Time Team s20 special - the secret of lincoln jail

Lincoln has been dominated by its castle for over 1000 years. Its high stone walls and gatehouses were built to impress the locals with Norman power, and it has housed medieval dungeons and Victorian and Georgian jails.
Extraordinarily, today the castle is still a centre for justice and punishment, containing an active court.
As part of a £19million refurbishment programme, a preparatory archaeological dig at the castle is revealing new secrets about the horrors of its early jails.
Sir Tony Robinson and the Time Team cameras have had exclusive access to the dig. With help from Phil Harding and Alex Langlands, Tony traces the story of punishment over the course of a millennium.
He discovers that, behind the walls of Lincoln Castle, the Victorians launched an experiment in prison justice that pushed human beings to their limits.
Some went mad, many died, and the prison regime broke down in shocking circumstances. In this grim jail in the heart of the city, something went badly wrong.
This Time Team Special explores the hidden corners of this spectacular site and the extensive historical records to find out why.

[@jehansanzterre3956]

If the Beeb could ever stop producing endless Jane Austen remakes,this particular grim bit of Georgian history would make a facinating series. Thanks for this and all the others,once again! RZ,you rock!

[@ancilodon]

I didn't know Phil Harding is actually Dr Phil Harding. New phrase: "My Dr Phil is a British archaeologist".

[@alicial1239]

And a pirate!

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

​@@alicial1239only between digs😅

[@melissacoulter708]

I’d have to say of course he is. Most of them are

[@maddiethomas5892]

I thought it was Professor Harding... I don't know why I thought that.

[@AndrewMartinIsHere]

That dungeon guide from Nottingham really needs to be cast as a sinister killer. Her voice is fantastically terrifying with the right words.

[@newwavepop]

that didnt feel like an episode of Time Team but it was very interesting and well done. that prison log book at the end is absolutely fascinating too, seeing those faces of the past and wondering what desperate situations led to their incarceration.

[@domundtgregor6683]

7:35 and 26:55 Dr Rowbotham is clearly enjoying to describe all the horrors of the past !!! She reminded me Annie Wilks from the Misery movie, lecturing Paul about hobbling just before breaking both his ankles...

[@thelostone6981]

I’m glad that I don’t know her!😂

[@oldcremona]

I'm American and I must say that British TV appears to beat the piss out of American TV. Less glamour, more content.

[@Veaseify]

oldcremona We have the same crappy soap operas and talent shows but the documentaries are much better, with obvious exceptions like the Ken Burns stuff.

[@mikebarrow157]

Steve Veasey I agree, but have you noticed that the Burns' stuff is as said earlier, "less glamour, more content".

[@Veaseify]

Mike Barrow Ken Burns gets castigated in the US for being a liberal lefty pinko with too much emphasis on social issues in his documentaries. The Civil War for example is a masterpiece but because there was almost no discussion of weapons or tactics and a focus on how the war affected ordinary people's lives it got panned in some quarters. Same with Jazz, because it did not go into any depth about music theory or technique and dwelt on the personalities of the artists more than their skill and gave the impression that nothing worthwhile had been produced since the mid sixties a lot of critics dismissed it. If you already know all that stuff why would you need to watch a generalist documentary about it and then get upset?

[@mikebarrow157]

That is surprising to me. The Civil War is a work of sheer genius! The focus on the human element, wherever it is, brings the experience of the times into a brilliant clarity. I own the DVD, book and CD. Back to your statement, do fine, upstanding republicans prefer their History documentaries from Hollywood then? Surely the purpose of documentaries is to convey facts not present a show? Its my experience that the USA is very good at documentaries about it's own History. I can't sit through a US programme about either World War however. I've seen some excellent PBS shows about unknown (in UK) events, e.g. Johnstown Flood. If a nation has to add colour to facts to make them consumable, it changes the facts, and compromises its credibility(opinion).

[@Veaseify]

Mike Barrow They do make some reasonable documentaries but where they really fall down is anything to do with science, everything has to be dumbed down so much with mindless analogies to everyday things that you learn nothing. NOVA is particularly awful...

