Unseen since its Channel 4 broadcast in the 1980's, Old Country contained all new material and the only time that Jack Hargreaves' work received a countrywide network screening.
Where to Watch Old Country • Season 3
20 Episodes
Skittles
E1
SkittlesJack Hargeaves watches several different versions of village skittles being played, and explains how this ancient game of Nine Pins became Ten Pin Bowling
Sheep Dipping / Battlesden Cart
E2
Sheep Dipping / Battlesden CartThe mobile sheep-dip comes to the farm and Jack is there to watch. Back home, he describes the features of the horse-drawn Battlesden Cart, of which he has two.
Sheep Washing / Flower Drive
E3
Sheep Washing / Flower DriveJack Hargreaves visits his animal trainer friend John Holmes where the sheep are having a bath. The Bluebells are flowering as he drives his cart home through the woods
Bantams / Manes & Tails
E4
Bantams / Manes & TailsHaving discovered that two of his chickens are actually rare Porcelains, Jack decides to try and breed them. In Hampshire, he visits a new heavy horse centre
Fjord Pony / Spinning
E5
Fjord Pony / SpinningA breed of pony from Scandinavia catches Jack Hargreaves eye. Then his friend Elizabeth demonstrates the ancient method of turning a wool fleece into yarn
Driving Event / Driving & Fire Engine
E6
Driving Event / Driving & Fire EngineJack is pleased with the result when his horse, Joe, takes on his first driving trial. Then he issues a warning to anyone wishing to buy an antique Fire Insurance Plaque
Lessen Dogs / Gudgeon Fishing
E7
Lessen Dogs / Gudgeon FishingJack Hargreaves crosses the Channel to Normandy to visit a sale of sporting dogs. Then on the river Nadder in Wiltshire, he goes fishing for Gudgeon
French National Stud / Lessay Fair
E8
French National Stud / Lessay FairJack Hargreaves returns to Normandy to visit a horse in stud in Saint-Lô and the giant annual agricultural fair in the small town of Lessay
Artificial Insemination / Potter
E9
Artificial Insemination / PotterOne of the dairy cows is in season and the man they call the bull in the Ford Escort has been sent for. Jack then asks the village potter to make some stoneware pots
Pole Fishing / Huntaway Dogs
E10
Pole Fishing / Huntaway DogsJack goes fishing with a pole, one of the earliest and largest of fishing rods. He then watches a breed of sheepdog from New Zealand, the Huntaway, at work
Duncliffe Hill / Boadicea's Horse
E11
Duncliffe Hill / Boadicea's HorseJack Hargreaves discusses the rich history of Duncliffe Hill in Dorset, then visits Exmoor to look at the ponies that have existed since before the time of the Romans
Country Houses
E12
Country HousesA house that features in Thomas Hardy's novel Tess of the d'Urbervilles is one of several old Manor Houses that Jack visits on a tour through Wessex
Chub Fishing / Horses & Cobs
E13
Chub Fishing / Horses & CobsJack Hargreaves goes fishing for Chub using a method familiar to the 17th Century fishing writer Isaak Walton. Then by popular request, he shows us some heavy horses.
Eel Net / Dipper
E14
Eel Net / DipperJack makes himself an Eel net using traditional methods. Then a bird rarely seen in Dorset is spotted at a local river, Jack Hargreaves heads there in the hope of seeing it
Long Net / Farm Sale
E15
Long Net / Farm SaleIn broad daylight, Jack Hargreaves demonstrates a method of rabbiting normally performed at night. He then finds himself being nostalgic as he spies some unusual items in a farm sale
Wickhams Fancy / Vet's Examination
E16
Wickhams Fancy / Vet's ExaminationJack shows us a selection of flies used by Trout fishermen and reveals the only one that he uses. Then the vet arrives to examine a pony that Jack is hoping to buy
Cider / Cows' Feet
E17
Cider / Cows' FeetThe apple harvest is in and Jack takes his apples to Charlie, the owner of the local cider press. At the dairy farm, the mobile cattle chiropodist has arrived
River Care / Ponds & Wild Flowers
E18
River Care / Ponds & Wild FlowersJack Hargreaves is stocking his river with native Brown Trout. He then laments the widespread loss of ponds in the countryside, but finds one that is thriving
Mink Hunt / Geeses
E19
Mink Hunt / GeesesJack goes to watch the methods being used to control the non-native Mink population in the countryside, and then pays a visit to a goose farm
Pub Crawl
E20
Pub CrawlJack Hargreaves takes his friends on a trip through the country in his horse-drawn waggon to visit three of his favourite village hostelries
