1963: ALONE with the ROTHWELL SKULLS | Tonight | Weird and Wonderful | BBC Archive

[@xjAlbert]

This interview with Dr. Trevor was broadcast in 1963, when he would have been 55 years old, as his obituary published in 1967 states that he died aged 59. The obituary, was published in the scientific journal NATURE, VOL. 216. NOVEMBER· 4. 1967.

[@Zagneek]

He looked so much older than 55.

[@ProfessionalMusicPartners]

Tall forehead that one 🥹

[@Kennybooy9]

Morbidly obese

[@unclenogbad1509]

For anyone thinking of visiting, Rothwell is actually in Northamptonshire, not Leicestershire as stated, but that's a minor quibble on a fascinating clip. I'm a postie (mailman) and used to deliver regularly in Rothwell without ever knowing this existed. I'd definitely have asked for a look. [NB, it is quite close to the border of Leicestershire, a border which may have moved about during one of the County reorganisations. It's definitely an NN postcode today.]

[@OriginsReborn]

This is what I've said for a long time. Contrary to popular belief that the traditional English are a mishmash of mainly Roman, Saxon, and French people's. We do in fact have a heavy DNA lineage back to our Iron age forfathers and our, for want of a better phrase 'Celtic' Roots. I for one have nothing other than North Western European DNA in me. I can also trace my family back almost a millennia and we've nearly always been in the North East of England / South East of Scotland. I found this video fascinating!

[@nickchapman3077]

Very interesting. There is a similar crypt with large quantities of skulls and bones at a church in Hythe, near Folkestone. Have been there many times.

[@robertguildford]

As an English Brythonic Celt, I find it most gratifying to hear this mans affirmation "This is a heresy, we are not Anglo Saxons. We are the chaps the Romans found in Britain". Very satisfying to hear an opposite view conradictlng the accepted narratlve.

[@emgee81]

Yes, I often get lambasted in comment sections for declaring that I'm exclusively English, Welsh & Scottish and therefore an indigenous Celt/British woman. I didn't even know about the Scottish part until I did the Ancestry DNA test!

[@eshixman]

The "Celts" as a race didn't exist. It was more of a culture that spread right across Europe. Anyway, I think that the people of these isles DNA goes back much further than that, the haplogroup k1c1, which is common, dates from the Neolithic, for instance.

[@jagolago-bob]

Very interesting. I wonder if there have been any genetic tests to verify his theories of the skulls' origins?

[@JuggiesArchive]

That place looks so quiet, peaceful and away from the world... I'd probably live in there if I could 😁

[@LeShark75]

Very interesting indeed.

[@jaimiehorton9669]

A small whiff of phrenology from the announcer 😅 But I love to hear about the archaeology work done in earlier times.

[@Nyctophora]

The poor man was very patient with the reporter, who tried all sorts of phrenology! :)

[@MatthewBrannigan]

Goodness my mum and sisters live in Rothwell, needless to say I've forwarded the link!

[@MatthewBrannigan]

Needless to say Rothwell was and is in Northamptonshire, not Leicestershire, but is not too far from the border as Market Harborough in Leicestershire is close by.

[@jsie85]

Anyone else think the interviewer sounds like David Mitchell but looks like Robert Webb? Interesting subject matter though.

[@chriswalford4161]

Wiki Chris Brasher….

[@krashd]

The engineering and expertise that must have went in to sending David Mitchell back 51 years to host a documentary on skulls.

[@debbiecarter6430]

I’m from Desborough, just down the hill (and also in Northamptonshire) so visited here with school or some other group. Not at all smelly or scary as I remember.

[@ajs41]

A bit late to expect smelliness from the skulls.

[@debbiecarter6430]

@@ajs41 No, others had commented it might though.

[@AhJodie]

Something about the black and white videos look creepier.... I remember them from my childhood. His work is interesting.... it sounds like they are saying the French skulls look more intelligent than the British..... or did I hear it wrong? Thank you for posting this!

[@bonnetdedouche437]

Now I have that song by The Misfits, 'Skulls', in my head all day...

[@JJONNYREPP]

1963: ALONE with the ROTHWELL SKULLS | Tonight | Weird and Wonderful | BBC Archive that's nice. when i think of the misfits i think of that great obsession with Monroe it seemed to have or, like most punk bands of the era, sang about plan 9...

[@martinsmith1538]

Rothwell is in Northamptonshire, not Leicestershire.

[@jasonayres]

Well. He's ahead of the pack.

[@fionaoliver7237]

Somebody's been overly happy with an Axe or Sword.

[@Angela-kc5ui]

Interesting

[@iangallager4091]

But why were they all placed there and from their bodies to begin with? Did I miss something ? Were the bodies all cremated after a plague?

[@johnturner1073]

Is it still there and still a tourist attraction? Might get a sharra up...

[@petergore1972]

Peter Gore Seer, The Skull +Bones Society, Rule The Dark Side Of Humanity.

[@VintageTVMemories]

He is a very brave man. I, despite not believing in ghosts or zombies, would not be able to A: go down such a small staircase to get to the room, and B: work with so much death around me... I can only imagine the smell in there. 🤮

[@thomasm1964]

The smell of death would long have dissipated. I have visited the Bone Museum in the Czech Republic with my partner and discovered: A. No smell B. Not even that macabre It is very difficult to see ancient skulls as having belonged to or been part of real people. At this remove they are literally just calcified shapes.

[@brocktoon8]

Smell? It's only bones!

[@VintageTVMemories]

@@thomasm1964 I'm sorry... WHAT? How you can dissociate skulls from whomever had them in their living, breathing body surpasses me. How do you just see them as objects without attachment to a human?? With all due respect, you must be a next-level sociopath. Also, regarding the smell: that is incorrect. Unless you have unrefined olfactory senses, the smell of decomposition remains sometimes until long after whatever was there is completely decayed. I understand that you were simply seeking someone to banter with-- they call it "engagement" here on the socials. So, happy Saturday to you. You got your "engagement". Consider your day a success.

[@VintageTVMemories]

@@brocktoon8 This is how you tell me you've never actually witnessed a body after decomposition without telling me you've never witnessed a body after decomposition.

[@sarahlouise7163]

@@VintageTVMemories you are confusing recent with pretty ancient bones

[@johndana8671]

The Doctor got a nerve!

[@tenbear5]

Be giving this a miss. The BBC can GFT.

[@purplesunflower8242]

When the BBC worth paying licence fees.

[@Chris-Top-HerB]

4:35 Not for much bloody longer if they keep letting those stabby boatloads in...