[@adamsjerome1839]

My uncle committed a rather nasty act to his CO. He was sentenced to 6 months in the " the Glass House ". His daily task while wearing a pack loaded with bricks was to dig a hole, and then dig another hole. He then filled in his first hole and then dug another hole . Etc, etc. When he got out of the Glass House he was assigned to the Path Finders. Talk about going from frying pan into the fire

[@hellspite]

Prof Mick Aston made comments about the way TT was going. The new format was not as good as the old but it is still better than the crap that is on the TV here in the US. Except some PBS stuff. RIP Prof Aston.

[@OrlopRat42]

Never saw this one. Thanks for the upload.

[@kcsunshine4008]

My home town. ❤️ Lincoln

[@Germanicus-]

Marvelous place..

[@texastrina25]

My family ended up in the states this way.

[@fcibop]

WOW! I've learned so much. Awesome!

[@PtolemyJones]

I really enjoyed the Medieval Crime and Justice Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The kinds of things that could get you punished included things like gossip, nagging and gambling! Really worth the visit if you get to that part of Germany.

[@russellball3539]

I agree, whilst this episode has much historical content, It is outside what the viewers expect from 20 years of Time Team.

[@Barouche]

Dr Rowbotham looks like an interesting character and has a delightful voice.

[@Mossyz.]

Loved it :) x

[@johnsalangsang103162]

Thats nice

[@mifuneblues7646]

This is a 'Time Team Special', so it (like most previous Specials) veer away from focusing on digging. Personally, I love them, because I love history, regardless of how it is taught, but I can see how some people, who only enjoy the 'digging' aspect, may not find it exciting. To each his own, I guess. Generally, if you see the word 'Special' in the title, then you can expect it to be a bit different than the normal Time Team episode.

[@Pauldjreadman]

I prefer the digging, to this, the documentary-style programing.

[@bookman7409]

@@Pauldjreadman There's no debating preferences, of course, and yours isn't unreasonable. For my part, history, archeology, paleontology, geology, and beyond are all elements of the same thing, studying the past. If it's simply the digging up interesting things, so be it, and I enjoy things similar, myself. It's just that digging up interesting things for the sake of doing so, without regard for the serious study of history, hearkens back to the days of archeology prior to Howard Carter. The writings of the past are as important as the stone carvings of the past, the important thing is to get them out there where they can be seen. Sorry for pontificating, but also not sorry, since I've a bit of a passion for the subject(s).

[@thomasbell7033]

@@bookman7409 ..And even Howard Carter (and Lord Carnarvan) is viewed as a bit of a looter today.

[@bookman7409]

@@thomasbell7033 And by today's standards, Carter would be one, but the thing isn't that, but the fact that he set a much higher standard than those who'd preceded him. The practices he established served as the basis for modern rigor. The difference between good and bad is often smaller than the difference between bad and worse, and someone had to start the improvement. So while I agree in principle, expecting him to employ more modern practices than existed at the time isn't very reasonable. JMNSHO

[@Venus29]

Loved this. Can see my house 😂🤣😂🤣

[@Cinnaprism]

You can? At what point?

[@ancilodon]

You live in a historic prison?

[@smallmeadow1]

Time Team and England never disappoint. I was left with more questions that I will probably never know the answer to. I've done a DNA test that shows 87% English genes. After 400 years of family history in America, I consider that a real accomplishment, and I have so many ancestors from various parts of England. Most came between 1620 and 1640 roughly, and there was an element of criminality. One 14 yr old was transported to Virginia, probably for vagrancy, and was an indentured servant to Lord Beardsley. Another, was from Hampshire and the extended family seemed involved in a fuller business, and my ancestor took it upon himself to go the Isle of Wight and obtain some wool he didn't pay for. He was one of the Massachusetts arrivals in about 1635 ( he seems to have paid to keep his name off the passenger list), and a follower of John Wheelwright, a pastor who sold his office and was guilty of parsimony. I am probably attributing interpretations that are false, but I can't help but think they decided England was not on the Salvation List, and it was okay to break the law to move out of the country to Massachusetts, which of course existed as a Charter of the Crown. I have to laugh, I've never been to England, don't understand the government system much. but I love the history, literature, and the place. Most of my ancestors must be rolling in their graves. Hah!

