Time Team

A Lost Roman City - Castleford, Yorkshire

Season 9    Episode 10
March 10, 2002    50m
The medieval castle of Beaudesert in Henley-in-Arden suddenly vanished without trace, leaving a single stone on top of a mound. The people want to know what it looked like. "The Mount" as it's called by the locals, is a popular beauty spot and has suffered from erosion. Also, as it's a scheduled monument, there are limits to what digging can take place. The castle was built by the de Montforts in the early 12th century. Henry and Stewart create a simple 3D clay model of the building, which follows the natural contours of the hill. It looks as if the castle was demolished and the pieces sold off in the 15th century. Using authentic tools, bowyer Steve Ralphs makes a medieval longbow, which is tested against a crossbow of a similar period. Castles expert Sarah Speight describes daily life in the castle. Finds include a section of carved pestle and mortar.

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Cast of A Lost Roman City - Castleford, Yorkshire
  • Tony RobinsonSelf - Presenter
  • Carenza LewisSelf - Field Archaeologist
  • Phil HardingSelf - Field Archaeologist
  • John GaterSelf - Geophysicist
  • Stewart AinsworthSelf - Landscape Investigator
  • Mick AstonSelf - Landscape Archaeologist
  • Victor AmbrusSelf - Historical Illustrator
  • Henry ChapmanSelf - Surveyor
  • Robin BushSelf - Historian

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