318:. However, Pollard points out that, in all likelihood, the result would have been much the same as what actually transpired, with the conspirators caught and executed. Additionally, had the plot succeeded, there would have been a massacre of Catholics, who accounted for 5% of the populace, leaving no Catholics in England at all: "In reality, the blast would have sent shockwaves through the Protestant community, bolstering their resolve against the hugely outnumbered Catholics and sparking ruthless revenge." Pollard concludes that the plot was a "stupid" plan, stating that "you can't change the politics of a whole country just by blowing up a few hundred people".
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palace would have been shattered, including the stained glass windows of
Westminster Abbey. The power of the explosion would have been heard at least five miles away, and seen from much further. Even if only half the gunpowder had gone off, everyone in the House of Lords and its environs would have been killed instantly. The blast would have been mostly directed upwards, Arup blasting consultant David Haddon, pointed out, raining debris in a 200-meter radius.
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The power of the explosion, which surprised even gunpowder experts, was such that 7-foot-deep (2.1 m) solid concrete walls (made deliberately to replicate how archives suggest the walls in the old House of Lords were constructed) were reduced to rubble. Measuring devices placed in the chamber to
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Production designer Jo Manser built part of the House of Lords (the
Westminster tower) to scale as it was in 1605, and then "blew it up to see if Guy Fawkes would have succeeded 400 years ago". Manser said the set (11m by 23m and 16m high) required a production crew of 45 people, and cost £200k. The
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representing King James, which had been placed on a throne inside the chamber surrounded by courtiers, peers and bishops, was found far from the site. According to the findings of the programme, no one within 100 metres of the blast would have survived, and all windows within a large distance of the
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There were those who said we should stop our project, that it was insensitive. I disagreed. This is, after all, the story of a young man who felt persecuted in his country, who travelled abroad to learn how to use explosives and returned prepared to perpetrate an appalling act of terrorism - and if
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on 1 November 2005, this £1 million programme centres on a reconstruction of the Houses of
Parliament as they were in 1605 (the current ones had not yet been built at the time of the Gunpowder Plot), constructed using period equivalent methods wherever possible. This was stocked with mannequins to
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The first hurdle to overcome was the actual recreation of the 17th-century Houses of
Parliament. As the buildings were demolished to expand the current structures, Simon Carter, the Parliamentary Curator provided drawings of the original structures for the recreated structure to utilise using 650
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When approached with the idea of building a full-size replica of
Parliament, stuffing the basement with gunpowder and blowing it up, presenter Richard Hammond considered it a hoax. He "simply did not believe that anyone would be crazy enough to recreate the Gunpowder Plot."
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The programme explores through partial dramatization the plot itself, and the persons involved. It also answers the question of whether the plot would have actually worked: the Houses of
Parliament would have been completely obliterated, and most of the windows in nearby
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were consulted to assess the equations used building the structure to ensure accuracy and safety. Despite preparations, Manser noted that while sets are eventually discarded, "this was a more exciting way to dispose of it."
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of gunpowder were used in the plot. Alford further proved that the "decayed" powder was classified as such because it was unsuitable for infantry use, but could still detonate.
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because, as
Hammond recounted, "our expert turned out to be contaminated with traces of just about every form of explosive known to man, triggering a security alert."
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noted with "satisfaction" that the documentary was "irresistible to anyone with a weakness for the delicious combination of immediate spectacle and delayed climax."
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represent notable commoners, members and the king before the bomb was detonated. The programme was made to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the plot.
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Production, historically and scientifically correct, took six months. While historical research was underway in
England, Hammond and explosives expert
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aspects, had the plot actually succeeded. Pollard notes that the conspirators ideally planned to use the bombing to create a
Catholic monarchy, with
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indicated in red would have killed everyone within it, while those in the blue-shaded area would likely be harmed by falling debris.
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camera was used, not the type typically used in television filming. Advanitca used them to study the explosions frame by frame.
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had to travel to Spain to buy some gunpowder, as not enough was available in the UK. They were stopped at the French border by
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tonnes of concrete. Explosives expert Sidney Alford helped to determine that thirty-six barrels containing one
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calculate the force of the blast were themselves destroyed by the blast, while the skull of the
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The
Gunpowder Plot (Website exploring the history of the plot for younger users)
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with the cast and crew, shown during filming of the Tavern scene on location at
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695:"BLAST FROM THE PAST Richard Hammond recreates the Gunpowder Plot .. for real"
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For the interior filming, fifteen small digital cameras were used, including
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The History of the Gunpowder Plot (Produced by The Parliamentary Archives)
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and the Catholics in power while James's nine-year-old daughter, princess
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wrote in August that the casting of Hammond was "eccentric."
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The Gunpowder Plot: Parliament & Treason 1605 - People
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The Gunpowder Plot (House of Commons Information Sheet)
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Francis Bacon: Biography and Much More from Answers.com
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The power of the explosion surprised gunpowder experts.
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put the production in a different frame of reference:
594:. Broadcastnow.co.uk. 5 November 2005. Archived from
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624:"Gunpowder plotters get their wish, 400 years on"
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630:. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. Archived from
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298:The later part of the programme addressed the
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588:"In Profile: production designer Jo Manser"
243:The dramatic experiment, conducted on the
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775:What If the Gunpowder Plot Had Succeeded?
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462:Hammond recounts that during filming the
195:was a British television show, hosted by
809:The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend
751:"Mike Slee Producer / Director / Writer"
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192:The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend
39:The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend
25:The Gunpowder Plot: Exploding the Legend
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854:ITV (TV network) original programming
314:would ultimately have been living in
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839:British documentary television films
722:"Guy Fawkes was also trained abroad"
693:Richard Hammond (1 November 2005).
18:2005 British TV series or programme
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146:Dave Baillie (aerial photography)
57:Darlow Smithson Productions, Ltd.
720:Nicolson, Adam (4 August 2005).
622:Adam Sherwin (31 October 2005).
538:' Adrian Pettet points out that
471:that rings a bell, so it should.
257:King James I and VI of Scotland
199:that recreated elements of the
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844:Historical reenactment events
849:Historical television series
232:would have been shattered.
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859:2005 in British television
785:The Gunpowder Plot of 1605
207:attempted to blow up the
177:1 November 2005
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347:Historical dramatization
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675:Taipei Times - archives
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791:Catholic Encyclopedia
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793:: The Gunpowder Plot
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542:is "a cross between
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464:2005 London Bombings
270:and the philosopher
119:Production locations
82:Theme music composer
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72:Presented by
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834:Anglicanism
509:slow motion
397:John Wright
393:Toby Knight
369:Matt Rozier
62:Directed by
49:documentary
823:Categories
554:References
427:Presenter
419:Production
409:John Joyce
357:Guy Fawkes
261:Archbishop
205:Guy Fawkes
181:2005-11-01
98:Production
54:Created by
701:. MGN Ltd
628:The Times
548:Timewatch
540:Gunpowder
515:Reception
433:Mike Slee
312:president
308:Elizabeth
292:mannequin
245:Advantica
238:cubic ton
203:in which
122:UK, Spain
114:Mike Slee
66:Mike Slee
728:. London
474:—
264:Bancroft
223:Synopsis
154:104 min.
111:Producer
756:10 July
705:10 July
638:10 July
602:10 July
457:customs
441:Suffolk
247:-owned
179: (
174:Release
164:Network
732:25 May
505:PD150s
127:Editor
46:Genre
814:IMDb
758:2008
734:2010
707:2008
640:2008
604:2008
546:and
332:Host
322:Cast
281:The
253:Arup
216:ITV1
812:at
530:of
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411:as
403:as
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