[@mgytitanic1912]

I think the stocks should be brought back for some things like petty theft, and minor disturbances like urinating on war memorials.

[@fredygump5578]

and for weed?!

[@hannahdyson5603]

I would agree . Imagine what people would do though to them .... Having acid flung at your face for petty theft . Or people dragging knives down their faces disfiguring them for life Long gone the days when people would throw rottern food or body fulids or tickle them ..... They would require some protection...

[@user-neo71665]

Being a butthurt SJW

[@steveamsden5250]

skin color wow being done as I post

[@bettygreenhansen]

Move to Singapore

[@Finallybianca]

I find this interesting as I live in Lincoln Nebraska USA and we have the state pen. I am really interested in what similarities we have to your Lincoln.

[@wanttopreach]

During the American revolution it was an English military man that was the notorious prison commander who starved thousands of americans to death. My ancestor, distant kin of William Magne was one of the few survivors.

[@mifuneblues7646]

I respectfully disagree, as I found this very fascinating and well made. To be honest, I never decide how much I like an episode of Time Team based on how much they dig, lol. Seems silly to me, but I guess some people do.

[@phoule76]

That prison photographer would win a Pulitzer today.

[@user-bk4qh6ey4u]

This is scary

[@hunting69doehle62]

45:22 "Walter Meadows, aged 11, was imprisoned for stealing just 5 Shillings". Seeing his photograph gives you goosebumps. He would be born in 1866 and may have lived into the 1940s or 1950s. There may be people alive today in Lincoln or wherever poor Walter Meadows may have lived as an aged man whom he may have told the story of his time as a child behind bars.

[@chubachuschecchinato5141]

I wonder if the pews in the chapel are original or rebuilt? Pretty amazing they survived if the building was occupied or abandoned for so long.

[@fizzao1342]

It remained intact. I live in Lincoln, a recent transplant, and have gone round the prison. It is very oppressive in there and I couldn't wait to get outside again. Neither could my very unsuggestible friend.

[@Cinnaprism]

Who is that lady with the most excellent voice and way of speech that is going into the oubliette with Alex?

[@ancilodon]

A lady I could listen to for hours, that's who.

[@chrisphilhower6029]

Tighten the Screws. Thought that referred to Thumb Screws. How would they know if you didn't do 10,000 Rotations daily?

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

A counter on the bow would do in a pinch😊

[@koningbolo4700]

9:29 Somebody please have a half finished milk shake handy !

[@TheAnnArnold]

27:00 making the prisoner crank- they could have powered the place w electricity had they known about it

[@elenthora442]

Are those high walls? How do they work?

[@delivererx]

The host is Balderick from blackadder!

[@luckeeelegz5559]

+Ravinder Sidhu he is a very knowledgeable man, in fact when people ask "given the chance...which famous person would you like tio have Dinner with?" I always say him...just think of all the things he could tell @ History! ;)

[@baskervillebee6097]

Ravinder Sidhu It was all a cunning plan.

[@thetrudogacademy2133]

and we still have not learnt that punishment really doesnt work...

[@benediktmorak4409]

for some of the scumbags, such a jail and treatment would be more than appropriate.

[@steveamsden5250]

Private prisons building a free workforce does that sound familiar?

[@Germanicus-]

No.

[@mrrango25]

S20 special ?

[@sgrannie9938]

Debtors prisons today would be full to bursting.

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

Just thought that myself 😮

[@glutinousmaximus]

Ah - Lincoln Jail - easy to find, just off Letsby Avenue.

[@mard420]

it inspired Kingston Penitentiary in Ontario Canada....code of silence and a bell...up to recent times

[@ilanamillion8942]

At least it has been closed down as a prison.

