The Repair Shop to show episode about Roald Dahl broken gate

Hannah Smart, who lives in Mama's Cottage in Grendon Underwood, the former home of Roald Dahl's mother's cottage, recorded an episode with the BBC one team about repairing a broken gate.

"Born and bred in Waddesdon, just a few miles down the road, I came across ‘Mama’s Cottage’ in spring 2023 and I knew immediately with the Roald Dahl connection and the romantic backstory, as well as being an architectural beauty...that this was MY house and I had to buy her and bring her back to life.

ALSO READ: BBC The Repair Shop features Buckinghamshire garden gate

"Even before I entered or visited the property, she was THE one," Hannah explained.

Hannah, who is an architect, has been a lifelong fan of Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake. 

She said: "Reading Roald’s stories as I’ve grown up has inspired me to be creative and has influenced the way I draw and tell stories through my work an Masterplanner (I have a practice in Thame, edge Urban Design) and having been trained as an Architect and Landscape Architect.

"I had been looking for a project for 5 years locally, somewhere I could bring back to life."

"Mama’s Cottage is an amazing and very quirky place to live, in an incredible and supportive village community who have shared in my journey as I’ve started to bring the gardens of the cottage back to life.

"I get daily comments from villagers, who hadn’t even seen the house for many years, as it was hidden behind a jungle of overgrown vegetation.

"When I got the keys to the house (my door key is 30cm long… who knows maybe the BFG lived there?), I wandered around the garden in awe and saw a wooden structure in the hedge.

"Very spontaneously, I recorded a video and applied to the Repair Shop, as the gate was far too damaged for me to repair and I felt it needed some proper love (thanks Will Kirk). 

"The gate was in about 20 pieces, it had all fallen into the hedge and was attached together with chicken wire and trellis.

"It didn’t open and couldn’t be used as it was hidden by bushes! I cut the hedge back and retrieved all of the pieces and laid the jigsaw out… not knowing how it should, or used to look."

Hannah then approached the Roald Dahl Archive who kindly showed her an historic photo of the house which gave some clues to the original design.

The rest was down to the Repair Shop team. 

Hannah said: "The gate made it’s journey to the Repair Shop Barn, I met it there and the filming day was amazing. An incredible team of talented people making lots of magic!

"I can’t wait for the community members who joined me for the reveal to see themselves on TV! Personally, I’m very excited to see how Will and the team actually repaired the gate, as that bit is still a mystery to me.

"The gate and the house are much loved landmarks for the village of Grendon Underwood. They reflect the strong links that the Dahl family had with the village, it’s community and The Swan village pub, often frequented by Dahl and I’m very pleased to say, also soon to re-open to continue the wonderful community spirit that Grendon Underwood has."