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The Best Episodes of Time Team

Every episode of Time Team ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Time Team!

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Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on British Channel 4 from 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode featured a team of

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Time Team Season 1 Episode 1 - The Guerrilla Base of the King - Athelney, Somerset
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - The Guerrilla Base of the King - Athelney, Somerset

    S1:E1

    In this first ever episode of Time Team, Tony and the team travel to Athelney in Somerset to investigate a series of hills (once islands in a bog) that became Alfred The Great last defensive positions after a series of losses to invading Viking forces. It is also the place Alfred began the great rally that saw him re-conquer most Wessex and laid the foundations of the nation that was to become England.

    Director:Graham Dixon
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Time Team Season 1 Episode 2 - On the Edge of an Empire - Ribchester, Lancashire
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - On the Edge of an Empire - Ribchester, Lancashire

    S1:E2

    Ribchester in Lancashire has been known for some time as a site of a Roman fort. The Time Team arrive in the town to answer two questions, one is to consolidate all the previous excavations on the site, and the second to define the outline of a possible older wooden fort that is thought to have been in the area.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Time Team Season 1 Episode 3 - The New Town of a Norman Prince - Much Wenlock, Shropshire
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - The New Town of a Norman Prince - Much Wenlock, Shropshire

    S1:E3

    The Time Team go to the small town of Much Wenlock, after they receive a letter from a resident explains a recent excavation uncovered possibly the oldest house in the town. What they discover is the remains of an old Saxon village transitioning into a larger newer Norman settlement.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Time Team Season 1 Episode 4 - The Fortress in the Lake - Llangorse Lake, Powys
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - The Fortress in the Lake - Llangorse Lake, Powys

    S1:E4

    The Time Team travel to Brecon Beacons in Wales, they have come to investigate a small man-made island in Llangorse Lake. Locals tell many strange legends including hearing the sounds of Church bells echoing across the body of water at night. The Team want to know who built the island and try to find evidence to support the stories of it eventual fall into disuse.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Time Team Season 2 Episode 1 - Lord of the Isles - Finlaggan, Islay
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Lord of the Isles - Finlaggan, Islay

    S2:E1

    The Time Team travel to a group of islands on the western side of Scotland to investigate a culture known as the "Lords of the Isls" - who ruled the islands 1000 years ago. The team joins a group from the Scottish National University who've been working in the area for some five years uncovering the history of these people. What the Time Team discovers throws the whole excavation into a new light and suggests people may have lived in the area thousands of years prior.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Time Team Season 2 Episode 2 - The Saxon Graves - Winterbourne Gunner, Wiltshire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - The Saxon Graves - Winterbourne Gunner, Wiltshire

    S2:E2

    The Time Team visit Hylton Castle near Sunderland. A local group want to redevelop the local area as a tourist attraction but don't want to disturb any hidden structures.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Time Team

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  7. Time Team Season 2 Episode 3 - The Lost Villa - Tockenham, Wiltshire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - The Lost Villa - Tockenham, Wiltshire

    S2:E3

    Tockenham village, in the Wiltshire countryside. Despite the fact that there are no Roman remains in Tockenham, the village's 15th century church, St Giles, has a small pagan Roman statue embedded in one of its outer walls.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Time Team Season 2 Episode 4 - The Archbishop's Back Garden - Lambeth Palace, London
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - The Archbishop's Back Garden - Lambeth Palace, London

    S2:E4

    The Time Team traveled to Lambet Palace in the heart of London. They are trying to unravel the enigma of why the Romans crossed the Thames in a different area to where they developed the city. The team needs to employ some extreme archeology to try an understand what the Romans where thinking.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Time Team Season 2 Episode 5 - Medieval Dining Hall - Hylton Castle, Sunderland
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - Medieval Dining Hall - Hylton Castle, Sunderland

    S2:E5

    The Time Team travel to Winterbourne Gunner in Wiltshire to investigate a housing development that has come to a halt because of an alarming number of Saxon graves found in the area They successfully work their way through the maze of finds but in doing so discover what seems to be a whole new layer of history in the town.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Time Team Season 3 Episode 1 - Prehistoric Fogou - Boleigh and Treveneague, Cornwall
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - Prehistoric Fogou - Boleigh and Treveneague, Cornwall

    S3:E1

    Recorded between 17 and 19 March 1995, the team try to discover what a 2000-year-old underground chamber (fogou) beneath Jo May's garden was used for. Dowser Hamish Miller shows the extent of the fogou beneath the lawn, and Tony tries his hand at dowsing. But Mick is skeptical, preferring to rely on the geophysical survey. They are also trying to find the Iron Age settlement that would have adjoined the fogou. Joining the team are archaeological geophysicist Susan Ovenden, and county archaeologist Nick Johnson. The programme includes an experiment in extracting pure tin from the local stream.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Time Team Season 3 Episode 2 - Hunting for Mammoth - Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Hunting for Mammoth - Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire

