you for putting up the trailer link, Ian. Lovely architecture and setting.

[Ian Pegler]

This series is now available on DVD. So now you can re-live that "Naaaaah" moment again...

Ian

[Helen-Healing]

The Golden Ages of British Sculpture, BBC4, episode 1. The dowsing at Kilpeck Church is mentioned here too!