[@lennytyler1571]

Do check the script Tony, the last transportation of convicts in Australia happened in 1864 in Freemantle in Western Australia, so history tells us that transportation was still happening in the 19th century.

[@mandolingrass]

aaargh I wish they would get it right, people are hanged not hung!!!

[@kathycarlson9430]

I get so confused for the proper use of hanged and hung. To me, hung is used in the past tense, as does hanged. But I always get it wrong. Maybe I should of listened in school, lol.

[@brianbrown4115]

Speak for yourself some of us are hung lol

[@joshschneider9766]

Hanged in other words is the present tense verb describing the act and hung the past tense. To be hung is to suffer the fate of hanging. In modern English anyway. We only barely share a common language with the Georgi ans.

[@Germanicus-]

The oldest ways would solve a lot of the newest problems...

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Is it true that for stealing a loaf of bread, if a child, your ear would be nailed to a pillary? It was then up to the so-called offender to jerk himself free?

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

Yep or a friend or person did it for you 😮

[@Rebel9668]

12:00 Lazy man's wheelbarrow, lol

[@MrMiguella]

@7:30 it rubs the lotion on it's skin

[@juriaan13]

I'll take the hose

[@ricktorz6358]

So basically, the american continent was no different than australia continent, this american land was used as a punishment for criminal exiles. I've seen this episode countless of times and didn't catch onto that before. Interesting.

[@TheAnnArnold]

if debtors cold pay for luxuries in debtor's prison, why didn't they just pay off their debt?

[@joshschneider9766]

Same reason debt collectors today consolidate debts. Something I better than nothing. And usually those amenities were bought for the prisoner by loved ones as well.

[@KB4QAA]

10,000 turns in 6 hours? Impossible. That is 1,666 in 1 hour, or 27 times per minute. Rubbish.

[@DCShaneTours]

Now when you are in debt they show up at your doorstep, boot your car, and take your Xbox and TV. lol "Can't Pay We'll Take It Away"!

[@ledacedar6253]

Weird that people passed by Alex held in that Woodstock thing without any questions or concerns... as if 'That's not my concern?" Seemingly No one cares, no more community pride let alone human responsibility it appears. This is exactly what would fix the entire U.S. DT&family- shame him & then drop them into nothingness forever.

[@neonskyline1]

At 0.56 Tony talks like Baldrick

[@elvismark6816]

Tony talking about dysentery it's Elvis hi Tony good show plus they gave me a thumbs up man that's the way it is baby comedy good time I feel like talking

[@craemac]

Interesting episode without digging....

[@maddiethomas5892]

I wouldn't mind seeing the guy that hurt me in stocks for a bit.

[@nickrich56]

,.. a few cameos of Phil and Alex doesn't make it a dig. More of a statement than your typical Time Team episode. Phil uses a pick to lift a sewer cover thats it.

[@WOLFROY47]

someone was probably skimming off the food ration

[@noxema2000]

Sounds to me they ran out of places to ship them off too ,ie Australia . Now they had nowhere to put them .

[@WOLFROY47]

god save us from the do gooders

[@fredygump5578]

Based on this video, the complaint about people who "don't contribute anything to society" is like 400 years old? And the belief that "hard work" is all that a person needs to be a respectable, middle class person. I can't figure out why these ideas haven't been completely disproven over the last 400 years...but, oh yeah, they are ideology, so we assert them without proof...

[@DELTA912420]

And training grounds for those that get out. Gangs train in jail with other members. As for what they train I havent a clue.

[@RichardGMoss]

I have only just now discovered "Time Team" and am curious as to why so many (on KZbin at least) are called "special". I have always thought of a special as being one of a kind, or at least not more than once a year.

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

There are so many episodes in the regular series that their special ones are quite numerous as well as a result. Also they tend to involve some different process or operation than normal or a longer runtime.

[@panthera50]

FREE Julian Assange !! 😡 🤬

[@thelostone6981]

No. Throw him in an oubliette!

