Time Team S05-E06 Aston Eyre,.Shropshire

Time Team's efforts are concentrated as much above the ground as beneath as they travel to Aston Eyre, Shropshire where a farmhouse converted from a medieval gatehouse is just the starting point for three days of hard work. Because behind it is a derelict building that would, in the 14th century, have been the grand hall of the lord of the manor and, as Tony Robinson points out as he is lifted above the site, a `whole complex of buildings, a jumble of remains which will provide a unique picture of medieval life'.
Over the centuries, the hall has been altered but as the Time Team bring their expertise to bear on the standing buildings as well as excavating the foundations of long-gone structures and mapping out the surrounding area, the deserted manor comes to life. And, since there are written records from the period, there is also a poignant tale about the fate of the family who lived and worked in the manor house at Aston Eyre.

[@angelitabecerra]

I always love it when they include Victor's drawings. His work brings the archeology to life.

[@haplessasshole9615]

I love it when he draws Phil, Mick, and Tony into his pictures. Occasionally, he'll include himself, Carenza, and others into crowd scenes. I believe that osteoarcheologist Jackie McKinley featured in one picture as an herbalist. My favorite, however, was his head of a leper. Not a word was said by a soul about the fact that it looked like a hideously disfigured Baldrick. That's so danged British.

[@elizabethschaeffer9543]

Has anyone else caught on to the little black dog that Victor so often has playing around the characters he creates?

[@l.m.4014]

Victor made each Time Team excavation come alive! Because of his drawings ....I was able to picture what life was like, long ago... > A picture says a thousand words.

[@merryhunt9153]

Thank you, Reijer. We are really enjoying these Time Team episodes.

[@patrickkelly4070]

ii love the way Tony keeps asking the right questions

[@boffeycn]

That was his cunning plan!

[@jeanneamato8278]

This would make a great series in itself. The archeology of old buildings.

[@minimaker5600]

I would love to see how they adapted it to 21st century living.

[@elizabethneill3825]

Great idea, Jeanne Amato.

[@lameesahmad9166]

I am glad that I am not the person that took on the project to restore this property. It must have been extremely complicated with all the various fabrics used. Also the building heritage council would surely have made it extremely difficult because every era of development would have required different materials and techniques. Shew!!! What a nightmare😑 I have watched the British series where private individuals took on the task of restoring historical buildings and the poor people involved went through Hell with expenses far beyond their budget and extended deadlines to complete the projects. The extra time it took for the work meant their private lives were badly compromised because they could not move in before it was safe and feasible to do so.

[@cogidubnus1953]

Beric was one of those magical guys who seemed to have been dropped in later episodes...a real genius....loved his stuff

[@Wally-H]

Yes he's great, isn't he? According to his Wiki page he sadly got dementia at a relatively young age (2002 I think) which probably explains his disappearance from Time Team. he did live for some years after, and died in 2015.

[@annazaman9657]

@@Wally-H so sad to hear this

[@Dawe360]

@@Wally-H Alzheimer's at age 58, God that is really sad. I really liked him as well.

[@frozencancukfinearts]

Great intro, rising slowly up above the dig site, over the roofs and giving us a full scope of the work.

[@TheVCHorseguy]

I like Dr. Mark Horton. His manner of speech and facial movements always make me think of a super criminal. Soft spoken with impeccable English. All while torturing some poor soul. He'd be perfect in an Austin Powers movie.

[@gwadja]

Oh man I can't stand him! He's so very self righteous and pompous seeming. I love the show but I always have a bit of a grump when I see him in an episode.

[@RKHageman]

I am utterly delighted by Beric Morley’s handknitted Aran pullover.

[@klarahvar746]

I was going to post a comment acknowledging that I got distracted trying to figure out how to knit an identical sweater! But then I thought: "that's going to sound very weird in this context" haha.

[@Happyheretic2308]

@@klarahvar746cable knitting!

[@maeve4686]

Phil looks as if his back is hurting him, when he's leaning on the shovel talking with Tony during the first day. I'd give him a massage...

[@maeve4686]

@FESERFACE well, maybe

[@boffeycn]

@FESERFACE Norty!

