Catch up TV
Series 5: 5. Bucklers Hard
In Hampshire, archaeologist Ben Robinson investigates how a tiny village, originally meant to be a free port to process sugar, became a bustling naval shipyard.\n\nBen learns that three ships built here would lead Nelson to victory at Trafalgar. Then, in an almost untouched 18th-century labourer’s cottage, Ben gets a feel for just how basic life was for hardworking rural families 250 years ago.
Source: BBC 2
Most recent episodes of Villages by the Sea
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 3. St Margaret's
On a visit to the Kent coast, Ben Robinson learns how an exclusive retreat for the rich and famous suddenly became 'Hellfire Corner' during World War II. Ben examines graffiti i ...
08-07-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 2. Staithes
Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the village of Staithes in North Yorkshire and unearths its role in kickstarting the chemical industry in the north east of England.
01-07-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 3. Bamburgh
Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers how the health and fortune of the village was shaped by those in charge of Bamburgh’s famous castle.
29-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 6. St Bees
In Cumbria, on the edge of the Lake District, Ben Robinson finds evidence of early pilgrimage at a remarkable Norman priory. In a 500-year-old house in the village, the archaeol ...
23-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 5. Bucklers Hard
In Hampshire, archaeologist Ben Robinson investigates how a tiny village, originally meant to be a free port to process sugar, became a bustling naval shipyard.\n\nBen learns th ...
18-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 4. St Agnes
Ben Robinson investigates how a Cornish gem became world-famous for tin. In the bay, the archaeologist unravels the epic story behind the hundreds of huge carved stones that lie ...
16-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 2. Seahouses
Ben Robinson casts his eye over the industrious village of Seahouses in Northumberland. The archaeologist learns how the lethal shoreline shaped its transformation from a sleepy ...
11-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 1. Runswick Bay
Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits Runswick Bay on the North Yorkshire coast, where he discovers how this pretty village was once a place of danger. Ben explores the mythical &ls ...
10-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 1. Alnmouth
Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits Alnmouth on England’s north east coast and discovers the village’s historical role in feeding the nation.
19-03-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 2. Arnside
Archaeologist Ben Robinson discovers how traditional boat building shaped the beautifully preserved village of Arnside on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria.
18-03-2026
BBC 2
Most popular episodes of Villages by the Sea
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 4. St Agnes
Ben Robinson investigates how a Cornish gem became world-famous for tin. In the bay, the archaeologist unravels the epic story behind the hundreds of huge carved stones that lie ...
16-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 4: 3. Cushendall
Ben Robinson travels to Cushendall, one of the finest planned Georgian villages in Northern Ireland. It was owned and shaped by a series of owners but most notably its 19th-cent ...
26-09-2025
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 4. Charlestown
Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the picturesque Georgian village of Charlestown on the south west coast of Cornwall and learns how it was\nshaped by the vision of one man.
17-03-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 4: 5. Solva
Ben Robinson discovers the impressive lime kilns in Solva, Wales. This picturesque 19th-century port is famous for producing quicklime, a vital ingredient in both agriculture an ...
10-10-2025
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 2. Arnside
Archaeologist Ben Robinson discovers how traditional boat building shaped the beautifully preserved village of Arnside on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria.
18-03-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 4: 4. Holkham
Ben Robinson makes an amazing discovery at Norfolk’s impressive Holkham estate - its lost medieval village, seen for the first time since its disappearance some 200 years ...
03-10-2025
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 5: 5. Bucklers Hard
In Hampshire, archaeologist Ben Robinson investigates how a tiny village, originally meant to be a free port to process sugar, became a bustling naval shipyard.\n\nBen learns th ...
18-06-2026
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 3: Craster
Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits a small village in Northumberland to find out how the family and village who both share the name Craster have had their lives and fortunes inte ...
03-06-2025
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 3: Orford
Lying off the North Sea is the unassuming Suffolk village of Orford. It’s behind a large shingle spit called Orford Ness. But as archaeologist Ben Robinson unearths, it&rs ...
04-06-2025
BBC 2
Villages By The Sea
Series 2: 3. Thorpeness
Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers the secrets of the Edwardian village of Thorpeness in Suffolk, the first purpose-built seaside village in the UK.
12-03-2026
BBC 2