The Gruesome Mystery Of The Tadcaster Castle Skeleton | Medieval Dead | Timeline

Experts try to piece together a gruesome jigsaw when the skeleton of a medieval woman is found at Tadcaster Castle in Yorkshire.
📺 It's like Netflix for history... Sign up to History Hit, the world's best history documentary service and get 50% off using the code 'TIMELINE' bit.ly/3a7ambu
You can find more from us on:
/ timelinewh
/ timelineworldhistory
/ timelinewh
This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact [e-mail]

[@edwin5419]

I loved how subtle the music was. At times I could even make out what they were saying.

[@tjcadotte37]

Right wtf is up with that

[@darkangel076]

LOL The shade!

[@auntbee6993]

Gotta build suspense and cover up how boring science actually is😂

[@amberservold2187]

🤣🤣🤣

[@johnl4469]

G'donya Ed... I know they wanted a 'sound engineer' but I thought a 'sound guy' would be just as good and save us money too.

[@ianbevis701]

Infant mortality skews the average age of death dramatically, you survived childhood you were not entirely unlikely to live a similar age today

[@awg7068]

Yeah, well, except a simple infection, like pink eye or a cavity in your tooth, could kill you.

[@1Clearwords]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones for whom the music didn't detract from my experience of enjoying this excellent documentary.

[@henrifischer1119]

43:06 the way he says "I've got a lot to be thankful for." Rarely does one hear someone utter that statement and at the same time see his acknowledgement and appreciation of that fact.

[@spicesmiles]

It was the moment that got me. :)

[@smontone]

I enjoyed the parallel stories of the archeologist who discovered the woman as a child and the woman herself. That personal connection made it more interesting.

[@aussiecobber7150]

Very interesting but at times the music was so loud I couldn't hear what people were saying, especially at the beinning

[@antoniomachado8760]

I agree, the music is too loud…!

[@johannaholmgren8088]

I haven't been hearing any issues with the sound....

[@aicc1728]

There are some bootleg videos where people avoid copyright issues by playing music really loudly. This isn’t a bootleg; it’s the actual video, but people gotta complain about something.

[@KyaniMosaic_Crone]

The gnarled old tree at the 10:17 mark is beautiful.

[@ramseybedford5345]

They must have re edited, The issue with music being too loud, seems resolved Very interesting. Well done doc. Thank you

[@claritadeluna6609]

Ramsey Bedford - i just don’t understand what is the idea of adding music to these type of documentaries; how does music improve it? In fact, it obscures to the listeners very important information which is what’s originally intended. Otherwise, loads of information beginning with our bodies tell our story well after we’re dead. Thank you all!

[@lizzy66125]

hardly...

[@Moodboard39]

More like reupload. Seen this before

[@ramseybedford5345]

@@claritadeluna6609 I don't know why either, and if you have to do it, please don't make it so people can't hear the dialogue. It totally defeats the purpose of watching the clip.

[@laurenarigo3894]

The music I am guessing is there to prevent it getting taken down for copyright.

[@PsyopAgentProvocateur]

The narrator / music balance us way off. I really wanted to watch this but had too give up. It needs fixing reuploading.

[@gayeinggs5179]

I am old but I would have loved to become an archaeologist but when I was young. Girls did not do this but funny enough my grandson. Loves this as well and he is 10 he knows more than me already .

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Wouldn't you like to see ground penetrating radar used to see what else lies hidden?

[@elainemoreland3908]

British history is fascinating. Thank you for this informative video.

[@TheCandiceWang]

It's always so lovely!!

[@johnslaughter5475]

Absolutely fascinating. I would like to have seen a reconstruction of the woman's face. It looked to me that she may have had an abscess, or 2. Very painful. Would it have been possible to enter her DNA into an online database and see if she's related to anyone living now? I seem to remember that the Black Death arrived in England in late 1348. I have a book, "Dooms Day Book," by Connie Willis, which I've read 3-4 times. Part of it tells the story of a young historian who goes back to a village, near Oxford, in December, 1348, where she witnesses the deaths of everyone. She becomes emotionally involved with the people and helps take care of them. It is so well written that I find myself transported there. Never mind the parts of the book that deal with present day. That's terrible.

[@j.b.4340]

Came here for the soundtrack, stayed for a great story.

