Historic building mythbusting

An investigation and explanation into commonly repeated stories about historic architecture

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'Funny, occasionally filthy and ultimately fascinating.' - Richard Herring, comedian

Go to any ancient building in the land and there will be interesting and exciting stories presented to the visitor. Tales of secret passages and hidden tunnels, strange marks and carvings left by stonemasons – all commonly believed and widely repeated, but are they really true?

From ship timbers being repurposed on dry land to spiral staircases giving advantage to right-handed defenders, and from archers sharpening their arrows on church stones to claims of being the oldest pub in the country, Historic Building Mythbusting seeks to uncover the real stories.

Buildings archaeologist James Wright explains and unpicks the development of these myths and investigates the underlying truths behind them. Sometimes the realities hiding behind the stories are even more engaging, romantic and compelling than the myths themselves...