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6/23/2018 Transcript: Ep. 7 - The Only Earl is Essex | Jun 16, 2018 | TVO.

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Transcript: Ep. 7 - The Only Earl is Essex | Jun 16, 2018


(music plays)
A fast clip in sepia shows a man unfolding and old map while a few rocks fall to the floor. Then a close up
of a hand shows the illusion that it is grabbing a huge rock rising in the distance. The title of the show
appears on the rock as if printed on a coin: “Time Team.”
Tony is in his sixties with receding gray hair. He wears a flowery open-necked shirt and jeans.
A caption appears on screen. It reads “Tony Robinson.”

Tony says TO BE OR NOT TO BE,


THAT IS THE QUESTION.
DON'T WORRY, I HAVEN'T GONE
ALL ACTOR-Y ON YOU.
THIS IS
TIME TEAM
AND WE'RE
AT EARL'S COLNE IN ESSEX.

A large green lawn appears at Tony’s back. A castle appears at a distance. It has a red brick façade with
two hexagonal towers crowned by turrets, one at each side of the main entrance.

Tony continues UNDERNEATH THAT LAWN WE'RE


HOPING TO FIND A 12th CENTURY
PRIORY WHICH WAS FOUNDED BY ONE
OF THE RICHEST FAMILIES IN
ENGLAND.

(music plays)

Fasts clips show a preview of the show.

Jackie McKinley says OH, THAT'S


GOT THE TEETH THERE, LOOK.

Alex Langlands says I FEEL LIKE


JAMES BOND HERE, NEIL.

Mary Ann Ochota says WHAT IS


THAT?

Tony says THIS COULD TURN OUT TO


BE THE BURIAL GROUND OF ONE OF
THE GREAT ENGLISH DYNASTIES,
INCLUDING ONE MYSTERIOUS EARL
WHO'S RUMOURED EITHER TO BE THE
INSPIRATION FOR SHAKESPEARE'S
HAMLET OR ELSE EVEN THE BAIRD
HIMSELF.
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6/23/2018 Transcript: Ep. 7 - The Only Earl is Essex | Jun 16, 2018 | TVO.org

THE STAGE IS SET.


WE'VE GOT JUST THREE DAYS TO
FIND HIM --
AND
THE PRIORY.

The camera zooms out and shows Tony standing high above the ground, on a machine platform. Tony
looks scared.

Tony says CAN I COME DOWN NOW?

Theme music plays. Fast sepia-tone clips show men digging out hidden objects from the soil such as a
vase, a ring, and a skull. Then, the opening sequence of the hand grabbing the rock plays again.

A fast clip shows the team setting up the equipment to work on the excavation.

John says IT LOOKS AS


THOUGH IT COULD GO DOWN AT
LEAST 2.5 METRES.

Tony says THESE IMMACULATE LAWNS


AREN'T JUST A GEOPHYSICIST'S
DREAM.
A LITTLE UNDER A THOUSAND YEARS
AGO THIS LAND BELONGED TO A
FAMILY CALLED THE DE VERES:
EARLS OF OXFORD AND ROYAL
FAVOURITES.
TODAY, THIS FANTASTIC PLACE IS
HOME TO CAR FANATIC AND
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE PAUL WHIGHT.
SOMETHING TELLS ME WE'RE GOING
TO ENJOY THE PERKS ON THIS DIG.

Mary Ann and Paul Whight arrive at a state in a red convertible car. She’s in her thirties, with long brown
wavy hair in a low ponytail. She wears a gray V-necked T-shirt. He’s in his fifties, clean-shaven, with
short white hair. He wears an open-necked black shirt.

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Mary Ann Ochota.”

Mary Ann says PAUL, I FEEL LIKE


I'M IN A MOVIE.
IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
IT'S NOT EVERYONE WHO'S GOT A
PRIORY IN THEIR BACK GARDEN,
IS IT?

Whight says IT'S QUITE


UNUSUAL, YES.

Mary Ann says WHAT IS IT THAT


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YOU'D LIKE US TO FIND WHILE


WE'RE HERE?

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Paul Whight, Landowner.”

Whight says WELL, IN


PRINCIPAL, I WANT TO FIND OUT IF
EDWARD DE VERE, THE 17th EARL OF
OXFORD, IS BURIED IN THE GARDEN
SOMEWHERE 'COS NO-ONE KNOWS
WHERE HE WAS BURIED.
AND, GENERALLY, JUST TO FIND
A LOT MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY
OF THIS SITE.

Mary Ann says SO LET'S FIND


THE MISSING EARL, EDWARD.
IS HE THE ONE THAT PEOPLE THINK
MIGHT HAVE BEEN SHAKESPEARE?

Whight says THAT'S


ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
THERE IS A LOT OF RUMOUR, IF
YOU SEARCH THE INTERNET DE VERE
SHAKESPEARE, IT JUST EXPLODES.

Mary Ann says THE SECRET


SHAKESPEARE MIGHT BE UNDER YOUR
BACKYARD?

Whight says HAVE I GOT


HAMLET IN MY GARDEN?

Mary Ann chuckles and says WE'VE GOT SO MUCH


TO FIND OUT, LOTS OF MYSTERIES
TO SOLVE.
BUT HAVE WE GOT TIME FOR
ANOTHER SPIN FIRST?

Whight says YEAH, LET'S GO!

Mary Ann says LET'S DO IT.


[tires squealing]

Tony says THE DE VERES NOT ONLY


FOUNDED A PRIORY HERE, BUT
400 YEARS LATER REPUTEDLY BUILT
A POSH COUNTRY PAD TO LIVE IN.