[@donnal.oglesby4806]

like with MOST of the Time Team episodes, I found this one very interesting. And once in a while, though seldom, you will see John Gater, in the background, like in this one, doing some digging. God bless his heart.

[@Libbathegreat]

If you're talking about the dude at 26:49, that's not John. He does do a fair amount of digging and general pitching in on non-geophysics stuff on other episodes though.

[@Raycheetah]

Once again, Stewart is correct. And poor Tony... I know he catches a lot of flack for being a bit daft, but it may help to remember that his job is to act as a proxy for the audience, who can't ask the sometimes obvious questions it falls to him to raise. =^[.]^=

[@HarryDoddema]

I think it's very interesting what Tony does (especially compared to many other documentaries). He's not hyping anything up, he's honest if he's disappointed about something. He doesn't just present whatever the experts find, he challenges them to explain things better and asks them why they're doing what they're doing. He respects their knowledge and experience, but he's never afraid to ask the layman's questions.

[@phantomkate6]

Yes, exactly! It seems that many people think tv is 'real life' and also get way too worked up when Tony teases the diggers.

[@chrissmith7669]

I love how they give each other grief over assumptions and misses

[@boffeycn]

Indeed,; What so many people never managed to understand is that Tony was, as you very correctly staed "to act as a proxy for the audience, who can't ask the sometimes obvious questions". In fact many people that have commented on the series right from the beginning didn't seem able to grasp that Time Team was about teaching the lay audience about archaeology and (mainly) British history more than anything else.

[@boffeycn]

@@HarryDoddema Ramen to that.

[@faithhowe6170]

Having interests in both architecture and archaeology, I found this show fascinating.

[@stevenbrown8857]

It's one of my favourite digs. it's a fantastic building. I hope any reuse was sympathetic. But I agree in a building living again. It had changed many times, so why not in our time. It will be protected.

[@alfhilda]

Beric was so lovely; Mark … less so…

[@shannonottarson9247]

Was anyone else angrily yelling at Mark for digging his stupid trench in the wrong place, completely ignoring the geophys or was it just me?

[@eboracum2012]

He appeared very full of himself, especially in this episode.

[@monikagrosch9632]

Well, if they do everything right the first time they might be done by lunchtime of the second day???

[@NickC_222]

Nah. Everybody makes mistakes.

[@cyclingnerddelux698]

And then Mark was never seen again.

[@Jerbod2]

One of the best episodes!

[@robinalexander1634]

Love this program.

[@AquaFurs]

Mick is in top form in this episode. So is Mark Horton, the voice of reason.

[@Liz-sc5dg]

After watching a number of later episodes I'm so excited to watch this, especially for Mic Ashton.

[@eboracum2012]

The earlier years were the best, imo. I enjoyed his Time Signs programs, as well, and would dearly love to get my hands on the radio recordings he did.

[@gonindunit]

Cool. This episode was really nice. Thanks.

[@jonathaneffemey944]

Thanks so much for posting

[@Wotdermatter]

Rather interesting that Time Team chose a location from which Mick's family name may have derived although there are other places named Aston. Aston means east town or ash tree settlement whereas Eyre means a circuit traveled by an itinerant justice in medieval England or the court he presided over. The town also has a long history, being mentioned in the Domesday Book, but the actual date of origin is unknown. 'nuf sed.

[@evelyneweissenborn8231]

Very interesting! I did not know the origin of the word Eyre. Thank you.

[@judeirwin2222]

One of the inner areas of Birmingham is called Aston. Maybe Mick’s family hasn’t traveled too far since their beginnings.

[@merryhunt9153]

They missed something. At 14:38 we can see either "AD 1812" or "1912" neatly graven into the stone above the zed. Interesting!

[@judeirwin2222]

You’re right. It says “A.D. 1912”.

[@corneliawissing7950]

Check the prof.'s striped mittens!

[@michaelweber7848]

Amazing series!

