Villages By The Sea
Villages By The Sea is a TV show on BBC2. Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers the history and heritage of British coastal villages. The program has been available since 2025. A total of 51 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in December 2025.
Last episode
25:00
25:00Villages By The Sea
Archaeologist Ben Robinson explores Parkgate on the estuary of the River Dee in Cheshire, landlocked due to the estuary's shifting silt.
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25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson unearths the Suffolk village of Orford's history of defending the British Isles.
20:00Ben Robinson visits Northumberland's Craster to find out how a family who shares the name have had their lives and fortunes intertwined with the village for more than 800 years.
40:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers the secrets of Cornwall's Tintagel, famed as the legendary birthplace of King Arthur.
25:00Ben Robinson visits the Norfolk village of Cley next the Sea and finds due to Dutch settlers in the Elizabethan era, it's not as 'next the sea' as it once was.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the Yorkshire coastal village of Flamborough and discovers its historic chalk buildings.
25:00Ben Robinson discovers more about the quiet village of Ravenglass in the Lake District's National Park, which played a strategic role in the Roman empire.
35:00Ben Robinson visits Laxey on the Isle of Man to discover the unusual attraction that drew Victorians to the tourist destination - the biggest waterwheel in the world.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers evidence of the German occupation of the Jersey village of Gorey and the role it played in defending the UK.
25:00Ben Robinson discovers how the Cornish village of Botallack was the centre of the Cornish tin and copper mining industry and supplied a deadly poison to the world.
Series 2
25:00
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the picturesque Georgian village of Charlestown on the southwest coast of Cornwall and learns how it was shaped by the vision of one man.
35:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson discovers how traditional boat building shaped the beautifully preserved village of Arnside on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the village of Staithes in North Yorkshire and unearths its role in kickstarting the chemical industry in the northeast of England.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits Alnmouth on England's northeast coast and discovers the village's historical role in feeding the nation.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers the secrets of the Edwardian settlement of Thorpeness in Suffolk, which was the first purpose-built seaside village in the UK.
35:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers how the health and fortune of the village of Bamburgh was shaped by those in charge of its famous castle.
Series 1 25:00
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson examines the history of Clovelly in Devon, looking at its transformation from fishing harbour to romantic Victorian seaside resort.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson examines the history of the monks and villagers of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which lies off the Northumberland coast.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson examines the history of Robin Hood's Bay, a fishing village on the North Yorkshire coast, and reveals tales of smuggling intrigue and bravery.
35:00Ben Robinson examines the history of Walberswick, a former medieval port on the Suffolk coast which is now a favourite retreat for writers, artists and day trippers.