Villages By The Sea
Villages By The Sea is a TV show on BBC2. Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers the history and heritage of beautiful coastal villages from across the UK, showcasing their often unsung role in the nation's story. The program has been available since 2025. A total of 46 episodes have been broadcast, most recently in June 2026.
Last episode
Villages By The Sea
Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the tiny Hampshire village that had a huge role in building ships for Nelson's victorious fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar.
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Archaeologist Ben Robinson investigates how a Cornish gem of a village became a world-famous centre of tin mining where people made and lost huge fortunes.
Archaeologist Ben Robinson casts his eye over the village of Seahouses in Northumberland, where he discovers how the lethal rocks offshore have been both a blessing and a curse.
Archaeologist Ben Robinson is in North Yorkshire, exploring how idyllic Runswick Bay was once a place of great danger, despite attracting tourists and inspiring artists.
Series 3
25:00
25:00Ben Robinson visits Northumberland's Craster to find out how a family who shares the name have had their lives and fortunes intertwined with the village for more than 800 years.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson explores Parkgate on the estuary of the River Dee in Cheshire, landlocked due to the estuary's shifting silt.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson unearths the Suffolk village of Orford's history of defending the British Isles.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers the secrets of Cornwall's Tintagel, famed as the legendary birthplace of King Arthur.
Series 2 25:00
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits Alnmouth on England’s north east coast and discovers the village’s historical role in feeding the nation.
Series 3 25:00
25:00Ben Robinson visits the Norfolk village of Cley next the Sea and finds due to Dutch settlers in the Elizabethan era, it's not as 'next the sea' as it once was.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the Yorkshire coastal village of Flamborough and discovers its historic chalk buildings.
35:00Ben Robinson discovers more about the quiet village of Ravenglass in the Lake District's National Park, which played a strategic role in the Roman empire.
25:00Ben Robinson visits Laxey on the Isle of Man to discover the unusual attraction that drew Victorians to the tourist destination - the biggest waterwheel in the world.
Series 2 35:00
35:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson discovers how traditional boat building shaped the beautifully preserved village of Arnside on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria.
Series 3 25:00
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson uncovers evidence of the German occupation of the Jersey village of Gorey and the role it played in defending the UK.
25:00Ben Robinson discovers how the Cornish village of Botallack was the centre of the Cornish tin and copper mining industry and supplied a deadly poison to the world.
Series 2 25:00
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson visits the picturesque Georgian village of Charlestown on the south west coast of Cornwall and learns how it was shaped by the vision of one man.
Series 1 35:00
35:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson examines the history of Clovelly in Devon, looking at its transformation from fishing harbour to romantic Victorian seaside resort.
25:00Archaeologist Ben Robinson examines the history of the monks and villagers of the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, which lies off the Northumberland coast.
Series 5, Episode 6 - St Bees
Expected on
In Cumbria, on the edge of the Lake District, Ben Robinson finds signs of early Christian pilgrims, while a 500-year-old house turns out to be the birthplace of an Elizabethan VIP.