[@eringemini7091]

This is so interesting, especially the timing of the Yesenia Pettis genome & the body showing positive for the Black Death. Imagine how the disease spread so rapidly, and thoroughly thru entire villages. Imagine having somehow avoided catching the disease ( or recovering from it). You then leave your village because there's nothing & no one left. You begin to travel, & find the same situation wherever you go, except now you're unique ( simply because you're still alive). You see bodies everywhere & there's no one to bury them. Did this lone survivor bury all those bodies in that Garden? Did the Survivor(s) then become somewhat reluctant unpaid Grave diggers during their travels to find a new life? I imagine they would find entire Barns filled with dead & dying Animals; tied up or just trapped in the barn because the farmer & his entire family perished. It really must have been one of the oddest & unnerving time in Human history. The coolest part is the Archaeology is unfolding these interesting possibilities to fill in their history.

[@JoGaPeach4259]

I very much enjoyed watching this informative video. Thank goodness she was discovered.

[@tjcadotte37]

Music way too loud can't watch this

[@sirridesalot6652]

It always amazes me in videos to see professionals using bare hands when handling bones and many other delicate artifacts. When I worked in a museum we had to wear gloves to handle one or wood and t hat was to keep from contaminating it with damaging body oils.

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

Different places have different policies, and I do know some have a no-glove policy because with a gloved hand, one cannot have the same sense of the fragility of the object they study, but have extra-strict hand washing and dissinfecting practices to absorb these oils.

[@animerlon]

​@@Lilas.DuveteuxHaving no direct experience handling historical artifacts, just getting ideas on protocols for it from watching historical/archeological content for decades, i have the 'wear gloves' rule ingrained in my brain so much, i actually cringe sometimes when i see someone use their bare hands to touch things. Thanks muchly for your comment, i can relax now. 😄 I don't know why it never occurred to me that they would have done something as logical as cleaning their hands beforehand. Especially after the COVID experience of having hand washing stations everywhere. 😄 I actually hate wearing gloves to do anything, (except for really gross cleaning jobs). It makes me feel disconnected from what i'm doing, so i understand perfectly that historians would want as direct a connection as possible. I appreciate you taking the time to explain all of this. ☮️💜 from 🇨🇦

[@Lilas.Duveteux]

@@animerlon Some places do require gloves, because hand cleaning can be insufficiant. But different places do have different policies. Some would require cotton gloves, some plastic gloves and some forbid gloves. It all depends on the method they are using. Having clean hands and nails while handling those kinds of document is a must. The reason one would want direct contact is a practical one. Since when wearing a glove, you are covering your hand, the sense of touch is dulled and it's easier to make a mistake.

[@ewetoo]

I've noticed that a lot in these docos, they're always handling the bones with bare hands and it's an actual problem especially if you want to do DNA analysis, you're asking for trouble.

[@ClaudiaX2]

Thank goodness there was the option to turn on subtitles so I could know what was being said during the epic Gregorian chant music at the beginning. I am conflicted between enjoying the music and being annoyed it is louder and clearer than the narration. Overall, however, i really enjoyed this program. 😊

[@noahgonzalez5589]

Hush, the documentary is fine.

[@trevamonteith7038]

Music too0 loud in the beginning

[@abcde_fz]

Nice that folks at least TRIED to bury their dead at the cemetery at the Church. I don't think God minds that they were outside the walls.

[@PPuffNstuff]

He doesn't. He takes the souls, it is of no importance what the humans do with the carcass.

[@mohammedsaysrashid3587]

A wonderful historical coverage about medevil periods through bones & skeletons 💀 ☠️ analysis by isotopes....how much historical records, researching depending on archeological efforts ,activities, researching results for Ancient periods ..historical records gains more trust, clearly explaineds of historical events thanks for sharing

[@lizzy-wx4rx]

The historical reenactment bits were so bad I wish they'd just left them out. Were they filmed at one of the Anglo-Saxon villages (totally different period, obviously)? And she's a poor medieval peasant in a hut...with a room full of wax candles??

[@vtoc3864]

Folks, why is the audio so different from episode to episode??? You guys have the ultimate night time sleeping playlists but the episode to episode volume levels are all over the place!!!!

[@9doves]

Interesting but REALLY drawn out!!!!

[@Naturallystated]

I kept yelling at the screen, "Get on with it!"

[@deborahbrottmiller2948]

Terrific series. Thank you.

[@craigbolton5093]

I really enjoyed the dramatic music when it stopped. I hate closed captioning but I eventually turned the sound off.

[@nickeyvanzyl5319]

Thank you for shering this with us.

