Digging Up Britain's Past
Presenters Helen Skelton and Alex Langlands explore some of the most fascinating periods of British history through current archaeological excavations around the country.
- 2019-2020
- 2 seasons
- Documentary
Presenters Helen Skelton and Alex Langlands explore some of the most fascinating periods of British history through current archaeological excavations around the country.
Season 2 Episode Guide
6 Episodes 2020
Episode 1
The Lost Roman Town
55 mins
Silchester is one of the best preserved Roman sites in Britain, hidden beneath the ground for nearly 1,500 years. Why did Rome's infamous emperor Nero stamp his mark on the town?
Episode 2
The Royal Navy's Greatest Ship
When Nelson defeated Napoleon in his magnificent HMS Victory, he owed much of his success to another ship - HMS Invincible. This vessel transformed our navy and taught it about organisation and ship design.
Episode 3
The Real Game of Thrones
Stories of a group of power-hungry bishops living some 700 years ago give the feuding factions of Game of Thrones a run for their money. A team of archaeologists descend on County Durham to learn more.
Episode 4
Industrial Revolution - Bridgewater
The team search for artefacts from the country's first superhighway - the Bridgewater Canal - that linked the coal mines of Worsley with Manchester, and powered the Industrial Revolution.
Episode 5
The Real War Horse
More than one million horses worked for the British military in WWI. Historians and veterans join forces to unearth the stories behind a Yorkshire garrison's stables. Plus, the horse the Germans could not kill.
Episode 6
Elizabeth I
In 1592, Elizabeth visited magnificent Sudeley Castle for a three-day party to end all parties, which included the creation of a spectacular garden. 500 hundred years later, a team of archaeologists hunt for this lost gem.