History Hunters is a British television series that aired on Channel 4 from 1998 to 1999. Presented by the actorTony Robinson, the show was a spin-off of the archaeology series Time Team, first broadcast on Channel 4 in 1994. The series is also known as Time Team: History Hunters.
Each episode of History Hunters featured people trying to discover more about an area and its history.
There were seven episodes of History Hunters shown on Saturdays from 21 November 1998 to 16 January 1999.[1] Each episode features three teams trying to investigate the history of a community by using resources that are available to anyone.[1] The teams have only two days to find out as much as they can.[2] They have the help of a team of experts.[3]
The episode looking at malting in Marshfield, South Gloucestershire was shot as the pilot in February 1998, and the experts included Gloucester archivist David Smith and local buildings expert Linda Hall. Local farmer Dick Knight described how his grandfather was the last working maltster in the village. Decision-makers at Channel 4 liked the programme and gave the go-ahead for six more, but showing them on Saturday afternoons was doomed to failure and the series sank without trace. The seven programmes were never repeated.
The three teams look into the Crystal Palace, the home of the Great Exhibition, that burnt down in the 1930s.[2] They look into why the Palace was moved from Hyde Park and what the cause of the fire that destroyed it was.[1]
Three teams of Blackpool people look into the town's history and why it became the tourist hotspot it is.[3] They also look into why the town became popular with the working class.[1]
In the 15th and 16th century the Scottish Borders were a lawless place, and the team try to discover the truth behind the ballads of the time and whether the Borders' residents today are related to the 15th and 16th century inhabitants.[1][5]
During the Middle Ages Burton upon Trent had the most important abbey in central England, and teams look into one building each, with each building thought to have connections to the abbey.[6]
Marshfield used to be a centre for brewing, the teams look into the village's malting past. One team look for the physical remains of the industry, another looks into one family's involvement and the third team into how malting affected the agricultural landscape.[1]
