Ep 10. Cranborne Chase, Dorset

In Season 11, Episode 10 of Time Team, the team heads to Cranborne Chase, Dorset, to uncover the archaeology of the surrounding area. The team is joined by various experts in the field, including Peter Bellamy, an expert on moats, and Matt Williams, an expert on bone analysis.

The team first visits a medieval village, where they begin by excavating a moat. They use a coring device to extract samples from the bottom, hoping to find evidence of the buildings that once surrounded the moat. While digging, they come across a series of post holes, which they believe could be the remnants of a bridge that once crossed the moat.

As they continue to search for evidence of the village, the team begins to uncover a series of rectangular holes. Peter Bellamy believes these may have been part of an old fishpond, which could have been used to rear fish for the village.

Moving on from the village, the team visits a nearby hill fort. Here, they begin to excavate a series of pits, hoping to find evidence of the fort's inhabitants. They also begin to dig a trench, hoping to find evidence of a possible gatehouse.

As they dig, they come across a strange object. It turns out to be a Roman ballista bolt, suggesting that the Romans may have had some presence in the area. This discovery leads the team to wonder about the fort's history and its possible connections to the Roman army.

The team also begins to examine a series of ditches that run around the fort, hoping to find evidence of any defensive structures that may have once existed there. They find a series of large pits, which they believe may have contained wooden posts that would have been used to create a defensive palisade around the fort.

Moving on to a nearby church, the team begins to examine the site of an old churchyard. Here, they begin to excavate a series of graves, hoping to find evidence of the people that were buried there.

As they dig, they begin to find evidence of a possible plague pit. This leads the team to wonder about the history of the area and the various pandemics that swept through the country throughout the years.

In the end, the team uncovers a wealth of evidence about the surrounding area. From the medieval village to the hill fort to the churchyard, they learn about the people and events that shaped the region's history. Through their discoveries, they gain a deeper understanding of the complex and fascinating past of Cranborne Chase, Dorset.