[@sallyspencer5624]

The music is too loud, i can't hear what the narrator is saying.

[@monanelson8879]

I had to chuckle when the gentleman; referring to people on farms moving to town to get jobs because so many laborers in town had died of the plague, said they had a “chance for a career change.” More like a better chance of survival… Also, at the end when the woman who is portraying the woman the skeleton may have been like looks straight at me. I got the chills! Very moving!

[@sherrylelee8274]

Very interesting doco, thank you

[@meaghankelly3887]

Thank heavens for closed captions

[@mrliberty8468]

You should let the dead rest in peace.

[@manueldumont3709]

They have All the Time(in this world), to RIP .Even the(medieval)-Dead, are Jumping with joy, at our Intrigue of their(Mysterious, to us)-Lives .

[@debbylou5729]

Did anyone else flinch when they pulled that tooth?

[@brendanburdick5230]

The closed captions are a scream 😂 "yazinya pasties" lmao

[@belleekgirl]

Would have been a good documentary if it wasn't for the musical concert it became.

[@kathydavenport4422]

I am surprised that we are still here. Even today. I’m surprised that many of us are still here. I don’t know how any of us are alive. Miracles is all I can say.

[@PatyBN]

What is supposed to heard over the other, the narration over the "background" music or the music over the "background" narration as seems the case? This is the classical example of the sound engineer wanting his working being the only thing heard. Timeline can do better.

[@NGCoinslove]

Like That Great as Always Very Coool From Your Friend

[@elli003]

You systematically came to the same hypothesis I did as the story unfolds. First, War of the Roses, then the Plague. Q: Note multiple puncture and scrape marks on skull, frontal lobe, both sides. Aside from the mention of spade damage from such a shallow grave, any consideration to an intentional wound to mercifully end her life ?

[@hambleanna8]

The music is overwhelming!!!

[@debbiehall7016]

Did they say how old they thought the woman was?

[@sharonwhiteley6510]

Should these remains, a once living person, be in bags/boxes of an impersonal lab used as lab rats? Or should they be interred in consecrated ground? Even if just marked with a monument: Died as a result of plague from York?

[@maggiematthews3517]

I am aware that this would be your own preference Sharon ... what you would like to happen to your own remains one day, but this is not what everyone would think. If, some hundreds of years from now, someone happened upon my remains and started a complete scientific suite of investigations to find out who I was, where I'd lived, how I'd died etc., I would be delighted to think that knowledge was being gleaned from bones that I no longer needed. Consecrated ground is not for everyone. Many people today choose cremation and express the wish that their ashes should be scattered in a favourite place ... hardly consecrated ground. Some people are also buried at sea, some are interred in mausolea or family vaults which doesn't really count as being buried at all. Perhaps the original owners of these bones would be content in knowing that they were a valuable source of knowledge and education for future generations.

[@everdinestenger1548]

My son always used to say the body is just a garment,

[@kathydavenport4422]

I do love these Documents.

[@animerlon]

When talking about the castle, the comment ".. there for ONLY a hundred years.", gave me a bit of a chuckle over the differences in perspectives. Being a Canadian, our history as a country is only 156 years old, we can look at it in terms of decades, while England's history can be looked at in centuries. So, 100 years is a long time to Canadians, while it's almost just a blink of an eye to the English. 😆

[@ganojo1]

I had a similar reaction, being an Aussie. Our history really started with our discovery in 1770, but the first settlers didn’t arrive until 1788.

[@animerlon]

@@ganojo1 I spent time in the UK & visiting Edinburgh was like stepping back in time, with the castle overlooking the city i really got a sense of the centuries that had gone by.

[@gregmunro1137]

Great video, the back ground music is getting better- making it easier to hear the talking. Greatly appreciate it

[@kristic4472]

just think, the Skull Woman could actually be one of Simon's ancestors!

