Season 1 Plot
Series looking at coastal villages that have often been on the front line of history. The first series was simulcast in five UK regions on December 16, 2019: BBC North West (Sunderland Point ), Cambridgeshire (Walberswick), Channel Islands (Clovelly), Yorks and Lincs (Robin Hood's Bay) and North East (Lindisfarne AKA Holy Island). For consistency, I changed the Episode Numbers to match TVDB and the BBC (although the BBC Episode Guide and iPlayer Series One's entries differ, I chose the iPlayer order, as this is the order that the Episodes would be viewed by a watcher if they sequentially viewed the entire series.) Note that Series 2's entries on iPlayer and Episode Guide concur. Thereafter, however, there are a number of juxtaposed episodes between the two sites (iPlayer and Episode Guide) at which point, I defer to the BBC's implied chaos preference.....
Villages by the Sea Season 1 aired on December 16th, 2019.
Season 1 Episodes
1. Sunderland Point
Ben Robinson reveals the story of the village of Sunderland Point on the north west coast of England. Our coastal villages are often seen as remote places for retreat and relaxation. However, they have often been on the front line of history - from the arrival of Christianity to battles with neighbours and nature; from slave trading to the birth of modern tourism.
2. Walberswick
Archaeologist Ben Robinson discovers the surprising story of this former medieval port on the Suffolk coast. Today Walberswick is a favourite coastal retreat for writers, artists and day trippers. But for centuries the village lurched from prosperity to poverty. In medieval times it fought a bitter battle for supremacy against the neighbouring port of Dunwich and finally fell victim to politics, fire and the might of the sea.
3. Robin Hood's Bay
Archaeologist Ben Robinson reveals the story of smuggling intrigue and bravery on the Yorkshire coast.
4. Holy Island
Ben Robinson discovers the story of the monks and villagers of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, off the Northumberland coast. Our coastal villages are often seen as remote places for retreat and relaxation. However, they have often been on the front line of history - from the arrival of Christianity to battles with neighbours and nature; from slave trading to the birth of modern tourism. From Holy Island, monks spread Christianity to the rest of Northern England and created one of Britain’s finest treasures – the Lindisfarne Gospels.
5. Clovelly
Ben Robinson reveals the story of this Devon coastal gem’s transformation from fishing village to romantic Victorian seaside resort. Thanks to a powerful and pioneering woman, Clovelly found itself at the forefront of the Victorian seaside holiday revolution. Even today cars are banned and the village is privately owned, helping to preserve it as a reminder of a bygone age.