A map of the British Isles shows the area of Essex. Two white dots signal Earls Colne and Colchester.

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Tony continues EARLS COLNE WAS A PRIME


LOCATION -- 10 MILES WEST OF
COLCHESTER, CLOSE TO LONDON,
AND A SPIRITUAL AND ECONOMIC
HUB OF MEDIEVAL BRITAIN.
OUR KEY TASK IS TO WORK OUT
WHAT WAS WHERE ON THIS COMPLEX
SITE.
ALONG THE WAY WE ALSO WANT TO
REVEAL STORIES OF THE
ARISTOCRATS WHO FOUNDED IT.
AND ARMED WITH EARLY GEOPHYS
RESULTS, PHIL'S CHOMPING AT
THE BIT.

Phil and John stand on the ground watching at a map. Phil is in his sixties with long blond hair. He wears
a beige open-necked shirt. John is in his fifties with short receding grey hair and a beard. He wears a
light blue shirt. They loot a lidar picture of the Earls Colne area in blue, red and yellow.

Phil says HOW LONG'S THE TRENCH?

John says 10 METRES.

Phil says 10 METRES.


IF THIS LOOKS GOOD, PRESUMABLY
THERE'S NO GOOD REASON WHY WE
CAN'T EXTEND IT AND PICK UP --

John says DON'T TALK ABOUT


EXTENDING WHEN WE'VE NOT EVEN
PUT THE TRENCH IN YET.

(laughter)

Phil says WELL, NO, NO, BUT YOU


KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

Tony says WE'RE WASTING NO TIME


MAKING A DENT IN THIS PRISTINE
GRASS.
TRENCH 1 GOES IN OVER WHAT WE
SUSPECT MAY BE THE PRIORY
CHURCH -- WHERE GEOPHYS HAVE
REVEALED THE MOST SUBSTANTIAL
BITS OF WALL.

The digger starts excavating the trench.

Phil says RIGHT, LET DIGGING


COMMENCE.

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Tony says AFTER JUST THREE


SCRAPES OF THE DIGGER...
IT'S LOOKING PROMISING.

Paul holds a small stone and says THIS IS 12th CENTURY OR


THEREABOUTS.

Paul is in his fifties, clean-shaven and bald. He wears red T-shirt, and a blue safety helmet.
A caption reads “Paul Blinkhorn. Pottery Expert.”

Phil says SO THAT, SO THAT COULD


NEARLY BE THE ORIGIN OF THE
PRIORY THEN?

Blinkhorn says THERE OR THEREABOUT.

(music plays)

Tony meets Phil and Mick, and says OI, YOU TWO.
IT'S A BIT EARLY TO START
CHUCKING A TRENCH IN WITH SUCH
GAY ABANDON, ISN'T IT?

Mick is in his sixties with long receding wavy grey hair and a goatee. He wears an open blue jacket and a
colourful stripped sweater. He also wears glasses.

Mick says DO YOU DO GAY


ABANDON, DO YOU?

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Phil Harding.”

Phil says ALL THE TIME, MICK.


YOU KNOW, HE'S ABSOLUTELY
RIGHT, BUT IT'S NOT TOO EARLY.
I MEAN THE SOONER WE GET
STARTED THE BETTER.

Tony says WELL, HAVE YOU FOUND


ANYTHING YET?

Phil says WELL, WE'VE GOT


GLIMMERS OF A PRIORY.

Phil shows a big yellowish stone with a flat surface and flutings.

Tony says OH, THAT'S RATHER NICE,


ISN'T IT?

Mick says IT'S GOT FLUTING, THREE


LOTS OF FLUTING AND A FLAT
SURFACE THERE, SO...
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Tony says WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY


FOR THE WHOLE THREE DAYS THOUGH?
I MEAN YOU CAN'T JUST PEEL OFF
THE ENTIRE LAWN AND DISCOVER
THE PRIORY UNDERNEATH, CAN YOU?

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Professor Mick Aston.”

Mick says WE NEED TO DO QUITE A


LOT OF THE GEOPHYSICS THOUGH,
PARTICULARLY WITH THE RADAR,
AND THEN WE NEED TO JUST SAMPLE
WHERE WE THINK THERE ARE BITS
LEFT.
MY SLIGHT CONCERN IS THAT A LOT
OF THE STONE WOULD HAVE BEEN
RECYCLED AND THEN DUG OUT, SO
WE MAY NOT GET HUGE AMOUNTS ALL
OVER THE SITE LEFT IN STANDING
WALLS.

Phil says AND IT'S NOT JUST THE


HISTORY OF THE PRIORY, IS IT?
IT'S BUILDINGS THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN ON THIS SITE SINCE THE
PRIORY WAS DISSOLVED.
SO, THERE'S A WHOLE WEALTH OF
STORY THERE.

Tony says HANG ON, HAVE A LOOK AT


THIS.

A close-up shows a rip in Phil’s shirt, near the buttons on the chest.

Tony continues LOOK, WHAT HAVE YOU GOT ON?


YOU CAN'T WEAR STUFF LIKE THAT
IN ESSEX.

Phil says WELL, OF COURSE.


I CAN WEAR IT ANYWHERE I LIKE.
LOOK, MY PHILOSOPHY WAS WHEN I
PUT THIS SHIRT ON IT WAS
RIPPED.
I THOUGHT THAT SHIRT IS NEAR
THE END OF ITS WORKING LIFE.
WHAT IS THE POINT OF THROWING
AWAY A CLEAN SHIRT WHEN YOU CAN
WEAR IT AND THROW AWAY A DIRTY
SHIRT?

