The Scottish Highlands are filled with wild, dramatic cliffs, soaring mountains and skies that stretch out across the lochs. But they are also steeped in history, and filled with powerfully emotive and atmospheric sites. From the Bronze Age Clava Cairns to Culloden Battlefield, site of the final, fateful clash of the Jacobite Risings in 1746, the Highlands offer one many ways of connecting with the past at a range of remarkable places. The Cairns shed insight - or sometimes obscure it – on how people lived thousands of years ago, while Culloden Battlefield is still one of the best preserved and most atmospheric battlefields in Britain. The epic Great Glen is the gift of a dramatic tectonic collision that opened a giant crack across the width of the country, now home to the Caledonian Canal and Fort George. Fort George was the most remarkable fort in 18th century Britain, designed to become a bastion of Hanoverian rule in the unruly north. Urquhart Castle, Cawdor Castle and Inverness Ca
Redcliffe Caves are a series of man made tunnels beneath the Redcliffe area of Bristol, England. The Triassic red sandstone was dug into in the Middle ages to provide sand for glass making and pottery production. Further excavation took place from the 17th to early 19th centuries and used for storage of trade goods. There is some evidence that prisoners captured during the French Revolutionary Wars or Napoleonic Wars were imprisoned in the caves but it is clear that the local folklore that slaves were imprisoned in the caves during the Bristol slave trade is false. After the closure of the last glass factory the caves were used for storage and became a rubbish dump. The caves are not generally open but have been used for film and music events. In this episode of Snow on the Road, Alan Gray give Dan a tour of the famous and spooky tunnels.
The Wings Museum’s unique collection and style makes it a must-see attraction for any World War Two enthusiast.
Many of Britain's most iconic historical sights stand supreme in the open for all to see: Hadrian's Wall, Stonehenge, St Paul's Cathedral and the country's abundance of castles for instance. Yet beneath our cities and towns too, stunning structures and buildings of the past have been painstakingly excavated by passionate volunteers trying to preserve their local history. No more so is this true than in Liverpool. The Second World War was hard on Liverpool. Its strategic position meant it became the terminus for 1/3 of all the imports into Britain during the Second World War. This made the city a big target for the German Luftwaffe and, outside of London, more bombs fell on Liverpool than any other city. Because of this it became too dangerous to keep key military command posts above ground. So they burrowed underground.They created a bunker complex which became the nucleus for British operations in the Atlantic during the war. There was where the Battle of the Atlantic was fought and w
They needed a prison for the most dangerous man in the World. Napoleon had seized supreme power in France. He’d marched his armies from Portugal to Moscow. But now he was a prisoner. His captors needed a prison from which escape was unthinkable. Their answer lay in the South Atlantic. A scrap of land a thousand miles from the African coast. St Helena. Dan Snow visits this remote island to learn more about its history. From accommodating some of the British Empire's greatest enemies to its role during - and in the aftermath of - the transatlantic slave trade.
Dan's on the road again. This time he's in Guernsey, an island rich in history and within sight of the French coast. From the house of the exiled, 19th century French writer Victor Hugo to the extensive, underground, concrete tunnels constructed by the Germans during World War Two, join Dan as he discovers the remarkable history of this Channel Island
The ever intrepid Dan Snow heads to the southwest of Britain to uncover the region's historical gems. These include a Benedictine Abbey that was dissolved during Henry VIII's reign, tunnels beneath the city of Exeter and Nothe Fort in Weymouth, built in the late 19th century.