[@lisakilmer2667]

I enjoyed this episode a lot. All the research and rummaging around and figuring out the story of a family. The conversation at 30-31 is so civil and respectful. Unfortunately Dr. Mark Horton doesn't look his best from 37-38. Aston Eyre Hall has a facebook page and wikipedia listing bu tit's not clear how much it's been restored.

[@MontyCantsin5]

Mark Horton's 'Oh dear' at 38:10 is gold. I think Mick was ever so slightly annoyed...

[@Chubachus]

those blasted Victorians cause Time Team so much ire

[@33chazmo]

never knew Borat was an expert on medieval history

[@EmeraldVideosNL]

I've been missing Robin the archivist for some episodes, when was this episode filmed, had he died by this time?

[@1HistoricalBuff]

Season 5 was in 1998. Robin Bush died in 2010.

[@willowscarclan]

Robin hosted a Time Team Extra for Aston Eyre with Professor Ronald Hutton: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rmPRY5eYopyfeKc

[@eboracum2012]

@@willowscarclan Robin was such a joy....RIP, dear Robin. Dawn Headley is another star in my universe...that woman's talent knows no bounds!

[@christophersmith8316]

There's a wiki page for it...Aston Ayre Hall

[@minimaker5600]

It doesn't look much different except it has grass all around.

[@slhughes1267]

"Luxury house" = modern monstrosity with no character

[@recitexpressif]

I think it says 1812; the style of the numbers carved would most likely have been different if it would have been carved in 1312.

[@Philrc]

You can't just use lime , you have to mix sand in with it to make mortar

[@ClockworkChainsaw]

Yes I know you made this comment three years ago, but I wanted to point out that they briefly show gathering the sand at this time stamp: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWeuY6J7jtJknLs

[@chrisg.b.6927]

At 5:20 it seems there is a mouse scurrying away when they removed the floor boards

[@makachewbakabrah5495]

I just noticed that S05e06 and S09e08 are the same episode.

[@russellball3539]

Written above the masons mark at 14:38 is AD 1312? Then Corenza asks what date are the marks???

[@elisabethverte7061]

I think it was 1912- the chisel marks were quite well-done

[@Capkan1973]

It was 1812...

[@OUigot]

It says 1912....but Carenza isn't the brightest bulb on the tree either.

[@souloftheteacher9427]

@@OUigot Nor are you, apparently. The date is done with modern tools in a completely different lettering style.

[@eboracum2012]

Is this the episode where the dendro-dude refused to part with the tree-ring data? P-Oed me no end, that one. The nerve!

[@thomasbell7033]

No, that was much later, in, like, season 17 when Mick the Twig went all petulant on Tony. It was probably scripted, or at least reenacted. We all love Time Team, and we tend to forget that plenty of it was closely scripted, as it had to be.

[@justaguitardude]

i wonder if he finished remodeling the house.

[@Wally-H]

He did. If you look at the Wiki page for the village, there is a panoramic view showing the house in the distance and it is clearly renovated - see here en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aston_Eyre#/media/File:West_Farm__-geograph.org.uk-__426190.jpg

[@TeylaDex]

@@Wally-H now it looks though as if the West part of the complex has a caved in roof if you look on Google maps

[@bevil4aday]

Okay, I'll say it... "Zed's dead."

[@spacelemur7955]

Standard Time Team Theme: (We've arbitrarily imposed a three-day limit on ourselves and) "It's Day Two and time is running out!"

[@heiditrampedach2084]

They do the digs in the weekend. They all have to return to their regular jobs at Universities and such on the Monday.

[@spacelemur7955]

@@heiditrampedach2084 I eventually heard that on the show, but was too lazy to search for this comment and delete it. I will do it later, after you have had time to read my thanks (🍻) for this info and locating the comment.

[@possiblepilotdeviation5791]

10:17, I thought Boycie was a used car salesman?

[@Wally-H]

37.00 slightly embarrassing moment for Mark LOL. Interesting dig but they should have guessed being an old farm site, there would be a hotch potch of Georgian and Victorian building on top of what they wanted - a nightmare to sort out in three days. Just one thing about the mason's marks - I actually think that's a runic symbol rather than a Z, possibly the mark for ae.