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Mick says AND BEFORE YOU CHUCK IT


AWAY, YOU CAN CUT THE BUTTONS
OFF TO USE THEM ON ANOTHER
SHIRT.

Tony faces the camera and murmurs THIS IS GETTING


TEDIOUS.

As Tony speaks, fast clips show the team digging the ground.

Tony continues I'LL LEAVE THEM TO DISCUSS THE


FINER POINTS OF NEEDLEWORK
WHILE WE CRACK ON WITH THE
CHALLENGE OF ESTABLISHING THE
SIZE AND FORM OF THIS PRIORY.
COLNE PRIORY WAS FOUNDED BY
AUBREY DE VERE IN THE EARLY
12th CENTURY.
ALTHOUGH THERE'S NO FORMAL
BLUEPRINT FOR THE WAY MEDIEVAL
PRIORIES WERE LAID OUT, MOST
STUCK TO A COMMON PLAN.

As Tony speaks, the plan appears on screen.

Tony continues AROUND A CENTRAL CLOISTER WAS


A SERIES OF RANGES.
THE WESTERN RANGE WAS WHERE THE
MONKS LIVED, THE SOUTHERN RANGE
WAS THE DINING ROOM, AND THE
EASTERN RANGE WAS FOR MEETING
AND STUDY.
THEN THERE WAS THE PRIORY
CHURCH TO WHICH BURIAL CHAPELS
WERE OFTEN ADDED.

Now, Mary Ann sits with a woman in an arbour in a pond. The woman is in her forties, with long curtly
blond hair. She wears a blue sweater.

Mary Ann says SO WAS IT A PURELY


SPIRITUAL MOTIVE THAT MADE THE
DE VERES BUILD THIS PRIORY?

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Doctor Anna Whitelock. Royal Holloway, University of London.”

Anna says WELL, I THINK


IT WAS BOTH SPIRITUAL AND
PRAGMATIC.
A NUMBER OF FAMILIES DID FOUND
PRIORIES AFTER THE NORMAN
CONQUEST, PARTLY AS A KIND OF
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SPIRITUAL INSURANCE FOR THE


LIFE TO COME, PERHAPS AS
IMPORTANT WAS THE FACT THAT
AUBREY WANTED SOMEWHERE FOR HIS
FAMILY TO BE BURIED, AND SO
HERE AT COLNE PRIORY IT BECAME
THE FAMILY MAUSOLEUM AND SO WE
KNOW THAT MANY, MANY OF THE
DE VERE FAMILY WERE BURIED HERE.
WE KNOW THAT THERE WERE A LOT
OF TOMBS AND, OF COURSE, THAT'S
THE EXCITING THING ABOUT THIS
PROJECT.

Mary Ann says SO WE KNOW WE'VE


GOT A PRIORY, WE KNOW WE'VE GOT
TOMBS, BUT THE ARCHAEOLOGY HAS
TO TELL US ABOUT THE SIZE AND
THE LAYOUT.

Anna says EXACTLY.

(music plays)

Fast clips show religious images of Christ and saints.

Tony says FOLLOWING THE 1536


DISSOLUTION, WHEN HENRY THE EIGHTH
BROKE WITH THE ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH, MOST OF BRITAIN'S
PRIORIES WERE DEMOLISHED.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S LEFT OF
OURS, BUT BARELY A FOOT
UNDERGROUND IN THE PRIORY'S
CHURCH, PHIL'S ALREADY GETTING
A GLIMPSE.

Phil digs in his trench and says I THINK THAT'S HARD


THERE.

Tony says PHIL, CAN I GET IN


HERE?

Phil says YEAH, COME ON IN, TONY.

Tony gets into the trench and says WOW, WHAT'S GOING ON
HERE?

Phil says WELL, IT LOOKS LIKE


WE'VE GOT TWO GRAVES.

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Phil signals with his small shovel the square boarders of what seems to be a box.

Phil continues WHEN WE STARTED DIGGING WE


FOUND THIS EDGE AND THEN IT
TURNED A CORNER AND IT WENT
BACK AND WE SAID IT WAS SORT OF
A BOX TYPE THING.
WHAT SORT OF BOX THING DO
YOU GET THAT'S EAST-WEST AND
AT THE EAST END OF A CHURCH?

Tony says WELL, EVEN I MIGHT GET


THE ANSWER TO THAT.
PRESUMABLY IT'S A BURIAL.

Phil says ABSOLUTELY, IT DID


START ALARM BELLS RINGING.
AND THEN WE ACTUALLY GOT ANOTHER
ONE, AND WE GOT AN EDGE COMING
ON THERE, ANOTHER END, AND
LITERALLY AS I WAS SORT OF
CLEANING DOWN TRYING TO
ACTUALLY CLARIFY THE SITUATION
AND, LOW AND BEHOLD, LOOK,
FRAGMENTS OF A HUMAN SKULL.
AND, LUCKILY, JACKIE WAS ON
HAND, AND SHE'S ABOUT TO TELL
ME WHAT SHE THINKS.

Tony says IT'S YORRICK!


TELL US ABOUT HIM, JACKIE?

Jackie is in her fifties, with short brown hair. She wears a fuchsia shirt and purple trousers. She holds the
fragment of human skull.

Jackie says WELL, LET'S HAVE


A LOOK.
WE'VE GOT A REALLY NICE BIT ON
THE TOP OF THE HEAD, YOU CAN
SEE THERE'S THE PART OF THE EYE
SOCKET THERE.

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Jackie McKinley. Osteoarchaeologist.”

