Wednesday 8pm SECRETS OF CHATSWORTH - Documentary - Tales of tragedy and scandal unfold through the history of Chatsworth, a grand estate that has been home to some of England's most noted aristocrats.
On an estate the size of Washington, DC sits Chatsworth, home to the Dukes of Devonshire, one of the grandest aristocratic dynasties in England. The tales of intrigue, tragedy, and scandal of this great family are inextricably intertwined with those of the house itself, from the decadent life of the shockingly glamorous Duchess Georgiana, to the timultuous love story between JFK's favorite sister Kathleen Kennedy and heir Billy Canvendish. Peregrine Cavendish, the 12th Duke of Devonshire, shares the history and some of the inner workings of this great house and grounds—one of England’s largest private homes—that is “much more of a home than perhaps it looks from the outside.
9pm SECRETS OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE - Documentary - Famous for it's setting of "Downtown Abby" England's Highclere Castle has it's own stories to tell.
In its heyday, Highclere was the social epicenter of Edwardian England. See how all the inhabitants of Highclere lived, from the aristocrats who enjoyed a life of luxury to the army of servants toiling “below stairs.” Also find out how the current inhabitants, Lord and Lady Carnarvon, spend their $1 million in annual upkeep funds, and what life in a fairytale castle is like today.
10pm SECRETS OF MANOR HOUSE - Documentary - Secrets of the Manor House looks beyond the fiction to the truth of how life was in these ancient British houses, and how mounting financial, political and social pressures were about to bring momentous changes to both the wealthy and their servants.
The British manor house, in its heyday 100 years ago, provided shelter for the wealthy and privileged families. The documentary goes into two of these homes - Manderston in Berwickshire and Dunham Massey, the former home of the Earl of Stamford. The program provides history and context behind the costume dramas that Masterpiece has brought to life, including `Upstairs, Downstairs' and `Downton Abbey'.
