01/07/2014

Available for over a year

Tom Holland presents BBC Radio 4's popular history magazine programme which takes listeners on a journey in time and space to catch up on the latest research and celebrate the ways that we all engage with the past. In today's programme Tom is joined by archaeologist and landscape historian Professor Francis Pryor and the public engagement specialist, Professor Owen Davies from the University of Hertfordshire. We hear how ignorance is a defence when it comes to wrecking an internationally important heritage site. The one in question is the 8th century fortification built by a Mercian king that we know as Offa's Dyke. The damage was done in August 2013 when a landowners ripped out 45 metres of it. Police decided not to prosecute because they couldn't prove that the landowner in question knew how historically important the dyke was. So: is this a loophole in the laws which protect our ancient monuments; what's being done to close it; and how widespread a problem is this throughout the United Kingdom? Archaeologist Dr Matt Pope from University College London takes a trip to the Irish Republic's biggest freshwater lake, Lough Corrib near Galway. There an off-duty ship's captain, Trevor Northage, has spent years mapping the lough bed using high-tech sonar equipment. In the last three years he has discovered 12 boats, vacuum-packed in the silt, which span the period from the Bronze Age to that of the Victorians. Matt meets Trevor and hears about the archaeological importance of these finds to Dr Kahl Brady of the National Monument's Service in Eire. Finally, we report from what's been called the Glastonbury of history: the Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival which culminated last weekend in a riot of re-enactment and historical discussion. Helen Castor was at the festival and she caught up with the writer Charlie Higson who confesses to his fondness for dressing up and acting out the past. Contact the programme: email [email protected] Write to Making History, BBC Radio 4, PO Box 3096. Brighton BN1 1PL Find us on Facebook. Producer: Nick Patrick. A Pier Production for BBC Radio 4.