Jackie continues AND THAT'S REALLY QUITE A SHARP


MARGIN TO THAT EYE SOCKET WHICH
SUGGESTS WE'VE GOT A FEMALE.

Jackie garbs two more bone fragments and says AND THEN LOOKING AT THESE,
THEY SHOULD HOPEFULLY GO
TOGETHER.
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Jackie put the three fragments of skull together and reconstructs part a skull.

Jackie continues THAT'S WHERE THAT GOES ON THE


SIDE THERE, AND THAT WILL FIT
ON THERE.
SO YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT ONE
SIDE OF A FEMALE, ADULT FEMALE
SKULL.

Tony says MORE LIKE OPHELIA THEN


THAN POOR YORRICK.
THIS BURIAL IS OUR FIRST CLUE
THAT WE'RE INSIDE A CHAPEL
ATTACHED TO THE PRIORY CHURCH:
THE MOST LIKELY PLACE TO FIND
DE VERE BURIALS.
WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS
YOU SAID THAT THIS IS ALL
DEMOLITION RUBBLE, AND YET
HERE, THIS BURIAL CUT, THAT'S
NOT SMASHED UP.
SO WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON?

Phil says WELL, THE PROCESS IS


THAT YOU WOULD BUILD THIS.
IT'S ALL MADE OUT OF STONE AND
MORTAR AND WITH A BIG CAVITY IN
THE MIDDLE THAT THE COFFIN WOULD
GO INTO THERE AND YOU WOULD BURY
THE PERSON.
AND THEN, PRESUMABLY, YOU'D
PROBABLY CONSTRUCT A MASSIVE
TOMB OVER THE TOP.
THAT WOULD STAY THERE FOR THE
LIFE OF THE PRIORY.
NOW WHEN THE DEMOLITION TAKES
PLACE, IF YOU WISH TO RELOCATE
THE BURIAL OR THE TOMB OVER
THE TOP OF IT, YOU TAKE THAT
AWAY.

Tony says ALTHOUGH THERE'S NO


MONUMENT LEFT, THIS IS ALMOST
CERTAINLY A DE VERE DOUBLE
TOMB -- PROBABLY A HUSBAND
AND WIFE.
BUT WE DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE IN
AN ORIGINAL CHAPEL OR ONE THAT
WAS ADDED AT A LATER DATE.
OVER TO GEOPHYS AND JOHN'S HOT
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NEW GADGET PRODUCING 3D IMAGES


OF WHAT'S BELOW THE GROUND.

John and part of the team sits in a gallery and watch 3D images on a computer. It’s a 3D rectangular with
areas coloured on blue, green and yellow.
A caption appears on screen. It reads “John Gater. Geophysicist.”

John points at one angle of the rectangle and says YOU CAN SEE AT THIS
END, WE'RE ACTUALLY STARTING
TO SEE THE WALL LINES AND THE
FOOTINGS REALLY CLEARLY.
SO AS THE SURVEY EXPANDS WE
SHOULD GET A CLEARER PICTURE.

(music plays)

Tony says THE RADAR'S PICKING UP


A JUMBLE OF WALLS WHICH
REPRESENT SEVERAL DIFFERENT
BUILDING PHASES.
IT WASN'T UNCOMMON FOR PRIORIES
TO GET REGULAR FACELIFTS AND,
AFTER THE DISSOLUTION, TO EVEN
BE CONVERTED INTO POSH HOUSES.
SO COULD THERE BE THE REMAINS
OF A MID-1500's HOUSE WITHIN
THE PRIORY, AND WHERE DO WE
START LOOKING FOR IT?

Mary Ann sits at a table with Anna and a man. He’s in his thirties, clean-shaven, with short brown hair.
He wears a beige short-sleeved shirt and a brown beret. They look at some papers scattered on the table.

Mary Ann says WHAT DOCUMENTARY


EVIDENCE HAVE WE GOT FOR THE
DE VERES' MANOR HOUSE?

Anna says WELL, HERE WE HAVE THE


ITINERARY OF JOHN LELAND IN A
MID OR BEGINNING PART OF THE
16th CENTURY.
HE WAS A TUDOR ANTIQUARIAN, AND
HE DESCRIBES HOW THE EARLS HAVE
'BUILDED HARD BY THE PRIORY'.
THE QUESTION IS WE'RE NOT
TOTALLY SURE WHEN THAT WAS
BUILT.

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Alex Langlands.”

Alex says WELL, THAT'S


INTERESTING 'COS THIS IS A MAP
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FROM 1598, AND I'M JUST LOOKING


AT THIS ARRANGEMENT OF BUILDINGS
HERE.

Alex shows a small drawing of a huge house, with tall walls and red roof tiles.

Alex continues THIS IS CLEARLY THE MANOR


HOUSE.
IT'S THE LARGEST HOUSE ON THE
MAP, AND IT SEEMS TO FALL IN TO
THE FOOTPRINT OF A PRIORY-LIKE
BUILDING.
AND WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT THE
PRIORY HAS ESSENTIALLY BEEN
RE-USED AS A MANOR HOUSE
BUILDING, AND I WONDER IF
THAT'S WHAT LELAND MEANS.

Anna says SO WHEN HE SAYS BUILDED


HARD BY THE PRIORY, HE ALMOST
MEANS ON TOP OF THE PRIORY?

Alex says WELL, YEAH, MAYBE.


