Time Team Specials S19-E01 Castle of the Saxon Kings ( Bamburgh, Northumberland)

Tony and the Team help investigate the Saxon roots of Bamburgh Castle, high on rocky cliffs in Northumberland above the vast North Sea beach and with the magical island of Lindisfarne visible in the distance.
It's been a seat of power for thousands of years and has long held the attention of archaeologists. The Team are at Bamburgh to help the Bamburgh Research Project, which for a decade and a half has been digging through 1000 years of history to uncover the Saxon roots of this fortress.
Bamburgh was once home to the 'Bernician Kings', Anglo Saxon overlords who ruled great swathes of Britain. Could there be a unique stone-built hall under the carefully manicured lawns of today's castle?
As the Team hear stories of brutal death and financial wealth, and examine finds of gold jewellery and stone thrones, Phil and the diggers edge closer to a tantalising discovery.

[@DavidHukill]

This show is a treasure, thanks for sharing!

[@mishajameson8939]

It warms my heart to see the professional respect that the TT veterans give the young archaeologists. And vice-versa, of course.

[@joshschneider9766]

once upon a time helen was a 27 year old post doctoral fellow participating in the 1980s dig at sutton hoo. she looks at the young lady with the red and black hair and sees her younger self.

[@150mcl150]

Only five minutes in, and I know this will be one of my favorite episodes

[@Toontex]

love this my grandma lived just down the road,so many an hour spent in the shadow of this castle.A great part of my life . If you love history and beautiful open countryside with superb beaches visit Northumberland.Better bring winter clothes even if you visit in high summer because it is cold and rainy.Still very beautiful,quiet and historic ,the locals are friendly with a lovely local accent and mostly quietly mad.

[@cstock7624]

one of the most beautiful historical places in Britain (in my opinion). Bamburgh Castle is stunning

[@bamburghcastle8160]

Remembering this like yesterday! Our archaeology is amazing ..

[@mantrop]

Thanks so much for uploading these. A fantastic series.

[@katherinecooper6159]

I love the way the horse interacts with the human!

[@roswithaprochazka912]

Phil saying "Solid block of rock" while digging for an anglo-saxon hall made me chuckle (for explanation: "Solid Ball of Rock" is a song by Saxon)

[@joshschneider9766]

Amusing given how they seem to have rarely built in stone as opposed to timber

[@Olentzaro]

The relics of Anglo-Saxon England are truly remarkable

[@thehotshotcentral1221]

Olentzaro agreed.

[@mdance86]

What a great episode!!

[@Marie-or6hz]

One of my favorites. Well worth the watch. The wealth of information yet to be discovered intrigues me.

[@mickymantle3233]

R.I.P Mick Aston. A real credit to Archaeology.

[@rjborremans4033]

Sad when I heard of his death. One of the few I really would have loved to meet in life. Hails Mick Aston...peaceful rest to you now...

[@phoule76]

"A shilling? Shows how often Phil puts his hand in his pocket." I never tire of hearing the subtle ways that Brits call each other stingy!

[@agespottoo8910]

Absolutely fascinating and so are this group of people called the time time.

[@AnthonyEvelyn]

Art by Victor G Ambrus. May he continue to gift us with historical art and drawings.

[@joshschneider9766]

He actually died last year. Fortunately he left behind a bunch of how to draw books he wrote along with alot of other accomplishments. He was so much more than an illustrator.

[@Ana_crusis]

we used to go up to Seahouses too when I was a kid. I know Bamburgh castle well

[@c1ph3rpunk]

Not only do they want a Saxon hall, but a stone Saxon hall. Good luck.

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

I pledge allegiance to King Phil ! (man he looks good )

[@thetruth1862]

Even a yank can enjoy where he probably came from 1,000 years ago nice castle guys

[@TastyBadger]

Agreed

[@TermiteUSA]

Mr. Cornwell did fantastic research when he began writing Richard Sharpe, in his words, so that he could live in the USA with his new wife. Then he did even more " nail on the head" when he wrote about Uhtred. Every one of his books leave you hungry for more. Completely Fascinating archeology.

[@32inzane]

To watch this episode was wonderful. Ive been here and visited the castle and landscape. watching this brought back such great memories of my backpack/hike from Edinburgh to New Castle what a wonderful walk that was all the way down the coast.

