Premieres Thursday, February 7th at 8:30pm

Kiplin Hall.

Kiplin Hall: Birthplace of Maryland is a remarkable story of history, religion and politics that could have been ripped from today's headlines - except that it occurred over the past four centuries. This magnificent 17th century manor house in the north of England - north Yorkshire to be precise - is often described as the "birthplace of Maryland", for it was here that George Calvert, the first Lord Baltimore, developed the concept of a colony in the Americas dedicated to religious freedom for Catholics. Rising from humble beginnings without title or riches, Calvert's genius and pluck took him into the King's inner sanctum - a feat almost unheard of in those days - to become Secretary of State to King James, whom he persuaded to accept his dream of a colony.

The program explores this significant early history, and then focuses on how this remarkable manor house evolved over four centuries under the ownership of just four families - the Calverts, the Crowes, the Carpenters and the Talbots - all related by blood or marriage. The estate grew to as large as five thousand acres, but as time wore on, it shared the fate of many English manor houses only to experience serious decline in the twentieth century.

The Drawing Room.

A number of fortuitous events occurred to save this historical home. When a Baltimore industrialist trying to save Kiplin Hall learned of University of Maryland students preserving an old hotel in New Jersey, he asked why they couldn't do that in Yorkshire, England. Soon a team of architectural students crossed the pond in 1987 to see if they could save the 'gray lady' that held such Maryland significance. Professor David Fogle oversaw these first students, camping out over the stables and blacksmith shop. They made remarkable progress, and the connection with a major American university did not go unnoticed by English Heritage, the British government entity charged with preserving the nation's historical sites. It elevated Kiplin Hall to its highest status, qualifying it for greater funding.

Today, the house's structural systems and interior rooms are in splendid condition, and the focus is now on recreating the exquisite 'pleasure gardens' once enjoyed by the aristocracy - and growing number of visitors who are discovering this unique treasure. Kiplin Hall: Birthplace of Maryland gives viewers a wonderful tour of this historic property and how it has impacted the state we live in. It also shows how the pluck and enthusiasm of a bunch of college kids, under the tutelage of an impassioned professor, can produce results that few would have imagined. And when one considers that it was a Calvert descendant in Maryland who started an agricultural school that would eventually become the University of Maryland, the cycle becomes complete.

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Watch Kiplin Hall: Birthplace of Maryland on PBS. See more from WMPB.

Kiplin Hall: Birthplace of Maryland was made possible by a major grant from the University of Maryland, one of the nation's leading research universities. Ken Day is the MPT producer for the program, and Dr. David Fogle, Professor Emeritus, School of Architecture, Planning & Preservation, University of Maryland, was the program consultant.