UNLESS THERE IS ANOTHER MANOR
HOUSE SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I MEAN WE'RE SITTING IN
OBVIOUSLY AN EXTREMELY GRAND
BUILDING.
WE'RE RIGHT NEXT TO THE PRIORY,
SO IS THIS THE MANOR HOUSE
THAT'S BEING REFERRED TO THERE?
I THINK WHAT I NEED TO DO IS I
NEED TO TALK TO PAUL, SEE IF I
CAN HAVE A LITTLE FORAGE AROUND
AND GET A BETTER UNDERSTANDING
OF EXACTLY WHEN
THIS
BUILDING
DATES TO.

Mary Ann says WHY ARE YOU STILL


HERE?

Alex says I KNOW, I KNOW, I'M


OFF.

Mary Ann says GET TO IT, BOY.

(laughter)

Now, Alex and Whight appear on the cellar of the building with lanterns.
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Alex says THANKS FOR BRINGING ME


DOWN TO THIS CELLAR, PAUL.

Tony says WE DON'T KNOW THE


EXACT DATE OF PAUL'S HOUSE,
SO IT COULD BE THE ORIGINAL
DE VERE HOME.
ALEX HEADS STRAIGHT FOR THE
CELLAR TO LOOK FOR CLUES.

Alex touches the white wall and says WELL, FIRST OFF, WE'VE
GOT OBVIOUSLY REUSED BRICKS
HERE.
YOU KNOW THESE BRICKS HAVE COME
FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE.
I THINK THESE HAVE BEEN
RE-SOURCED.
BECAUSE THEY'RE LINED IN THAT
HERRING BONE FASHION.

Now Alex looks at a abeam and says THAT MAIN CROSS BEAM, THAT
DEFINITELY IS AN OLDER PIECE OF
TIMBER.

Whight says OKAY.

Alex says WELL, MAYBE WE'LL


HAVE A LITTLE WANDER OUTSIDE TO
SEE IF THERE'S ANY OTHER
DIAGNOSTIC FEATURES.

Tony says BACK AT PHIL'S TRENCH,


THERE'S PLENTY TO DIAGNOSE,
WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF FINDS
KEEPING PAUL, OUR POTTERY
EXPERT PRETTY BUSY.

Paul Blinkhorn washes a stone with a teeth brush. Mary Ann arrives.

Mary Ann says HELLO,


Mr. BLINKHORN.
WHAT HAVE YOU GOT?

Blinkhorn says WELL, I THINK


WE'VE GOT OUR FIRST TRACES OF
THE PRIORY.
WE'RE STARTING TO GET CHUNKS OF
REALLY NICELY DECORATED
MEDIEVAL FLOOR TILE COMING UP.

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Mary Ann says AHA, WHAT DATES?

Blinkhorn says WELL, FROM THE 13th AND


14th CENTURY -- PROBABLY 13th
RATHER THAN 14th, I SUSPECT.
AND ALL THE TILES THAT ARE
COMING OUT ARE ALL THE SAME.
THEY'RE REALLY, REALLY WORN.

Mary Ann says LOTS OF MONKS


SHUFFLING AROUND THEIR CHURCH.

Blinkhorn says OH, YEAH, A LOT OF


FEET HAVE WALKED ACROSS THESE
FOR A LONG TIME.

Tony says ALTHOUGH WORN, THESE


DECORATED TILES WOULD ONCE
HAVE BEEN PRETTY HIGH STATUS.
IT'S FURTHER PROOF TRENCH
ONE IS IN THE PRIORY'S CHURCH.
AND IT'S NOT JUST IN OUR
TRENCHES THAT WE'RE GETTING
GLIMPSES OF MEDIEVAL PRIORY.

Alex and Whight stand near the gateway examining a small sculpture of a saint on the column of the
gateway.

Alex says NOW THIS IN YOUR


GATEWAY HERE...
THIS IS PRIORY NOW THAT'S
ALMOST CERTAINLY A PIECE OF
RELIGIOUS SCULPTURE.
COULD BE Saint CHRISTOPHER, BUT IF
THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE
SHOULDER IT COULD BE Saint JOHN.

Whight shows a black and white picture of an old house.

Whight says I HAVE THIS OLD


PRINT WHICH SHOWS THE HOUSE IN
1770, BUT IT BEARS NO RELATION
IN SCALE TO THIS PROPERTY.
ALTHOUGH THE TRIPTYCH WINDOW
HERE ON THE SECOND FLOOR IS
HERE ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
SO THEY'VE SEEMED TO HAVE
REUSED IT.

Alex says YEAH, BECAUSE AT FIRST


GLANCE YOU THINK, WELL, THAT IS
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THE SAME BUILDING, BUT OF


COURSE IT'S NOT.
THE BAYS ARE IN THE WRONG
PLACE, LIKE YOU SAY, THAT
WINDOW'S IN THE WRONG PLACE.

Tony says THIS 18th-CENTURY


ETCHING DEPICTS THE HOUSE BUILT
BY THE DE VERES JUST AFTER
THE DISSOLUTION.
AND ALTHOUGH PAUL'S HOUSE IS A
PATCHWORK OF MATERIAL RECYCLED
FROM THAT BUILDING AND THE
PRIORY, IT'S PROBABLY NO MORE
THAN 200 YEARS OLD.
SO DEFINITELY NOT THE
DE VERES' DES RES.
IN ORDER TO FIND THAT, WE'RE
GOING TO NEED SPECTACULAR
GEOPHYS RESULTS.
BUT MAPPING THIS ENTIRE SITE IN
3D IS A MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE.
THIRSTY-WORK, ALL THIS.

Now, Tony meets the whole team at the entrance of the house.

Tony says PRETTY GOOD DAY FOR US.