[@joshschneider9766]

Good grief that's a long way by foot. Did the ancestors proud, well done to you that's a sweet distance man.

[@davidtownsend6092]

@32:20 now i just wanna start diggin holes in northern england. Helloooo

[@hilaryc3203]

Very nice to see Graeme Young on here; he's well published.

[@joshschneider9766]

I googled him and dang you ain't wrong. Dudes all over the place with writings. Love it.

[@callicordova4066]

I visited this castle and loved it. Looks out onto the North Sea. How did I miss the archaeology museum?

[@polyatomicdog]

That mare was playing with John!

[@KellyfromMemphisDD214]

Haha ...that horse checking out the geo physics guy 😂😂😂

[@RandallFlaggNY]

King Phil the First.

[@chriskappler3482]

That last part cracked me up! Hahaha!

[@lesleyhahn8682]

pffft i would LOVE to have wedding photos by an actual archaeological dig!!!!

[@Doughartlaub]

Just wanted to say thank u for putting this episode on !.. I just did a ancestry dna kit and when I finally got it back I was very surprised. I thought I was going to be German Irish . Find out I’m 66% Great Britain. And 8% where the saxons are from .. : ) but from my suprise I have a distant 3rd cousin who messaged me when she saw my match . Find out my blood line goes all the way to doss to Taylor to Tyndale . All the way to where the 3 Kings before it got destroyed were my accent grandpas! Just found this out and still blown away . Wanted to say hi and thank u for all ur doing there . Sir William knight Tyndall and the his dads to eadwulf 2 king of Northumbria.. showing a couple of my grandpas were actually born in the castle : ) if u have anymore names and dates pass that point I would love to know thank u!

[@HeatherB81]

So interesting!! DNA and DNA 🧬 research is doing some amazing things (and revealing many secrets 🤫) for genealogy! It had always been family gossip that my grandfather was not my mothers biological father… my grandma (moms mom) always denied it if it ever came up, and took it to her grave… however, it was proven to be true when my mom took a test that revealed she is 97% Irish 😳😳😳 My “grandfather” did not have an ounce of Irish in him (mostly German with a bit of Native American). He was a military man, so he and my stay at home grandma lived all over Europe… you can probably imagine what may have happened… so, I could have family in Ireland that I have never met! I just wish that more people would submit their DNA results! On the apps, we are limited to seeing familial connections between people that have actually submitted a sample… the closest relative match I have, is some 4th, 5th, 6th cousins. And an even crazier twist… my half Italian husband found out through 23 & me that he is 10% Irish, with ancestors from the same exact region of Ireland as mine (County Cork)!!! Hope we aren’t distantly related 🤫

[@joshschneider9766]

Google the bamburgh research project also contact Wessex archaeology for the dig report for this episode

[@brianfuller7691]

I just re-watched this and this is amazing.

[@gregorys6074]

New to this series,telling all my friends/family.Folsom Ca & Dal Tx..

[@davidtownsend6092]

Phil's the most accurate english king I've ever seen

[@mishajameson8939]

Also, John facing off with the horse. 😄

[@shamsam4]

Best series ever! Oh, and Kate, the lady with the pink and black hair, is gorgeous and an archaeologist. I wonder if she plays piano...

[@peterchessell1949]

Are you under a doctor?

[@shamsam4]

's care ya mean?

[@luisrey6535]

Celto Loco A bit too many facial piercings for my taste, everyone has their on taste (even when its awful :) )

[@frelton7692]

She's had it looked at by various experts...

[@gwendolynfish2102]

Fascinating!

[@johntierney7244]

Dr Sam Newton teaches sometimes at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. Really enterataining speaker, great for those of us who don't have degrees but are interested in history. Check out the Wuffing Education website . The NT also run talks and things here.

[@truthseeker7242]

I love the Time Team series, and have watched most of the episodes over the years. Bamburgh is indeed a beautiful place, with a somewhat dark history. One of my 26th great grandfathers is Uchtred 'The Bold', Earl of Northumbria, High Reeve of Bamburgh - he was killed in Yorkshire by the Dane, Thurbrand, it is thought with the nod and possibly help from Cnut. It was a killing that sparked off an inter-family 'vendetta'. Having the DeBrus dynasty as part of my direct paternal lineage, has led me through a very rich series of interconnecting historic dynasties, that stretch across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. It is an ongoing research that will outlast my lifetime! So much killing, and murder, with battles at ten a penny. I have Anglo-Saxons coming out of my ears, including Alfred, and going back to Saxony.

