Time Signs S01E02 The Lost Village 7th July 1991

This is the series which preceded Time Team, presented by Professor Mick Aston.

[@pigoff123]

Awww Mick. So good to see him again.... Rest in peace buddy

[@TermiteUSA]

Both shows are unique and both good for their own time. The advance of imaging tech is critical to saving what is left. Throughout both shows, good field work and good recording is the scientific foundation. Toni Pearson almost sounds like Helen as if one created the educational dialog track taken up by the other. Much respect for all involved.

[@samikirk05]

Our house was built over what had been a farm yard 50 or so years prior .... early 1900s I would guess. We were forever digging up chunks of wood with huge nails still in, and no end of buckles and straps and such. I often wondered about the people who had worked that land before. That section was built over ancient riverbed so I can imagine folks moved on in search of more generous soil after how many decades of backbreaking work.

[@rushzimi3865]

Heart breaking. So much human history lost forever. And all honour to Prof Mick... you contributed more than you'll ever know.

[@sgrannie9938]

I have hundreds of ancestors lying in graves at the bottom of reservoirs. They and the land they inhabited for generations as if they never existed 💔

[@nigelh3253]

I also enjoy the slower pace of these 'Time Signs' programmes - it gives them a certain charm. Plus we see more of the lab based side of archaeology. 'Time Team', the follow on series had a much faster pace and 3-day format which made archaeology hugely popular. And we have to thank Mick for that.

[@pigoff123]

It breaks my heart to see the destruction of family's homes an all the destruction

[@jayebyrd00]

I recently visit the family home we had 40 years ago. It was lost to a fire some years ago and the site is overgrown. I wanted to cry.

[@richardharrold9736]

I live in the Wolf Valley myself, on the west side of Broadwoodwidger. There isn't much farming left here, it's mostly home to retired Londoners and holiday cottages (for which I should be grateful, I was staying here when lockdown began, having had permanent rentals fall through on me, and a sympathetic landlord means I now call it the closest I've had to home for a while). The agricultural economy collapsed. The houses down at the reservoir had all been abandoned long before the reservoir was first proposed. What farming there is doesn't require anything like as many people - just a few herdsmen and shepherds on quad-bikes. The reality is that we needed a reservoir, and the Wolf Valley was pretty much the least worst place to put it, and it has enabled the creation of new wetland nature reserves, wildlife has really benefitted.

[@ian_b]

It's a natural reaction we all have, but everything is ultimately transient. We can't preserve the whole past in aspic. But yes, it is always a sad feeling watching a home demolished, because homes are special to us and we think of all the life that went on there.

[@georgielancaster1356]

So sad to see cabbages growing blousy. That beautiful soil... Criminal to not take the topsoil and give to a community garden, even putting in a paddock, not being flooded...

[@beverlyanne5192]

Im surprised they didnt salvage the timber in the houses

[@georgielancaster1356]

Is Dr Joe Bettey still about? He would be 90 years old, now?

[@cleot151]

16th or 17th century not that old!

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

That's the UK for you! 😆 Such a long history of habitation in the same land, it sometimes seems like there's medieval pottery in every veg garden and antiques in every attic....

[@franceslambert8070]

I stumbled upon Time Team, and got hooked! Now I spend my days and nights trying to watch them all. A hearty American THANK YOU for sharing these jewels.

[@nickraschke4737]

Best show ever made. Love it.

[@juliechi6166]

It is the best! I have watched all of them.

[@gitie1791]

I am so pleased to have encountered these videos... Thank you, Regards,

[@kungfuasgaeilge]

This was great! I really like the more 'documentary' feel, compared to Time Team. Both enjoyable in their own right, of course.

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

6:50 Having a whole valley's worth of deforestation as well as loss of historical buildings really hurts my heart, no matter how important the modern waterworks may be to maintaining quality of life for the urban residents? 😔 Particularly the heritage apple tree orchards... Do hope somebody was able to take grafts from those, many of the older fruit-tree varieties are dying out these days due to large-scale monocultures taking over.

[@backandstillbgmsdangerusda5493]

Good Lord, it's painful watching so many hundreds of years of history being erased.

[@pigoff123]

It is.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@jbradshaw4236 I live in the Wolf Valley myself, on the west side of Broadwoodwidger. There isn't much farming left here, it's mostly home to retired Londoners and holiday cottages (for which I should be grateful, I was staying here when lockdown began, having had permanent rentals fall through on me, and a sympathetic landlord means I now call it the closest I've had to home for a while). The agricultural economy collapsed. The houses down at the reservoir had all been abandoned long before the reservoir was first proposed. What farming there is doesn't require anything like as many people - just a few herdsmen and shepherds on quad-bikes. The reality is that we needed a reservoir, and the Wolf Valley was pretty much the least worst place to put it, and it has enabled the creation of new wetland nature reserves, wildlife has really benefitted.

[@richardharrold9736]

@@jbradshaw4236 we did get the new A30 built through the parish around the same time, but I wouldn't want to be without that either... the old route through Lewdown, Bridestowe, Okehampton, Sticklepath, Cheriton Cross, Tedburn St Mary etc would make getting to Exeter (which I did regularly pre-Covid) an absolute pain. Instead of 45 minutes (sometimes rather less... oh, hello there officer, didn't see you), it would be at least 1 hour 15 minutes... there's one bit of the old A30 just West of Okehampton which was reused for the new road, as it was the only viable route over the summit at Sourton Cross, but otherwise the new road follows an entirely different though largely parallel route, and the higher speeds possible make what was a very isolated place a lot more connected.

[@yooper6161]

Mick will last the test of time. He made his mark to be found 1000 years from now.