GETTING THOSE BONES SO HIGH UP
IN THE ARCHEOLOGY WAS A REAL
BONUS, WASN'T IT?

Mary Ann says AND IT FITS WITH


THE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS THAT
THIS WAS THE MAUSOLEUM FOR THE
DE VERE FAMILY FOR HUNDREDS OF
YEARS.

Tony says THE STORY IS STARTING


TO COME TOGETHER, PAUL.

Whight says IT IS, BUT WE


HAVEN'T FOUND THE TOMB YET.
WE WANT TO FIND Mr. EDWARD
DE VERE'S TOMB.

Tony says ABSOLUTELY.


WELL, FUNNY YOU SHOULD SAY THAT
BECAUSE JOHN HAS GOT SOME
SPECTACULAR NEW GEOPHYS.

John holds a lidar picture of the area with brown lines that marks rests of walls buried underground.
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John says I'M NOT SURE I CAN GIVE


YOU HIS TOMB, BUT LOOK AT THE
RADAR RESULTS.
AND THERE'S ONE THING THAT I
THINK MICK'S EYES WILL BE
DRAWN TO.
IN AMONGST ALL THESE WALLS AND
FOUNDATIONS... AND THAT.

Mick points at a brown square in the picture. It’s a room north of the central cloister.

Mick says THAT THING THERE.


THAT'S A VERY STRANGE BUILDING
IN THAT POSITION.
I'M JUST WONDERING, IT IS SO
ODD, THAT PERHAPS A DE VERE IS
BURIED THERE.

Tony says SO YOUR DREAM MAY COME


TRUE TOMORROW AND OF COURSE
THIS BEING ESSEX, WELCOME TO
THE WORLD OF THE COCKTAIL, PHIL.

The camera zooms out and shows a table with cocktails.

Phil says YOU'RE HAVING A LAUGH.

[laughter]

Tony says CHEERS.


WELL, TO EDWARD DE VERE.
LET'S HOPE WE CAN FIND HIS
RESTING PLACE.
TO EDWARD DE VERE.

Phil says THAT'S AWFUL!


AH, NOW WE'RE TALKING.
THAT'S A
BIT
BETTER.

(music plays)

Now, Tony walks around the excavation parcel.

Tony says BEGINNING OF DAY TWO


HERE AT EARLS COLNE IN ESSEX.
THE WEATHER'S TAKEN A BIT OF A
TURN FOR THE WORSE, BUT IT
DOESN'T REALLY MATTER.
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WE HAD A FANTASTIC DAY


YESTERDAY, LOTS OF LOVELY STUFF
COMING UP –

He takes a dish with fragments of human bones

He continues BONES, SKULLS,


A WHOLE SWATHE OF A MEDIEVAL
PRIORY.

He leaves the dish and shows the lidar picture.

He continues AND TOWARDS THE END OF THE DAY


JOHN PRODUCED THIS BIT OF
GEOPHYSICS WITH THIS MYSTERIOUS
ROOM HERE WHICH MICK GOT VERY
EXCITED ABOUT.

As Mick appears, Tony says EXCEPT, MICK, YOU'VE LOST


INTEREST IN THIS NOW?

Mick says NO, NO, WE'VE GOT


ANOTHER TRENCH GOING IN.
LOOK, IT'S JUST BEING MARKED
OUT.

Mick points at digger excavating the ground.

Tony says YES BUT YOU'VE SPENT


LAST HALF HOUR TALKING ABOUT
THIS BIT HERE.

Mick moves his arms loosely and says THAT'S RIGHT, WHAT
WE'RE DOING HERE IS EXTENDING
THIS WAY, AND WE'RE PROBABLY
GOING TO EXTEND IT THAT WAY
BECAUSE OF WHAT JOHN'S FINDING.

Tony says PHIL'S TRENCH IN THE


PRIORY CHURCH HAS ALREADY
UNCOVERED REMNANTS OF A CHAPEL
WITH ONE DOUBLE TOMB.
BUT ACCORDING TO JOHN'S
GEOPHYS, THE CHAPEL COULD BE
BIGGER.
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE, WE'VE
GOT A JUMBLE OF WALLS WHICH
MIGHT REPRESENT ADDITIONS TO
THE ORIGINAL PRIORY.

Mick says I'M JUST WONDERING IF


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THIS IS ACTUALLY A
POST-DISSOLUTION CHAPEL FOR THE
DE VERE BURIALS.

Mary Ann says THE LAST RESTING


PLACE OF SHAKESPEARE.

Tony says YEAH, WE'VE GOT


SHAKESPEARE'S CHAPEL.
ALL OF A SUDDEN.
OUT OF THE BLUE!
AND THAT WOULD BE A FIRST!
ON THE BASIS OF THAT GEOPHYS,
PHIL CRACKS ON WITH EXTENDING
HIS TRENCH IN TWO DIRECTIONS
HOPING FOR MORE CHAPELS AND
BURIALS.

Phil digs in the trench and says AH!


THAT LOOKS LIKE A WALL.
THAT'S LOOKING GOOD.

Tony says AND WE'VE NOT


FORGOTTEN THE “MYSTERY ROOM.”
THAT GOT MICK SO EXCITED.
IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A BUILDING
YOU'D NORMALLY EXPECT IN THIS
PART OF A PRIORY, SO MICK
THINKS IT COULD BE A PRIVATE
BURIAL CHAPEL.
THE ONLY WAY TO FIND OUT...
ANOTHER TRENCH.

A female voice says THAT'D BE GRAND,


OUR IAN.

Phil says OH, THAT'S RATHER NICE.