[@kingslegion1]

would this in any way be one of if not the Uchtred son of Uchtred of the series the last kingdom? I have wondered if the series was based on reality,,, I know it is full of crap but just the idea that they seemed to use many actual people is good, at least bringing up those of old so we do not forget them. your people do this, and the world knows of it... only a few of us of my people keep the ancestors as special.

[@Doughartlaub]

Truth Seeker I also am realated to him . Starts back to sir William Tyndall :) like to see what u know sometime

[@Jenalgo]

"One of my 26th great grandfathers" does not make grammatical sense.

[@brynja_paulk8107]

@@Jenalgo 😂

[@Tsumami__]

You do know that once you go that far back most people with genetics from that place and time are descended from only a few pairs of "peerage" balls, right

[@gregorys6074]

Guess the weddings pay the bills,cool to see inside.so larger than life.grand..

[@dingublcoffee]

Damn that Sam Newton guy reminds me of Stephen Fry :O They look so alike

[@jamesmc6825]

He does lol

[@JasonJason210]

I thought it was him at first.

[@damaged05170]

So we MUST have a perfect lawn & flower beds for a week from now? Can you come & do a majour dig the weekend before? Sure. That will NEVER end in tears!

[@niceaardvark4899]

Yes, I don't get this at all. They invite the team to do a dig, with everything that involves, then after three days they want to shut the whole lot down for a wedding!

[@ExUSSailor]

I wish that Kate had a bit more screen time.

[@limonefiga6810]

William the Conqueror and the some of the old Bernicia/Northumbrian Kings are my direct ancestors Im very proud to still be a Northumbrian

[@jimm6095]

??????????????????!

[@katherinecooper6159]

Snarky Tony!

[@Happyheretic2308]

John and the horse!

[@brewsnale6315]

Time team meets Stephen Frye!

[@brianpeck4035]

Here's to our shabby King Phil- the laughing curmudgeon.

[@joshschneider9766]

There's a life sized sculpture of him at the Salisbury museum now.

[@judeirwin2222]

Wasn’t the field full of rosebay willow herb gorgeous!

[@MilesBellas]

7:00 "Bamburgh Castle was previously home to a fort of the indigenous Celtic Britons known as Din Guarie and may have been the capital of the kingdom of Bernicia, the realm of the Gododdin people"

[@RoyalSnowbird]

Saint Oswald is my 38th great-uncle (via marriage to his wife Cyneburh of Wessex) - to find out his relics had been stored in the basilica of this castle is amazing. . . Our common lines can be traced to Cynric of The West Saxons ...I descend from Creoda of Wessex, Prince of Wessex his brother (who is my 41st great-grand-father).

[@weyjosh5213]

Be proud!!!

[@jimm6095]

????????????!

[@paulbrooker6005]

A shame that perhaps there was so little “ coverage” given to the stone throne after all the work that had been put into it?

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

Yes I would like to see it done.....

[@yonelily]

Bebbanburg! Uhtred, son of Uhtred.

[@Hambie76]

Can we get more of Kate Clarke, please TT.

[@svenhoek]

Kate is totally dreamy!

[@Spartan265]

@@svenhoek As far as looks go she is my dream woman. Of course personality is more important and I don't know her but she seems nice.

[@lynncanada1915]

King Phillip! Matt, the knight!

[@hailiemai7213]

Who's here watching The Last Kingdom? LOL :)))

[@HeatherB81]

I just discovered that an ancestor of mine was the “Controller” of Bamburgh Castle in the 11th Century... does anyone know what a “Controller” of a castle was, and their responsibilities?

[@joshuamoschetto2806]

Heather Bailey It means they took care of the castle, and also resided in it. I’m a descendant of the Foresters (Foster)... they ended up owning Bamburgh after taking care of it for years.

[@HeatherB81]

Joshua Moschetto thats awesome!! Thank you for explaining!