[@Seamonkey555]

I wish he realized that before his death. He always said he didn't feel he left his mark.

[@softshoes]

How odd to see Mick without his rainbow attire. Like some others here I had no idea of this show. I'll have so much fun binging this one too.

[@gregb6469]

How odd to see him actual wield a shovel and dig; on TT he always watched the younger archaeologists do the rough physical work.

[@marcblack1]

Mick will never be forgotten, love that little old man...

[@janicewhitford2193]

Enjoyed watching you, terrific show

[@adkviking69shofner98]

Is he dead?

[@richardharrold9736]

@@adkviking69shofner98 yeah, died about seven years ago.

[@Seamonkey555]

Old man? He was only 66 years old when he suddenly died.

[@lindasue8719]

He wasn't even old, by today's standards!!!

[@sgrannie9938]

I love Time Team, but I’m really enjoying Mick as “narrator”.

[@robynw6307]

Must've been devastating for the families who had to leave, to see them in such decay, and being demolished. I sure hope they were compensated well, though probably never enough to have to leave your generational lands.

[@theogangryscotsman7607]

ha in China they don't give a warning just an oops

[@jimblake7623]

My Dad owned Hennard, late 50's to 1963, and ran it as a dairy farm. After the bad winter of '63, he and Mum decided enough was enough and we went to Australia as "Ten-quid tourists". Its amazing to see the old house and the nearby small barn that we used as a garage, before it was demolished and flooded. The Wolf was a difficult river, it nearly flooded us out on a few winters

[@caroldavis47]

Sorry to hear of Micks passing. I will miss his bright colored sweaters. Know matter where he was, you could always pick him out in a crowd.

[@perryanderson217]

Thanks for the download great series

[@cward1890]

God speed Mick

[@millelucas8083]

thank you for sharing this ! greatly appreciated!

[@stacey-bown8332]

I always enjoyed listening to Mick. Go to see him!

[@aidy6000]

One such "lost" village is by me. WoodBottom in Honley, West Yorkshire. Now only one or two cottages are left.

[@mapycia]

Thanks for these downloads!

[@edwardfletcher7790]

So glad there's such an incredible collection of this work. Just like the Saxons, you'll always remembered Mick 👍

[@pigoff123]

I always hate to see history erased.

[@faithlesshound5621]

That's the problem with archaeology: they have to destroy part of what they investigate. Getting to the bottom layer means you remove everything on top.

[@georgielancaster1356]

All these young archeaologists... Now middle aged. I hope they had happy careers, no awful early deaths. These films seem to make me rather sad. Like looking at young air crew, in WW2 photo's, wondering who survived. Who I would like, who would I dislike. Who was a gentle animal lover in real life, now flying on bombing raids... It makes me maudlin. Seeing so much lost to serve growing populations. When the easiest answer is, have fewer children!

[@LoneKharnivore]

12:41 ...except we don't know when it was deposited. That farmer may have been twenty years behind London fashion.

[@BackFromTheMadeUp]

Fascinating the contrast between this show and Time Team from a production and narrative point of view. No surprise which one ran for 20 years and which didn't!

[@leslieeaston3383]

But you have to give kudos to the BBC for producing archaeology programs at all.

[@rushzimi3865]

But would this initial series not have spawned Time Team?

[@Rover200Power]

@@leslieeaston3383 *Channel 4

[@faithlesshound5621]

Mick Aston encountered Tony Robinson while lecturing on a Greek tour and recruited him, so he has to take some of the credit and/or blame for Time Team.

[@kcbowman4042]

I like this series better. Time Team was great, but Tony's Everyman act got old.

[@MeanaBeana391]

MICK...RIP...You are missed...

[@hallets1956]

Thank you sooooo much for sharing this series..

[@alanwann9318]

Just excavated this programme, it's much better than time team which I stopped watching long ago

[@lauramatilda3279]

The ladys shoe which was discarded before it was worn out interested me greatly. Maybe she died and has no daughters to use the shoes, maybe it was simply lost, maybe she was able to get even nicer shoes. I wonder who she was, her age and how she felt about the shoes themself... did she like them or was she unbothered... so interesting and mysterious. I love this show

[@DeborahParham-ve1vp]

It's a shame that they only did four shows in this series. I really enjoyed this and would have loved to see more like it.

[@jbradshaw4236]

Surly one of the most tragic crimes against our heritage. ....great programme however. .

[@adrinathegreat3095]

You can see how much of an act was put on in time team, running around, arguing joking, clowning around.. Time team didn't start off as a comedy, it evolved into one where laughs took first place.

[@kevinmurphy7576]

Sorry to hear about Mick’s passing. I’m fairly new to Time Team, and each person adds so much.

[@Seamonkey555]

That's why Mick said he left- the original idea was gone completely before the end.

[@NWDestroy]

this was rad, thanks eternally comrade

[@loulou1250]

Was that Nigel Havers narrating the episode?

[@DonniePalmer57]

Sweet!! I was the 1000th Like! Great video series

[@si4632]

Mad Protestants destroying the art in the churches 😒

[@faithlesshound5621]

They had the same idea as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban today, or the "Iconoclasts" long ago.

[@maximiliand2544]

@@faithlesshound5621 also the Christians that destroyed Alexandria and Alexander the greats tomb complex due to him being worshipped as a god.

[@christinaclifton9257]

This is so sad

[@phoule76]

test pit Mick!

[@chiseldrock]

YODA MICK

[@paulmurgatroyd6372]

The moral of the story... the church can't make it's mind up whats good or bad either.

[@zebooker]

First!?

[@MultiSirens]

I’m sorry does that shoe look modern?

[@gregb6469]

It did to me.

[@theogangryscotsman7607]

amazing