A documentary looking at coastal villages that have often been on the front line of history.
Where to Watch Villages by the Sea • Season 4
10 Episodes
Culross
E1
CulrossBen Robinson visits Culross, a stunning 17th-century village that was a major centre for Scottish coal mining and the first underwater sea coal shaft in the world.
Port Carlisle
E2
Port CarlisleBen Robinson explores the remains of a lost harbour in Port Carlisle, a once-thriving port that hoped to rival Liverpool.
Cushendall
E3
CushendallBen Robinson travels to Cushendall in Northern Ireland to explore the Curfew Tower and schoolhouse, built by its forward-thinking 19th-century merchant landlord.
Holkham
E4
HolkhamBen Robinson makes an amazing discovery at Norfolk’s Holkham estate – its lost medieval village, seen for the first time since its disappearance 200 years ago.
Solva
E5
SolvaBen Robinson discovers some of the impressive and well-preserved lime kilns in Solva, Wales, and learns how this industry helped feed a growing nation.
Beer
E6
BeerBen Robinson heads to Beer, Devon, home to beer stone, which has been quarried since Roman times and used in many of England's cathedrals and iconic buildings.
Seaton Sluice
E7
Seaton SluiceBen Robinson travels to Seaton Sluice, home to the notorious Delaval family and the site of a past bottle works that shaped the village.
Porthgain
E8
PorthgainBen Robinson unearths the past of Porthgain, Pembrokeshire, built for its industry exporting slate, then brickwork, then finally stone used for the nation’s roads.
Greyabbey
E9
GreyabbeyBen Robinson unearths the ancient history of Greyabbey on beautiful Strangford Loch.
Johnshaven
E10
JohnshavenBen Robinson travels to Johnshaven, a once-important Scottish fishing village that diversified into the flax and jute trade when its skilled sailors were press-ganged into the Royal Navy.
