No Stone Unturned (Moss Brow Farm, Warburton, Greater Manchester) | S14E08 | Time Team

The team arrives at a field outside Cheshire where metal detectorists have made several valuable finds in the past, hinting the site was once a very active Roman settlement. However, the complete lack of finds causes serious concern amongst our intrepid explorers. They are joined by Mike Nevell from the University of Manchester, Roman historian David Shotter, and Robert Philpott from Liverpool Museum. Archeometallurgist Andrew Lacey fashions a simple Roman snake bracelet. Famously, this is the episode where Tony declares 'We've done what we always threatened: after 160 programmes, we found - nothing'.

Series 14, Episode 08

Time Team is a British TV series following specialists who dig deep to uncover as much as they can about Britain's archaeology and history.

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[jamesbalme]

This was my dig Filmed September 2006...

[EmmaOnATangent]

One of the best episodes for pure archaeology - everyone has theories, everyone is wrong at some point, no one gets too clingy with their pet theories, and in the end, everyone learns something. Fascinating, wholesome show.

[Jamie_Case]

I worked as an undergraduate at one of Francis' digs in '93. One of the nicest guys I've ever met.

[Libbathegreat]

This has always been one of my favorites. Phil really shines in this one explaining the various geological and field processes which can fool even some quite seasoned archaeologists into seeing mirages in the soil.

[mandie]

For almost a week now, I've been watching these episodes.... I absolutely love each one of like finding a rare gem on YouTube 💞

[JorisKoolen]

I love Francis' energy. He gets enthusiastic about something, there's a 99% chance he's wrong, and when he is, he still finds a reason to be enthusiastic.

[ingerfaber]

Phil's zeal for archaeology is so inspiring - and what a good explanation about "not finding anything"

[phillipsiviter]

I disagree with Tony’s summary at the end, this dig did uncover something, the ancient field system was the find here - showing that it had been worked in the last two thousand years was very interesting. Ok so there was no sexy Roman fort but the mundane is just as important as the exceptional.

[anthonybrunt]

I'd like to go on a Time Team dig just to listen to Phil laugh.

[PtolemyJones]

Helen really shined in this one. Always liked her.

[AvaT]

And the troops return to base, in archeology speak, the pub. 🤣🤣🤣. I loved that.

[TimmyB]

This is the magic of Time Team. Three days of nothing, and the show was still enjoyable and fun. Tony is of course brilliant, but the whole team just have a certain delightfulness, right or wrong, or empty handed completely it's just a fun show.

[WayneBorean]

Hey, at least you folks are honest. I’ve heard that some of the storage vault shows salt the vaults to make the episodes more exciting. Time Team instead used it as a teaching moment. That’s why I love the show.

[RalfOltmanns]

I've watched quite a few episodes now and am always delighted when familiar faces, often smiling or in deep thought, show up again and again like Helen, Naomi, and Bridget, the sunshines of show ;) and Matt, Phil, Stewart, and John.
It's always amazing, what Stewart can read from landscape features and old maps, and what John conjures up with the tools geophysics provide. Oh, yes, and then there was Vic whose talent put all of it in an artistic context. R.I.P., Vic.

[paradise]

In 200 years that time-team ditch is going to create some _very_ intriguing crop marks for future archeologists

[terryt.]

Phil seemed like a wonderful teacher of his craft, also his explanation of agricultural soil movement and glaciation helped the locals explain their findings without belittling them. Amazing that two thousand years of farming resulted in so many lost objects, but makes sense when you think about it. If only one thing was dropped and lost per year, that would be two thousand things to find.

[gnarshread]

I really appreciate the honesty in this. They grasp at straws all episode and don't mind admitting defeat.

[fenwickfootballclubknights]

I would love to be with this group at the pub after a long day's work, having a pint. Listening to them bicker and discuss what they've found (or haven't found) would be so much fun.

[sergeantsodom]

Lived here for 25 years and there were always rumours in the pub that ‘Time team found a roman coliseum’ - oh how tales are twisted! (Also spent many an hour in the Saracens head, the pub they were in)

[davidmullen]

What is really special about this one is how Phil magnificently puts the whole venture into perspective at the end and brings everyone down to earth again - reminding them that "finding nothing" is all part of the game of Archaeology, and that actually, they _did_ solve the question they set out to answer!

Not one of the most satisfying episodes no. What _does_ it all mean, all those finds at the start, that get whittled down somehow to a handful of trinkets on a table at the end? They expertly skirt around the question, and leave it to the viewer to draw their own conclusions....