Lincoln is one of the most historic settlements in Britain: from being the site of a key legionary fort in Roman times to its towering cathedral being the first landmark British bomber crews would see upon their return from daring raids over Nazi-occupied Europe during World War Two. At Lincoln's beating heart is its Castle, strategically situated on top of the central hill that overlooks the Trent Valley. It was constructed by William the Conqueror in the immediate aftermath of the Norman Conquest and is one of only two castles in Britain that has a double motte, making it almost unique. At least twice in its long history, Lincoln Castle has acted as an impregnable bastion: in 1141 the Empress Matilda defeated her cousin King Stephen at Lincoln, during the bloody civil war known as The Anarchy. Meanwhile 76 years later England's most famous Plantagenet knight, William the Marshall, defeated a French invasion force outside the walls of this fortress. In this episode Dan visits Lincoln
The Western Front, a 400-plus-mile stretch of land weaving through France and Belgium from the Swiss border to the North Sea, was the decisive front during World War One. Despite the global nature of the conflict, much of the world remembers the scars of the Great War through the lens of these battles. Images of decimated trees, deep set trenches and sliding mud have endured in public consciousness, particularly due to their prevalence in literary and film depictions of the war. The horrors that were endured there are almost unimaginable today. The Western Front simmered incessantly with low-level violence, producing daily causalities that were compounded by ‘wastage’ losses due to disease or the environment. Rats were everywhere, spreading disease and feeding on food scraps or the remains of men. Bodies of dead soldiers that could be retrieved would be buried in or near the trenches – often, they were left where they were. In the run up to the close of the World War One centenary, Dan
Situated in the heart of Northamptonshire, Althorp House is one of the most magnificent stately homes in Britain. Since the sixteenth century it has been the home of the Spencers, a family with a prestigious history that only a handful of ménages can match. Charles I, Sarah Churchill, Winston Churchill and Princess Diana – just a few famous figures from this family. Although Althorp House had been a prominent stately home since the late 1600s , it was significantly remodelled in the eighteenth century by Henry Holland, one of history’s most famous architects. At the same time the magnificent park that surrounds the House was designed by Capability Brown, ‘England’s greatest gardener.’ Aside from its architecture and surrounding landscape, one of Althorp’s greatest treasures is its impressive art collection – one of the biggest and best in private hands in Europe that includes works by Rubens, Reynolds and Van Dyck. In the Atrium alone, giant canvases depicting prestigious rural activit
In 1960, a man was laying a waterpipe underneath the quaint village of Fishbourne near Chichester, West Sussex, when he uncovered what looked like Roman remains. After he duly reported the discover, the archaeologists were called in and they quickly unearthed more and more prestigious finds. They went on to uncover the largest Roman domestic building ever to be discovered north of the Alps: a palace laid out on Imperial lines. During the period of Roman occupation in Britain, one of the most important Roman settlements on the island was a city called Noviomagus Reginorum (modern day Chichester). The land around Chichester was originally owned by a British tribe called the Atrebates, who quickly sided with the Romans following Claudius’ invasion of the island in 43 AD. Not long after the invasion, a granary was constructed at the site in Fishbourne; but it soon transformed into a palace, completed in c.75 AD. Its interior was decorated with beautiful, unique frescoes and perhaps the fir
Bletchley Park is now internationally famous as the home of the code-breakers during World War Two. But the endeavours of Alan Turing, Dilly Knox and their colleagues were so top secret that we are only now beginning to learn how they really lived day-to-day in this magnificent house, where – behind closed doors, under the cover of darkness, and against the clock - they determined the course of our wartime history. The house is also fascinating for what it tells us about how the 10,000 men and women working there would live on a daily basis. Artifacts from a Recreation Club – offering activities such as fencing, debating societies and amateur dramatics, amongst others – and film showings suggest an atmosphere not dissimilar to an Oxbridge college, and show a more human side to the story of how they developed the Enigma Machine. In this World War Two Season Special, join Dan Snow on an exclusive tour of the house and grounds, as well as the little known but all-important cottages that s
Arundel Castle is one West Sussex’s greatest attractions with a history spanning nearly a thousand years. It has its roots in Norman times, originally built at the end of the 11th century by the then Earl of Arundel, Roger de Montgomery. The keep Montgomery created was initially made out of wood, but was later replaced by stone. Since then the castle has been owned by several notable families including the d’Abinis, the Fitzalans and the Howards – the latter being especially famous during the Tudor Period. In the mid-seventeenth century Arundel castle became a central stage during the opening period of the English Civil War - it was first besieged first by the Royalists, who successfully captured it, and later by the Parliamentarians. Despite suffering damage, the castle was repaired and has remained one of the most prestigious castles in Britain to this day. In this episode, Dan visits the beautiful Arundel Castle and explores its long, fascinating history: from explaining how soldier