    S3:E2

    Recorded between 21 and 23 April 1995, in this episode the team go to a gravel pit that is soon to become landfill, where they attempt to unearth 200,000-year-old remains of mammoths and other prehistoric animals. Gravel pits are typical sites for paleolithic remains. But the chances of finding evidence of any prehistoric peoples are remote. Joining the team are Christine Buckingham, Kate Scott, and palaeontologist Russell Coope. Wood anatomist Rowena Gale tries to match ancient and modern wood samples For this episode the team are joined by archaeologist Kate Scott and geologist Christine Buckingham.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Time Team Season 3 Episode 3 - Village of the Templars - Templecombe, Somerset
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Village of the Templars - Templecombe, Somerset

    S3:E3

    Recorded between 26 and 28 May 1995. A 13th century picture of Christ, strikingly similar to that on the Turin Shroud, has turned up. It's believed to belong to the Knights Templar, a medieval order of monks who gave their name to the village of Templecombe. The team investigate a manor house thought to be on the site of a monastery. What's left of the monastery, and who were the Templars anyway? So far all the evidence seems to be outside the house, where Phil and the team have already dug up pieces of encaustic tile. Carenza and Robin are doing some research among the documents.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Time Team Season 3 Episode 4 - A Wreck of the Spanish Armada - Teignmouth, Devon
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - A Wreck of the Spanish Armada - Teignmouth, Devon

    S3:E4

    Recorded between 30 June and 2 July 1995. 20 years ago a teenage boy discovered a 400-year-old bronze cannon in water close to the south Devon coast. Nobody has yet identified the ship it belonged to. Will there be enough left of the wreck to identify it? As usual, Time Team have only three days to find out. Tony is looking forward to getting into his diving suit. But the team cannot dive until the wreck's archaeological supervisor, Chris Preece, arrives. Meanwhile the wreck's finder, Simon Burton, tells his story. Undeterred by disappointing geophysics results, the divers go ahead with their search in murky water. On land, armoury expert Nicholas Hall demonstrates the cannon. Ultimately Robin comes up with a theory about the ship's origin and purpose.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Time Team Season 3 Episode 5 - Palace of the Irish Kings - Emain Macha (aka Navan Fort), County Armagh
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Palace of the Irish Kings - Emain Macha (aka Navan Fort), County Armagh

    S3:E5

    Recorded between 7 and 9 April 1995, the team are at Emain Macha (aka Navan Fort), County Armagh, where according to Celtic legends three palaces were built. The evidence of two have been found and the team try to find evidence of the third.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Time Team Season 3 Episode 6 - Treasures of the Roman Field - Lavenham, Suffolk
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Treasures of the Roman Field - Lavenham, Suffolk

    S3:E6

    Recorded between 28 and 30 August 1995. The team arrive in a large square field about 20 miles from Colchester. This is an area typically rich in Roman activity. Several remains have previously been dug up, including coins, an elaborate key, and Samian ware. Adrian Thorpe, the farmer, wants to know more. The indications are of a settlement with high status buildings, maybe timber-framed. With recycled fragments of genuine Roman glass, fired up in a homemade furnace, glassblower Ed Iglehart creates an authentic conical beaker. Among hundreds of finds is a metal owl brooch. They are joined by Jude Plouviez from Suffolk County Council, Roman specialist Lindsay Allason-Jones, environmental archaeologist Peter Murphy, and coin specialist Daphne Briggs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Time Team Season 4 Episode 1 - Maryland, USA - St. Mary's City, Maryland, USA
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - Maryland, USA - St. Mary's City, Maryland, USA

    S4:E1

    Recorded between 17 and 19 May 1996, the team go to St. Mary's City in Maryland to work with American archaeologists to look for evidence of the city founded by English colonists in 1634. Different archaeological styles between American and British addressed, with the Time Team conducting geophys onsite for the first time. Finds: two buildings, including fort.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Time Team Season 4 Episode 2 - Mystery of the Cornish Skeletons - Launceston, Cornwall
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Mystery of the Cornish Skeletons - Launceston, Cornwall