Tony says PHIL'S TRENCH HAS


ALREADY REVEALED ONE
HIGH-STATUS DOUBLE BURIAL, AND
AT THE OTHER END TRACEY'S ONTO
ANOTHER.

Tracey and Jackie look at a few fragments of bones in a trench. Tracey is in her thirties, with long red
hair combed in two braids. She wears a brown shirt and jeans. A caption reads “Tracey Smith.”

Tracey says THIS IS LOOKING


PRETTY INTERESTING TO ME,
JACKIE.
I MEAN THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE
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THEY'VE JUST BEEN CHUCKED IN.


WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF IT?

Jackie says NO, NO THAT IS REALLY


NEATLY ARRANGED.
BASICALLY WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS
THEY'VE DISTURBED A GRAVE AND
THEY'VE REBURIED IT CAREFULLY.
THEY HAVEN'T JUST THROWN IT
AWAY, THEY'VE COLLECTED ALL THE
BITS TOGETHER, THEY'VE DUG A
HOLE, AND THEY'VE REBURIED IT
IN A NICE LITTLE BUNDLE.
AND IT LOOKS TO MOSTLY BE ONE
PERSON, BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE
YOU'VE GOT THE FEMUR HERE,
THERE'S ONE FEMUR, THERE'S THE
OTHER FEMUR.
AND IF WE JUST HAVE A QUICK
LOOK AT THIS, WHICH IS THE
MANDIBLE, AS WELL, AND SEE IF
THAT'S GOT ANY TEETH.

Jackie shows the mandible to the camera.

She says OH, THAT'S GOT THE TEETH THERE,


LOOK.
OH, BRILLIANT.
THEY'RE VERY WORN AS WELL.
LOOK AT THOSE.
AND THAT LOOKS LIKE A CHAP --
AND THE TEETH ARE TERRIBLY
WORN, SO THAT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE
GOT AN OLD BOY HERE.

Tony says BECAUSE THESE BONES


ARE WITHIN THE PRIORY CHURCH,
THEY'RE POTENTIALLY ANOTHER
TANTALIZING GLIMPSE OF THE
DE VERES.
AND IT WASN'T EVERY MEDIEVAL
EARL WHO HAD THE LUXURY OF
BEING BURIED IN THEIR OWN
PRIORY.

Now, Mary Ann and Anna sit on a bench. They look at a document with the title “The De Vere Family.”

Mary Ann says ANNA, HOW IMPORTANT


WERE THESE DE VERES?

Anna says WE CAN SEE THAT THEY


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STRETCH THROUGH HISTORY FOR


MORE THAN 550 YEARS BEGINNING
WITH AUBREY DE VERE WHO OF
COURSE FOUNDED THE PRIORY HERE.
HE WAS A VERY SIGNIFICANT
FIGURE IN WILLIAM THE
CONQUEROR'S ENTOURAGE, AND HE
MARRIED WILLIAM'S HALF SISTER
BEATRICE.
AND THEN FROM 1133, THE
DE VERES BECAME LORD GREAT
CHAMBERLAINS OF ENGLAND, WHICH
WAS AN IMPORTANT HONORARY
POSITION THAT WOULD THEN BECOME
HEREDITARY TO THEM.
THIS PLACED THEM RIGHT AT THE
HEART OF THE COURT WITH SO MANY
SUCH AS THE CORONATION, SO THEY
WITNESSED THE CORONATION OF
ANN BOLEYN AND THEN HER TRIAL.

Mary Ann says WHAT AN IMPRESSIVE


DYNASTY.
AND THEY WERE SIGNIFICANT AND
ALWAYS ATTACHED TO THIS PLACE
HERE?

Anna says YEAH, I MEAN


ABSOLUTELY.
WE KNOW THAT ALMOST ALL OF
THEM WERE ACTUALLY BURIED HERE
AT COLNE PRIORY.

A portrait of a man appears on screen. He is in his thirties, with a thin moustache. He wears a white ruff
and a hat with a feather.

Anna continues HOWEVER, THE QUESTION IS WHERE


IS THE 17th EARL OF OXFORD,
EDWARD DE VERE?
I MEAN, HE MIGHT BE HERE, BUT
HE MIGHT NOT BE.
WE DON'T KNOW.

(music plays)

Tony says AND AS ANNA CRACKS ON


WITH HER SEARCH FOR CLUES TO
EDWARD'S RESTING PLACE, I'M
STILL HOPING WE CAN FERRET HIM
OUT OF ONE OF OUR TRENCHES!
BUT ALTHOUGH WE'VE GOT PLENTY
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OF BONE TURNING UP, WHAT WE


DON'T HAVE ARE ANY OF THE GREAT
PERSONALIZED TOMB MONUMENTS
THAT WOULD HAVE STOOD ABOVE THE
BURIALS.
THEY'VE ALL VANISHED.

Now, Mary Ann and Whight sit on a fence. They look at black and white pictures of tombs.

Mary Ann says PAUL, WHAT ARE WE


LOOKING AT HERE?

Whight says WELL, WE HAVE


SOME TOMBS HERE WHICH I WAS TOLD
WHEN WE FIRST BOUGHT THE HOUSE,
THAT THEY USED TO BE SOMEWHERE
IN THE HOUSE.
AND THEN I FOUND THESE
PHOTOGRAPHS, AND I CAN TELL
FROM THESE PHOTOGRAPHS THAT
THESE TOMBS USED TO BE IN OUR
DINING ROOM.
THERE'S THE THREE STEPS WHICH
ARE CURRENTLY IN THE DINING
ROOM.

