Yet, paradoxically, a recent report into the state of the countryside reckons that - thanks to the affluent middle-classes' invasion of the British countryside - within the next 15 years trades such as pole-lathing, flint-knapping, pargeting and milling could contribute more than agriculture to the rural economy. As more and more 'new lifestyle buyers' move from cities into the countryside, with well-above-average incomes, they have boosted demand for heritage properties such as barns and ancient cottages and, at the same time, boosted demand for the skills required to renovate such properties. As a result, the heritage building sector is now worth 2 billion pounds a year, while more than 200 million pounds is spent annually on farriery to service an estimated one million horses.

Yet because of a shortage of skilled labour, the Heritage Lottery Fund has had to set up a 4m pound emergency fund to train apprentices. The fund blames the shortage on poor investment in training, few new apprentices and an undervaluing of traditional skills such as the use of lime mortar, thatching, leadworking, coppicing and reed cutting.

This four-part series would look at four workers actively engaged in updating and passing on their skills - and at any problems they've had or are having with apprentices (time-keeping, commitment, not wanting to get their hands dirty, etc). It would follow the progress of four apprentices intent on learning these ancient trades, ask why it is so important to retain them, and how they help the countryside to continually evolve, as well as creating diversity in the landscape and culture of different regions.