The town of Bramber in West Sussex is rich in history. As the sea used to come in right by the town, it was long-used as a crossing point for those seeking to sail over to the European continent. Bramber’s coastal location also made it a sound strategic settlement, something which was not lost on the Normans who erected a castle here not long after their conquest of England in 1066. What was more, the town was also situated on the pilgrimage route that stretched from Southampton to Canterbury, the holiest site in England. In 1150, the Knights Templar created accommodation for the pilgrims at Bramber, taking advantage of the location’s access to a natural spring; three hundred years later, this accommodation was replaced with a staggering house that remains standing to this day: St Mary’s House. St Mary’s House began its life in c.1450 AD, acting as a ‘hotel’ for pilgrims making their journey to Canterbury. But when King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries, taking away monastic possess
This was our first city road trip for Snow on the Road - 3 days in Bristol visiting its most interesting historical sites. What's so wonderful about Bristol is how its history is interwoven into the fabric of the city. World treasures like the SS Great Britain and Underfall Yard are visible all along the waterfront and thousands use the engineering marvel of the Clifton Suspension Bridge every day. We also got to explore some lesser visited sites: the mysterious Redcliffe caves and an evocative museum dedicated to mental health. In this episode, Dan explores Bristol's maritime past with a visit to Underfall Yard.
A few miles northeast of central Bristol is a site that for many years offered treatment or refuge for people with psychological issues. Originally called Bristol Lunatic Asylum, it has since been through many changes of name and purpose. Now the site is a university, but the 19th century hospital chapel survives, and contains a fascinating and unusual collection of objects relating to the history of mental health. We look at just a few of the items in the Glenside Hospital Museum and Dan tries on a victorian strait-jacket.
Today, more than 75 million people worldwide call themselves Methodists - but this vast movement had its origins in a humble location in Bristol. Here, John Wesley created a centre for preaching, lodging and welfare. He called it the New Room - and it still operated today, the oldest methodist building in the world. Not far away, the home of his younger brother Charles has also been preserved. Both now stand as part of the story of this global faith, and also as a reminder of life in the 18th century.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge isn't just one of the most beautiful bridges in the country - it's also one of the most innovative. It was designed by the legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, though he didn't live to see it completed. One of the many astonishing things about the bridge is that, although it was designed to carry horses, it's still in full operation today carrying thousands of cars everyday. It's rightly one of the marvels of Bristol.
This was our first city road trip for Snow on the Road - 3 days in Bristol visiting its most interesting historical sites. What's so wonderful about Bristol is how its history is interwoven into the fabric of the city. World treasures like the SS Great Britain and Underfall Yard are visible all along the waterfront and thousands use the engineering marvel of the Clifton Suspension Bridge every day. We also got to explore some lesser visited sites: the mysterious Redcliffe caves and an evocative museum dedicated to mental health. In this episode, Dan gets to explore one of his favourite places in all the world - the SS Great Britain - including some areas that are normally off-limits.
This was our first city road trip for Snow on the Road - 3 days in Bristol visiting its most interesting historical sites. What's so wonderful about Bristol is how its history is interwoven into the fabric of the city. World treasures like the SS Great Britain and Underfall Yard are visible all along the waterfront and thousands use the engineering marvel of the Clifton Suspension Bridge every day. We also got to explore some lesser visited sites: the mysterious Redcliffe caves and an evocative museum dedicated to mental health. In this episode, Dan visits Bristol's newest attraction: an innovative museum celebrating the history of flight.
The creation of man-made underground tunnels played a huge role in the outcome of the First World War. They were first dug to mine under enemy positions and detonate bombs or attack in desperate and fierce fights. As the war dragged on, nevertheless, they developed another purpose: providing soldiers with safer accommodation and communication routes. In this episode of Snow on the Road, Dan visits the tunnels of the Vimy Ridge built by Canadian miners and the Carrière Wellington tunnels, now a museum in Arras, France.