[@charlie-bucket]

Or a lady of the 🌙 night

[@eagledon]

That was weird but interesting.I am all for it 😮🤗

[@eringemini7091]

Thinking about how the Black Plague changed the lives of the survivors is fascinating. Individuals being no longer in bondage to the landowners, and most likely their own town was emptied of living people, that in itself must have been a lot to digest..The nobility themselves may not have survived, (but, they had a better chance due to their living conditions). Imagine the possibility of going to the city to fill the numerous vocations created by the Plague in employment. Entire families, towns, and cities may have been bereft of its populations, now you could (almost) do anything, become whatever you wanted! But, again look what had to happen to create those opportunities! I imagine that many new alliances that people would NEVER dream of (before), were created. Young children orphaned had to fend for themselves, or people may have adopted them out of loneliness or necessity, or both. And of course to put them to work in different capacities, since literally there was no one else. I guess too many centuries have passed for those Black Plague related bones & plague pits to be contagious? 🤔 BTW when I think about any part of the U.K., I imagine that there's scores of ancient bodies buried everywhere. That every home has at least one body peacefully reclining beneath it due to its rich history of being inhabited for thousands of years. Here in the U.S., we do have ancient populations dating back like Native Americans, but we lack the small, concentrated, layered populations over almost every part of your country, with some type of written history that goes with it. I hope someday to visit the history rich land of my ancestors in the U.K.😊🇬🇧Great video!

[@rick5793]

I myself question whether or not that the bones or surrounding dirt may still hold the virus.???

[@stephanieyee9784]

This was one aspect I'd never considered before watching this video. Of course it makes sense that the status quo would change after huge upheavals such as the black death. Of course the people of the area were involved in multiple tragedies. William Wallace and his army came through in the 12th century, then the plague, then the War of the Roses. Life would settle down, civic and religious life would level out, Kings came and went. Then it all started again. And again. What a horrible time to have been alive. I am aware of the fragility of our lives. Our ancestry and DNA. Think about all the families and their DNA wiped from the face of the earth, from History, by events such as the Black Death. Of genocides. Of wars, famine, floods, other pestilence. We are the Lucky Ones.

[@randomschmo5778]

There's a theory that people (like myself) with iron overload blood disorder (hemochromatosis), were resistant to bubonic plague, and so this genetic trait became more prominant in people of Northern European descent. Just anecdotally, i've never had the flu either? No Covid either, At least, not that I suffered ill effects from.

[@weird-history-and-odd-news]

I agree.... great story, but the volume of the background music was often too loud to hear what was being said.

[@marciaspiegel5280]

I love how the black death killed off feudalism.

[@karenc4544]

It’s amazing to think how a disease basically ended serfdom in Europe. The entire labor economy had a seismic shift. Not to mention religious and social upheaval.

[@helenwood1]

What a great story of continuity of place. I wonder if he is related to the body of the woman.

[@josesiliezar1758]

If I had two pence for every comment praising the work of the sound engineer, I'd be penniless

[@krm8494]

This narrator must be the most cheerful person, a true antidepressant.

[@shainemaine1268]

I believe Time Team visited this site on an episode.

[@juliecoates4993]

Please cut back on the soundtrack! I'm elderly and I have trouble following narration through loud music. Thank you. The shows are interesting, but I know I'm missing a lot.😐

[@cecileroy557]

Yikes - the teeth are ground down to the pulp. I would imagine that woman was in horrible pain!

[@ihateexcessivelylongandpoi4490]

Please turn the music up, I can hear talking.

[@zuzuspetals38]

Was this on another channel already??? I believe I’ve seen it 🤨

[@MosDefnIT88]

Awesome music video

[@bradleysitsandsipstea33]

Too much music tbh, I couldn’t pay attention to the people talking while they’re blasting suspenseful music.

[@martyb1095]

I agree. Just couldn’t watch it because of the annoyingly loud soundtrack.

[@chilluminati1292]

There's always at least one in every video. Wha wha wha

[@christinawebster6847]

Music’s so scary - can’t watch cuz bro’s gotta cover his eyes 😂

[@Beckartwork2023]

I find it sad that so much history has been lost due to war or conflict. Currently in 2 war torn areas a great deal of lives and history are being destroyed. The future will yet again experience trying to figure out the history of those areas when everything is gone.

[@justme-tj3jt]

I wonder what this person would have thought that after centuries they would have been dug up and would be studied by science.

[@dianejamison6444]

Very good ❤

[@rick5793]

I may be wacked BUT I've often wondered if one day they'll dig up a bunch of old bones and renew a new plague of some type??

[@darrenadams-mv7mu]

timeline good show

[@evansmcnerney6328]

Water reasons are prob why skeletons were buried on top of the hill

[@spiralrose]

Good God, that background music is overwhelming! It’s too bad because this is a very interesting episode of the show. Is there a way that you can tone down the background music?

[@barbarat5729]

It's never ever been about being or living "a good enough life."

[@pigoff123]

I love how she walked across the grass instead of using the sidewalk. Teaching our youngsters....