[@joshuamoschetto2806]

Heather Bailey No problem! It is my dream to visit this castle. It’s awesome that we both have descendants who lived there at one point. :)

[@baskervillebee5353]

Bernard Cornwell writes the Anglo Saxon Tales about a semi-historical character who was a Lord there. Mr Cornwell is also a castle defendant.

[@SarahElisabethJoyal]

Fun fact: the family name "Bailey" probably derives from the old meaning of "bailiff" as someone in charge of an estate.

[@2gulfalco]

Kate, goth girl archaeologist, the perfect woman 🙂

[@Tsumami__]

Just because she has dyed hair and a piercing doesnt make her goth. Just saying

[@Timeren2010]

All the piercings seriously deduct from any notion of perfection. Absurd trend.

[@Spartan265]

@@Timeren2010 Nope not even close. Makes her more attractive.

[@tyrander1652]

Pattern welding was not done to strengthen the sword. Simple Japanese-style folding and layering would accomplish that. Pattern welding cost much more in time and material. It was done for decoration.

[@chrissmith7669]

Wootz or Damascus steel was produced by folding for as long as the Japanese were doing it and was available throughout Europe, for a price.

[@lancsFrogger]

that part of the country is very beautiful. no big cities, ruined castles, etc. [ obvs full of monoculture, bee-killing chemicals & pesticides but you can't blame northumberland for that ]

[@BackFromTheMadeUp]

Anglo-Saxon kings ruling great swathes of Northumbria? Uhtred, son of Uhtred anyone?

[@brynja_paulk8107]

Last kingdom "babbenburghs MINE! lol

[@rafaelcruzdosreis8382]

Destiny is All

[@571535]

Didn't find anything on Uhtred son of Uhtred yet? Keep digging.

[@kingbass8925]

Why do I feel like am left out I feel like I was supposed to be in that time fighting the Danes

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

Would rather been beeds(sorry on spelling) drinking bud myself.....

[@maligatormotivator7763]

The injuries are all on one side because a shield was probably blocking the other. I believe if that were true then the skeleton on the right is right handed. There's no real way to know for sure but that would make sense to me.

[@Mr.56Goldtop]

King Phil??

[@brianpeck4035]

Here's to our shabby King Phil the laughing curmudgeon.

[@Yamswool]

I'm trying to find some information about the coins that were found but I'm not sure how they're spelled. Steicher, stiker or steiker? If Anyone knows let me know.

[@hilaryc3203]

Styca coins

[@bamlett5352]

my family is direct decedents of the owners of this castle

[@truthseeker7242]

Dan - Hi, ancient relative, yes, I too have several generations of Reeves/High Reeves of Bamburgh. Genealogists refer to my family name as being a 'gateway' name, which through marriages, concubines and slaves, links back in time to very very many royal and noble dynasties. There are often examples of different and even the same branch of my family tree being involved on opposite sides in the same battle.

[@Doughartlaub]

Hi same here guys it’s nice to meet u . Just found out that the kings where my great grandpas.. and 3 of them were born there . This was the 790 to 900 year mark before it got distroyed

[@redarrow6188]

Dan Bamlett so are mine, we might be distant cousins lol

[@roadking4438]

what about the orb at 8:00 min in ?

[@Scotto6977]

Mick🌈sweater✔️

[@DanKetchum007]

Really didn't find much in this one.

[@raydrew3]

Is not this the mythological home of “Utred the Barbarian” ?

[@ladyfaith9347]

raydrew3 Bebenburgh is either just up from or down from Bambough

[@sethjenna2561]

My wife and kids are descendants of the Fosters.

[@dubforster]

my family once held it

[@briarelyse5136]

Same here... Hey cousin!

[@CristopherFoster]

+dubforster Hello family (I'm a Foster from America, someday I'd like to come see the castle-- have you been there?) :)

[@dubforster]

hi yes i live only 40 mins away

[@CristopherFoster]

+dubforster I have to come visit. Is there much Forster history in the castle? I think I heard they had some of Dorothy's clothes on display? Are there Forster paintings, etc?

[@laviniafitzgerald5136]

dubforster I am planning my trip to visit my family's castles. You are lucky to live so close by!

[@TastyBadger]

No mention of the Forresters?

[@gerrystevens9041]

saucebox. its not stone; she carved it into cement..soft dry and easy.

