BBC TV "Secrets of the Castle" and Napoleon's hat.

Well, those of us with an interest in fortifications are doing rather well at the moment. This is the second television programme this week that I am recommending.

Last night, BBC2 showed a programme "Secrets of the Castle with Ruth, Peter and Tom". This is programme 1 of a five programme series.

At Guédelon in Burgundy, France, a group is building a medieval castle using medieval tools and skills. This is a living archaeology project of 25 years, they are in year 15. The BBC had these three historians, Ruth, Peter and Tom and a film crew on the project for several months. The historians will participate in all of the duties on the site. In this first programme the men were working in the quarry, mixing mortar, building walls and lifting stones using the treadmill. The woman was home-making in their single room living accommodation, then working with the on-site potter to make the cooking pot for her to make dinner of a potage of ground barley, leeks, nettles and parsley. All very interesting.

Napoleon's hat sold at auction yesterday. It was expected to go for 500,000 euros. A Korean chap bought it for 1.88 million euros. Wow. My gran used to say - obviously more money than sense.