Ep 4. The Archbishop's Backgarden

Time Team season 2 episode 4, titled "The Archbishop's Backgarden," takes archaeologists to the city of Canterbury in southeastern England. The site they are tasked with exploring is a small garden situated behind the residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The garden is believed to be the site of a former cemetery for the nearby St. Augustine's Abbey.

The team, led by presenter Tony Robinson, begins by surveying the area using ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to map out any potential underground structures. They discover a series of rectangular shapes that suggest graves, but digging is not immediately possible as the garden is densely populated with trees and plants.

The team decides to focus their efforts on a small section of the garden where the highest concentration of graves is suspected. Excavation begins, but a series of setbacks ensue as the team struggles to navigate the dense roots of the trees. However, persistence pays off as they eventually uncover a section of the graveyard with a number of well-preserved graves.

As the team begins to carefully excavate the graves, they encounter a number of surprises. One of the graves is found to contain the remains of a young child buried with a small, intricately designed lead casket. Another grave contains an adult buried with what appears to be a large bell. The presence of this bell leads the team to speculate that this individual may have been a bell-maker, a highly regarded profession in medieval times.

As work continues, the team uncovers evidence of a small wooden building believed to be a chapel. This discovery leads Tony Robinson to ponder the possibility that the garden graveyard may have been used specifically for the burials of those associated with the church. This theory gains further support as the team unearths the remains of a monk, believed to have been buried wearing his distinctive religious robes.

In addition to the gravesites, the team also uncovers a number of artifacts that provide insight into everyday life in medieval Canterbury. These include a knife with a finely carved handle, pottery fragments, and an ornate brooch believed to have been worn by a woman of status.

As the week-long dig nears its end, the team is faced with the daunting task of analyzing their findings and piecing together the story of the garden graveyard. Through careful examination of the graves and artifacts, the team is able to build a picture of a community closely linked to the nearby church. The presence of the monk and the chapel suggest a profound spiritual connection, while the discovery of the lead casket suggests a family of means.

Overall, "The Archbishop's Backgarden" showcases the importance of archaeology in unlocking the secrets of our past. By carefully excavating and analyzing the remains of this medieval cemetery, the team is able to bring to life a forgotten community and provide insight into the lives of those who lived and died in Canterbury centuries ago.