[@ButtonsCasey]

LOL. I had the same thought!

[@annamosier1950]

wow good

[@rosagiusti7076]

Really so so difficult to follow it due to the music .. will try to find elsewhere

[@hadynwills3677]

I'm here for the music 😅

[@dorisbergmann3700]

Get rid of the music to enjoy more please xx

[@maggietaskila8606]

Please reduce the volume on the music.

[@bessofhardwick9311]

I'm surprised this is only the second Black Death cemetery identified.

[@lindanickell8565]

Yes the audio needs to be tweaked

[@turquoise_hexagon_sun]

You don’t need a 5 min intro for a 45 min show

[@rmahr1988]

Couldn't hear what was being said over the music. 😢

[@debbylou5729]

I think my favorite part is the box o bones

[@hillcrestvideoprod1]

Hate to pile on, but the b-roll is often jarring and…um…odd. As the cutaways from interviews through the frosted glass, or extreme close ups that doesn’t have the benefit of being accompanied by establishing shots…really, this whole thing could have been condensed to half the running time. Interesting enough, but the editing is a distraction and lacks discipline.

[@kerriefearby9542]

Background music way too loud to properly hear speaker

[@MagdaleneDivine]

Yeah what's their sound mixers malfunction. Its like the Torture in Medieval times video, too loud I can't take it offhandwritting option

[@andreweden9405]

It restores a little bit of my faith in humanity to hear a modern Englishman talking about believing, and going to church!

[@lianefehrle9921]

No she is an important person. Who would have buried her?

[@debra8390]

Was looking forward to watching this, but the background music was so loud, I couldnt understand what was being said. Such a shame.

[@solarwinds-]

This would have been a very interesting video if it weren't for the loud music. It competes with the narrator.

[@larsbjrnson3101]

There is one problem with the theory the plague came from rats. I'm from Norway and rats are rare here yet over half of the population died. In my over 50 years liviing here I've seen a rat only once.

[@tgbluewolf]

Were they rare back then? Also, the disease could've come via contact with infected people from other areas.

[@larsbjrnson3101]

@@tgbluewolf They have found remains of the Black rat which they believe spread the Black Death in the port cities of Norway, but it does not thrive in the cold inland climate here. Yet, the plague spread rapidly to remote farms and villages, wiping out 60% of the population in two months. The theory is that the plague must have spread in Norway between people through coughing and sneezing. There are no black rats in Norway today.

[@ganojo1]

The plague is carried by the fleas which live on the rats. If the host rat dies, the flea finds a new host … a human if one is nearby. One infected person could easily transmit the disease to everyone with whom they come into contact. It would only need one infected person to arrive in Norway for the plague to spread there.

[@judepower4425]

It was the fleas on the rats which carried the plague: maybe some other animal did the same thing in Norway or more likely rats have been pretty much eradicated since the Middle Ages

[@larsbjrnson3101]

@@judepower4425 We don’t have any animals in Norway that can explain the rapid spread of the plague at that time. However, the theory is that it was common practice to travel to visit the sick and show respect for the dead, which spread the disease through coughing and direct contact. Only remains of black rats have been found in our port cities, so they have never existed here.

[@parkerbolt4233]

The plague came to England in 1348. This burial site would have been early on before they ran out of traditional burial sites. The guy making the comment about it being so shocking should know that

[@twodonks]

I enjoy your videos, but the music on most of them is way too loud.

[@jacquelinevanderkooij4301]

I agree, why is the music so loud? Can't hear the telling-voice. Pitty

[@amylarson3958]

A skull buried underneath a hemlock tree.....

[@gwennauslot1104]

I have mixed feelings about dug up skeletons of mediaeval periods, especially being stored for decades. I think it would be respectful to rebury them again once studied.

[@rangerange1427]

Grave robbers with cameras Like Tick Tock girls

[@EduardoPerez-wp7cv]

Does anyone know if historyhit has Spanish available

[@teresaalbrecht2283]

The music is overtaking the dialogue. I can’t watch it. What a shame.

[@70wdeluca]

How are the holes in the skull explained? Would the plague cause this?

[@averydavis5741]

Syphilis would

[@Naturallystated]

Vampire exterminations.

[@jharder2094]

Mentioned at beginning of recording,, from pikes (weapons) carried by soldiers,/guards.

[@uwusmolbean]

Life is a terminal condition, in almost all cases 🎉