[@Temujin1206]

I doubt that. If it was an Æsc rune that'd be in the Elder Fuþark, which is getting on for 1,000 years too early for the proposed dates (not to mention the completely wrong part of the world). Even if you take it as the Eoh rune from the Anglo-Frisian Fuþorc that could charitably be dragged out to the 11th century, still far too early for a 14-15th century building. Furthermore why would people, presumably of Norman descent, be having early medieval Germanic runes inscribed on their late period manor house? I can't see anyone at the mason-level of society being educated to the extent that they'd be familiar with former alphabet systems nor can I see anyone at the higher, more thoroughly educated tier of society requesting runic inscriptions-virtually all interest in runes died with the Norman arrival so there's no particular likelyhood the lords/ladies of the house would be aware of runes or want them enscribed on their house.

[@eddwarddgives]

wow it says 1912 ad on it he says it 14th century

[@Skyfire_The_Goth]

I know this comment is pretty old but I took a closer look at that, it says (unreadable word/words) A.D. 1912 I'd be willing to bet that was where a contractor or building inspector used a mechanical engraver of some sort to put his name and the date he inspected it in a location that would be pretty easy to locate in the future but still kinda out of sight, if you pause it you can see the 1912 engraving is actually rougher and shallower than the "Z" marking, indicating it was not done with the same tools.

[@t.j.payeur739]

That's what I thought, 1912. And they say the building was started around 1347, so 1312 is 35 years too early......

[@silkandtaffeta]

That looked like a graffiti mark. Perhaps a son of the house decided to carve himself into history.

[@kevinchambers1101]

It could have been the date a family moved to the property.

[@ohshitnotanotherknob]

From Google Maps it looks as if the roof is now damaged and the buildings are decaying.

[@TeylaDex]

Maybe the crap plan of a modern expensive bed and breakfast fell through....

[@karmicpopcorn6440]

May have required more excavation the owner couldn't afford. Often those older buildings have requirements to jump through hoops

[@eboracum2012]

All those beautiful bricks.

[@baskervillebee6097]

Why does Tony's hat look like a civil war kepi?

[@phantomkate6]

Tony's fashion sense is 👌

[@boffeycn]

Its a cunning kepi plan.

[@cheryllien4131]

Please move Time Team to Rumble.

[@lindasue8719]

Did the landowner ever develop that site?

[@simonsmith3427]

According to Google .... No.

[@oliverwade8066]

I think I found it at 52.543989,-2.513187

[@benediktmorak4409]

what a shame, let it go to the dogs. that was 2013. now it is 2022, wonder if there is anything still there?

[@wich1]

This was the mid 90s

[@desslokbasileus571]

46:38　😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@judeirwin2222]

Mark has always struck me as a bit of an effete clot. Sort of a grown up Fotherington Thomas. Chiz, chiz. How utterly wet and weedy.

[@brian554xx]

"Can I come on your trench?"

[@shadetreader]

#StopRichPeople

[@hemjl4]

That Tony is like a little yapping poodle at times

[@boffeycn]

I suggest that is a self description.

[@deborahparham3783]

More like a little hyperactive rat terrier but we love him anyway.

[@blueviper181]

Why do they need to keep drawing things when they’ve took photographs?

[@billie-jobenway8658]

I've heard one archaeologist say that the drawings are better as far as distinguishing outlines that can be muted or deceptive in a color image. There is also the issue that a lot of pictures tend to fade over the years and are more easily damaged by things like water where paper can simply be dried out.

[@ktritsch4009]

There's also the fact that they dont GPS every artifact found in a trench. Meaning location, location, location. :)

[@boffeycn]

Hello Gammon.

[@judeirwin2222]

When they’ve taken, not took. Jeeze.

[@samjohnstone1356]

I'd give Sue one, I bet she's aged alot though

[@meemurthelemur4811]

If you're going to reply to a comment, please do so as a reply so that others can actually see what you are replying to. Without context, your comment makes no sense.

[@minimaker5600]

@@meemurthelemur4811 I don't think you want to know, coming from him.

[@judeirwin2222]

And why would she want “one” from you? And of course you HAVEN’T aged, right? Noxious male.