[@motaman8074]

Uhtred's house!

[@neonskyline1]

I fell asleep, did they mention that Armstrong rebuilt the castle for his Wife ?

[@sgrannie9938]

Tribute to Mick - kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3Wcnnl5rKuJkJY

[@thedukeofantioch]

are they going to be reburied afterwards in proper graveyards or treated with the usuall comptempt

[@gordywestmids]

What do you mean "contempt"?

[@hilaryc3203]

What are you talking about? There is no contempt; they are just bones. There is no need for a "proper graveyard" as they have already been buried properly. They are being studied in the ground, not removed. By studying the bones they learn a great deal about life in those times; diet, health etc.

[@luisrey6535]

Celto Loco Really they may not have been christian but their culture did not allow human burials slimply thrown in a whole, Plus 6th and century anglo saxons would indeed have been christian.

[@luisrey6535]

Celto Loco Which only reinforces the need to to disturb the graves. It's not a Christian "thing". It's respecting the sanctity of their beliefs whatever they might be. Even those who carted their"relative bones about" would have objected to erfet strangers (foreigners in fact) poking the bones of their dead. While in fact there might be a reason to escavate long dead bodies, that need needs to be balanced against the "Offense" being committed. What exactlly is being learned by disturbing graves and how is that the only way to get that knowledge? Human remanins are not the discrded stones of old buildings, they are the remains of real people who need to be treated with the same respect that we give our own dead.

[@luisrey6535]

Yes, they mentioning it but still interact with the body as if it a few pieces of broken pottery. Problem I think is that archeologists become desensitized to the fact that bones are not merely another artifact. Possibly archeaology ould benenfit from the inclusion of Ethicists in the same way that mmedicine and other sciences have.

[@cojones8518]

27:00 The dangers of Geo-physing. :)

[@clementinemonroe717]

Golly sure hope they dig up some scissors!

[@bethbartlett5692]

This production is a truly good view of "the Team" and their natural roles in the larger scheme of the shows. Enjoyed it immensely, although "Mainstream Archaeology is the greater Myths" and often while they stand on the Bedrock of the Facts. There existed a real and both written and artifact supported Advanced Ancient Era. No - it was not an "all out if Africa" scenerio. Open Mind and eyes - w/o predetermined ideologies.

[@tpseeker3367]

And Earth isn't 6,000 years old & there Never was a single World wide flood.

[@edlingja1]

Isn’t Kate there just a gorgeous girl? Oh how an archaeologist girlfriend would change my life! 😌

[@judeirwin2222]

The chap holding the thick blade next to Helen pronounces “livery” with a long “I”, as if discussing the Liver birds. The “I” is always short, to make the word rhyme with shivery.

[@jonathanheussi1189]

joes garage

[@yooper6161]

I'm curious to the origins of the names of the places they go. To an American like me. Hearing these names even in English i cant hardly understand. Thank god Phil doesnt pronounce the names. I would never understand .

[@johnforrester4272]

Patton fiĺmm

[@boydwood6104]

Does Phil's hat stink?

[@IanDinBC]

Pretty sure I lost a few ancestors there - typical nobility, no sense of humour, "off with his head" or hands. Sheesh.

[@00BillyTorontoBill]

If you have European heritage.... then you're related to EVERYONE. www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/all-europeans-are-related-if-you-go-back-just-1-f6C9826523

[@tommcluckie6034]

my question is why is there always a time constraint if you are gonna do something like this would you not plan to have more than 3 days to do the excavation what if they found something real important just fill it back in and get back to it later and whats with the mask when chiseling sandstone that's a little extreme lol

[@philaypeephilippotter6532]

The archæologists were all professionally employed as archæologists elsewhere, 3 days is quite common for exploratory excavations and the programme was otherwise very expensive.

[@tommcluckie6034]

@@philaypeephilippotter6532 got you thanks just wondered because all the archaeology shows on are the same and have short time frames in common and that explains a lot cheers

[@mariaweiss7019]

0

[@naikjoy]

Its so sad that all this culture will be unvisitable now with all the present and future Muslims in the UK.

[@callmemonkh9020]

john gator was such a "negative nancy"

[@BJ-bi9xv]

phil's mouth 😂 …i'm truly fascinated by it. it's like a puppets mouth.