[@666chapelofblood]

Archaeological*

[@bettygreenhansen]

I’m wondering if the effect on society of such harsh punishments resulted in the general population feeling safer or less safe? It must have been a horrible time to live if such laws were enacted and tolerated by the masses. Do we have a modern equivalent? Homelessness, mentally ill on the streets, political disenfranchisement, child labor, poverty, human trafficking and slavery.

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

If you don't see it or have to experience it most will not be bothered 😊

[@bettygreenhansen]

@@PaulMahon-w2b I have not experienced anything like that ever, and yet I am very concerned about human rights

[@carpii]

this episode just turned into a documentary. They barely showed any digging, Im guessing they found next to nothing of interest

[@phoule76]

Little physical digging, lots of historical digging.

[@russellball3539]

Well after watching Time Team for 20 years, I expect a little more archaeological content than we have been served up in the last few "Specials". There are history docos a plenty, digging shows very few. I might be a silly old archaeologist but if you are trying to present history show by trading off another brand name "Time Team" then you lose viewers, and that is exactly what has happened.

[@damaged05170]

Bet me £5 that big woman would NOT fit in those stocks....

[@twistedsis100]

+BlameRepublicans Hahaha

[@barbaraclark249]

you are disgusting as are your miserable fantasies

[@barbaraclark249]

please note this is a reply to a nonentity known as i have to pee probably to get the poisons out of his system

[@donnarouse5366]

It may have been like the military boot camp! People either chose to join the military or go to jail. Like as not you might have chosen to go to war and if you made it through you would have served your country. Dirty dozen comes to mind.

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Why is it Sir Tony for just running his mouth? Yet, Dr. Phil Harding, who located so many finds is just a British "Dr. Phil"? Doesn't seem fair.

[@Kharmazov]

Victorians had really great ideas when it came to prisons.

[@Wotdermatter]

In reply to Lenny Tyler. Tony is correct. He states that, "...in the 19th Century transportation would end." Last time I checked, the 19th Century included all of the 1800's, and that would mean 1864 as well. By the way, your a little wonky as the you write, "...the last shipment of convicts in Australia happened in 1864 in Freemantle in Western Australia." That would mean that the shipment of prisoners took place IN Fremantle IN Australia, not TO Fremantle IN Australia. Learn to spell Fremantle correctly.

[@666chapelofblood]

Is this why Time Team was cancelled? I am seeing almost no archaeology digging what so ever, all I'm seeing is historical teachings. Although I enjoy learning about history, I can see why Mick Aston left, and why people had stopped watching the show before it eventually got cancelled. The Time Team episodes that I saw (I don't know which ones, or which years they were from) had a perfect balance between history and archaeology; this lacks almost any archaeology.

[@russellball3539]

Disappointing Time Team special. Heavy on history, light on archaeology

[@paddybrennan3644]

No, they could’ve been innocent and he was a fucking sadist

[@TheGuul667]

Yep ... time to reinstate the Bloody Code.

[@TheAnnArnold]

why did so many men have shaven moustaches yet beards & side burns intact? they look Amish? The Amish weren't from Norway, were they?

[@denisenilsson1366]

That was the fashion of the time. The Amish were originally from Germany.

[@ledacedar6253]

Seems you avoid the cultural & political facts associated this era. The many debtors prisoners were built to establish the power-over positioning of the 1% Was it not? Those same had previously had land to work did they not. Why don't you fill in the holes left all around this story? Without studying it, it seems quite timely & purposeful. #colonialoppression that effectively stopped most peoples access to land ownership.

[@jamiebizness1]

Make them do real work in prison what's with the spin box and treadmill .they really wasted alot of free man power there. Not very bright

[@PaulMahon-w2b]

That's what poor houses were for.... In prison it would probably been seen as slave labor.

[@williamreynolds1522]

The natural color archaeologically spot because knowledge dentsply desert beneath a hanging macaroni. psychotic, jaded node

[@momsterous]

Yawn, slow-moving and that Ms Rowbotham is boring...NEXT! :D

[@otravez3916]

Most entertaining and enlightening. Thanks for the upload