logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2022
1h 5m

HS2: Digging up the 'Dark Ages'

History Hit
About this episode

An extraordinary discovery has been unearthed by archaeologists working alongside the HS2 rail project. The find, made at an undisclosed location near Wendover in the Chilterns, consists of a 5th-6th century burial site that has been described as one of the most important post-Roman, early medieval discoveries of our lifetime.


It offers the chance to see more clearly a part of British history that has been hidden from us until now. If there was a real, historical King Arthur, this is the part of history he's hiding within.


In this special episode, join our very own Dan Snow and Gone Medieval host Matt Lewis as they chat to the team behind the dig about some of their revelatory finds, and begin to see the people behind them, and the way they may have lived their lives.


A special thanks to HS2, INFRA and Fusion for giving History Hit special access behind the scenes!


The Senior Producer on this episode was Elena Guthrie. The Producer was Rob Weinberg. It was edited and mixed by Aidan Lonergan.


If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download the History Hit app please go to the Android or Apple store.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
John F. Kennedy: Myths vs Reality
<p>John F. Kennedy was a man of charm, power, and contradictions. Behind the public image of the heroic president lay a figure plagued by pain, haunted by his past, and driven by desire.</p><br><p>Dan is joined by esteemed biographer Randy Taraborelli to explore Kennedy's private ... Show More
43m 41s
Nov 20
The Spanish Armada
<p>In 1588, Spain’s mighty armada sailed to invade England and change the balance of power in Europe. Dan explains why Philip II launched the Armada, details the high-stakes clash in the Channel, and outlines the decisive tactics, leadership and luck that helped the English preva ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 17
Nuremberg: The Trial of Göring
<p>Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide.</p><br><p>When the Nuremberg Trials began in November 1945, Hermann Göring was the highest-ranking Nazi to face justice for the crimes of the Third Reich. Charismatic, manipulative and unrepentant, he became the central fig ... Show More
40m 3s
Recommended Episodes
Apr 2023
Excavating An Anglo-Saxon Palace: Ad Gefrin
<p>Though today it is just a muddy field, the small hamlet of Yeavering was once a bustling centre of Anglo-Saxon power in the North of England. At its heart was a 7th century palace - known in Latin as Ad Gefrin - which was built by King Edwin in 616 AD, the first king of a unit ... Show More
31m 56s
Dec 2022
Banned History
<p>How much did Britain and its allies know about the Holocaust? Could the Bengal Famine of 1943 have been helped? And was Elizabeth I really the Virgin Queen?&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Lynsey Calver is a history teacher, and in this episode, she helps us to fill in some of the ga ... Show More
34m 12s
Apr 2022
Before Rome: The Truth About Late Iron Age Britain
<p>Roman connections with Britain stretch back to (at least) the mid 1st century BC. But what has archaeology revealed about the Late Iron Age British societies they interacted with? Do we have any concrete evidence for the druids? Was human sacrifice a thing? Sit back and enjoy ... Show More
43m 28s
Nov 2023
Life on the Medieval Coast
<p>The popular BBC television series <em>Villages by the Sea</em> explores coastal life through the centuries. Its presenter Ben Robinson is an archaeologist with the fantastic job of exploring lost villages and uncovering their secrets, including those that give an insight into ... Show More
41m 8s
Jun 2023
The Greatest Medieval Divorce Scandal
<p>In 855, the Carolingian king&nbsp;Lothar II&nbsp;was married to the aristocratic&nbsp;Teutberga for political reasons. But there was a third person in the relationship — Waldrada of Lotharingia.&nbsp;Their affair led to a prolonged and messy battle by Lothar II to secure a div ... Show More
32m 14s
Mar 2023
Vikings in Spain
<p>When we think of Vikings, we tend to picture them in the colder climates of Northern Europe, and not so much in the warmer regions of Spain and the Mediterranean beyond.</p><br><p>However, joining Dr. Cat Jarman today is Dr. Irene García Losquiño, a researcher whose work is un ... Show More
33m 5s
Jul 2023
Medieval Eastern Europe
<p>From the Baltics to the Balkans, from Prague to Kiev, Eastern Europe is more than the sum total of its annexations, invasions and independence declarations.</p><br><p>In this episode of <em>Gone Medieval</em>, Matt Lewis meets Jacob Mikanowski, author of <em>Goodbye Eastern Eu ... Show More
32m 1s
Dec 2022
The First Britons
<p>67 million people currently inhabit the United Kingdom - but what do we know about the original, first Britons? It's no secret when looking back into pre-history that it was a time of mass migration for animals and people alike, but who were our early inhabitants, and what can ... Show More
49m 20s
Feb 2022
The Origins of London
<p>London is today one of the greatest cities in the world, and the story of its origins is fittingly spectacular. Founded by the Romans as Londinium in around 47-50 AD, the metropolis served as a major commercial hub and indeed military target until its abandonment in the 5th ce ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2023
The Hundred Years War
<p>For the last several decades, Jonathan, Lord Sumption - former senior judge and medieval historian - has been crafting a monumental, five-volume history of the Hundred Years War, widely considered to be the definitive account of the conflict.</p><br><p>The final volume, titled ... Show More
39m 43s