The Channel 4 series, Britain’s Ancient Tracks, exploring the mysteries and legends of Britain’s ancient trackways, reaches Kent on Saturday 5 November.
For the programme, Dr Steve Willis, Senior Lecturer in Archaeology in the Department of Classical & Archaeological Studies, joins Tony Robinson at Bigbury Iron Age hillfort, just outside Canterbury.
Following Julius Caesar’s account, it is generally believed there was a huge battle between the Ancient Britons and the invading Roman army at the site. The visit features a remarkably well-preserved war helmet dating to the time of Julius Caesar’s invasions of Britain found recently just outside Canterbury, as well as a replica copy.
This is the third episode in the series which has explored the mysteries and legends of a network of ancient trackways that crisscross Britain and have been travelled for over 5,000 years.
The North Downs Way is thought to have been a prehistoric highway linking Britain to the continent. The track was used by Celts and Romans alike, and the programme some of the megaliths, burial sites, supposed ley lines and hidden caves that lie alongside the route.
Dr Willis takes undergraduate and Masters students from the School of European Culture and Languages to visit and study this site as part of their degree programmes at Kent. Archaeologists are searching for traces of Julius Caesar’s visits to Britain and Bigbury is highly important for it relates to the beginning of the story of Roman Britain.
The programme will be broadcast at 8pm on Saturday 5 November and the whole series will also be available on Channel 4’s On Demand service.