    S4:E2

    Filmed between 22 and 24 March 1996. A local landowner has discovered human bones while installing water pipes. It is known to be the site of a former leper hospital, and a major crossing between Devon and Cornwall. How much more can Time Team discover about it? Phil uncovers a complete skeleton which has received a Christian burial, and which Osteoarchaeologist Margaret Cox identifies as a young adult female. She also examines the bone fragments for signs of leprosy. Juliet Griffin makes a herbal poultice to dress the lepers' wounds. Robin Bush looks at the 13th century charter granted to the hospital.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Time Team Season 4 Episode 3 - Steam-Powered Mint - Soho, Birmingham
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Steam-Powered Mint - Soho, Birmingham

    S4:E3

    Recorded between 5 and 7 April 1996, this episode sees the team try to discover what remains of Matthew Boulton's Soho Manufactory, an important factory and home to the world's first steam-powered mint, during the Industrial Revolution. They are joined by industrial archaeologist George Demidowicz.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Time Team Season 4 Episode 4 - 8th Century Church - Govan, Glasgow
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - 8th Century Church - Govan, Glasgow

    S4:E4

    Filmed from 14 to 16 June 1996, in this episode the team try to find out why the graveyard of a 19th century church features large tortoise-shaped gravestones dating back to the Dark Ages. The team are joined by Scottish prehistorian Anna Ritchie and archaeologist Steve Driscoll.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Time Team Season 4 Episode 5 - Norman and Medieval Castles - Malton, North Yorkshire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Norman and Medieval Castles - Malton, North Yorkshire

    S4:E5

    Recorded between 5 and 7 July 1996, the team try to discover a medieval castle and a Jacobean mansion. Barry Scott (bladesmith) makes a sword using traditional techniques, and the Conquest Society demonstrates hand-to-hand combat with authentic armour and chainmail.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Time Team Season 4 Episode 6 - Roman Villa - Netheravon, Wiltshire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Roman Villa - Netheravon, Wiltshire

    S4:E6

    Filmed from 2 to 4 August 1996, this episode looks for a Roman villa that was first partially discovered 90 years before by William Hawley. Part of the site - a former army barracks - is covered in concrete, which at least protects what is underneath. But as they don't know exactly where the villa is, it could be a problem for both the diggers and the geophysics team. The team are joined by Duncan Coe (county archaeologist), Mark Corney (Roman buildings expert) and Lindsay Allason Jones (Roman finds). At the end of day two Lindsay supervises an al fresco Roman-style meal. By day three they have the bare outline of a very substantial, high-status building complete with mosaic floors and central heating. But then unfortunately the time runs out.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Time Team Season 5 Episode 1 - Richmond Palace - Richmond, Surrey
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Richmond Palace - Richmond, Surrey

    S5:E1

    Filmed between 25 and 27 July 1997. The team are camped on an immaculate suburban lawn next to the Thames. They are searching for the now vanished Richmond Palace, site of the death of Elizabeth I. But amazingly nobody is exactly sure of its whereabouts. The first task is to dig up the lawn under the supervision of landscape gardener Martin Whitaker. Immediately they find evidence of a substantial high status Tudor building. They are joined by palaces expert Simon Thurley and local historian John Cloake. Tudor expert Hazel Forsyth shows Carenza how to make a pomander. Plants from the garden are used by Maria Lis-Balchin to brew up some Elizabethan perfume. The property owner was The Baron van Dedem.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Time Team Season 5 Episode 2 - Bronze-Age Trackway - Greylake, Somerset
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Bronze-Age Trackway - Greylake, Somerset

    S5:E2

    The team go to the Somerset levels in search of a 4,000-year-old wooden trackway. The quickest way to get across the marshes that used to exist here in the Bronze and Iron Ages was across wooden walkways. Now the team hope to find evidence of these footbridges.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Time Team Season 5 Episode 3 - Viking Graves - Orkney, Scotland
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Viking Graves - Orkney, Scotland

    S5:E3

    The team go in search of evidence of the invasion of the Vikings, and its influence on ancient Britain. The team travel to the Orcadian island of Sanday to try to find out whether four mysterious mounds there are evidence of a Viking settlement or even a Viking burial site.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Time Team Season 5 Episode 4 - Roman Villa - Turkdean, Gloucestershire
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Roman Villa - Turkdean, Gloucestershire

    S5:E4

    3 days of live excavation. The weekend ended with evidence of a Romano-British villa complex that is one of the largest ever found in Britain. This programme is an edited version of that weekend. They discover that the villa dates from the very first days of the Roman occupation. Amongst their new finds is an entire, untouched Roman water course.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Guerrilla Base of the King - Athelney, Somerset" is the best rated episode of "Time Team". It scored 8/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Graham Dixon and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/16/1994. This episode scored 2.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "On the Edge of an Empire - Ribchester, Lancashire".