Mary Ann says SO 14th CENTURY


DE VERE TOMBS IN YOUR DINING
ROOM.
DIDN'T FANCY KEEPING THEM?

Whight says NO, THOSE'D BE


UNUSUAL DINNER GUESTS!

Mary Ann says AND WHERE ARE THEY


NOW THEN?

Whight says SCATTERED


BETWEEN VARIOUS LOCATIONS, BUT
TWO OF THEM, I'M TOLD, ARE
IN A LOCAL CHAPEL IN BURES.

Mary Ann says IS THAT NEARBY?

Whight says VERY NEARBY.

Mary Ann says AH, I MIGHT SEND


ALEX ON A BIT OF A ROAD TRIP
THEN.

Whight says DO THAT.


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(music plays)

Now, Alex drives a car along a road flanked by trees.

Tony says NOT THAT ALEX EVER


NEEDS MUCH PERSUADING TO HIT
THE ROAD.
HE'S HEADING FOR THE NEARBY
CHURCH OF Saint STEPHEN'S WITH
STONE CARVER LUCY CHURCHILL,
TO CHECK OUT THESE TOMBS AND
DISCOVER WHETHER THE DE VERE'S
WERE AS LAVISH IN DEATH AS IN
LIFE.

Alex and Lucy enter into an old church. She is in her forties, with short brown curly hair. She wears a
black t-shirt and jeans.

Alex says WHOA.


WOW.

A tomb rises in a room of the church. It’s an big alabaster rectangle with two statues lying on it.

Lucy says ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.

Alex says THAT'S AMAZING.

Tony says THESE HIGHLY ORNATE


ALABASTER TOMBS ARE RICH IN
SYMBOLISM.
THEY ENCODE INFORMATION ABOUT
THE DE VERE FAMILY AND STAND
AS A PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THEIR
DEVOUT CHRISTIANITY.

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Lucy Churchill. Stone carver.”


Lucy examines thoroughly the head of the statues.

Lucy says HERE YOU CAN SEE THE


LETTERING CARVED ON HIS
FOREHEAD.
J-H-R WOULD HAVE BEEN JESUS
HOMINUM REX -- JESUS, KING OF
MEN.

Alex says RIGHT.

Lucy says AND I THINK THAT SAYS


NAZER WHICH THE EARLY
CHRISTIANS USED.
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Alex says SO IT'S A DEEPLY


CHRISTIAN BURIAL WE'VE GOT
HERE.
HOW LONG WOULD THIS HAVE TAKEN
TO CARVE THEN?

Lucy says AT LEAST A YEAR.

Alex says A YEAR?!


SO THEY WOULD HAVE WORKED ON
THIS FOR A WHOLE YEAR.

Lucy says YES.


AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE JUST BEEN
ONE CARVER.
THERE'D HAVE BEEN A FLEET OF
MASONS BLOCKING THE SHAPES OUT
AND THEN THE MASTER
CARVER WOULD HAVE COME AND DONE
THE PARTICULARLY FINE DETAILS.

Alex says AND I'M LOOKING AT SOME


OF THESE DETAILS HERE AND IT'S
ALMOST, THIS BUCKLE HERE, I CAN
ALMOST IMAGINE IT'S SO
REALISTIC, HIM ACTUALLY UNDOING
IT AND TAKING HIS SHOES OFF.

Lucy says THE LEVEL OF DETAIL IS


JUST INCREDIBLE.

Tony says TO FIND OUT JUST WHAT


WENT INTO CREATING THESE TOMBS,
LUCY AND ALEX WILL BE
ATTEMPTING TO CARVE SOME OF
THESE SYMBOLS.
IT'S A TALL ORDER -- ESPECIALLY
WITH UNDER TWO DAYS LEFT.
BUT WE'RE VERY AMBITIOUS ON
TIME TEAM.
WELL, MAYBE VERY STUPID.
BACK AT BASE, PHIL'S TRENCH
THROUGH THE PRIORY'S CHURCH HAS
QUADRUPLED IN SIZE SO CASSIE'S
BEEN DRAFTED IN.

Cassie is in her forties, with short brown hair in a bob cut. She wears a pink T-shirt and jeans. She sits
over the edge of a trench with Tony and looks at what she found.

Tony says WHAT DO YOU RECKON IS GOING ON


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HERE, CASSIE?

A caption appears on screen. It reads “Cassie Newland.”

Cassie says WELL, I AM WORKING


ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT IT'S A
VAULT.
SO YOU'VE GOT THESE TWO LOVELY
PARALLEL BRICK WALLS THAT ARE
BOTH FACED IN THIS DIRECTION,
AND WE'VE GOT THIS NICE
DIVIDING WALL DOWN THE MIDDLE.
IT'S TWO SEPARATE GRAVES WITHIN
ONE TOMB.

Tony says HAVE YOU GOT ANY FINDS


OUT OF IT YET?

Cassie says WE HAVE SOME


BEAUTIFUL FINDS.
WE'VE GOT SOME LOVELY ENCAUSTIC
TILES.

Tony says WHAT DOES ENCAUSTIC


MEAN?

Cassie says WELL, ENCAUSTIC IS A


WAY OF MAKING A HIGHLY DECORATED
TILE.
SO IF YOU SEE –

Tony garbs a piece of orange tile from a dish.

Cassie says YEAH, THAT'S


IT -- WHAT YOU'VE GOT IS A
HIGHLY DECORATIVE TILE.
SOMEONE HAS PRESSED THE PATTERN
INTO IT, FILLED IT WITH A
DIFFERENT COLOURED CLAY SLIP,
AND THEN YOU GLAZE ENTIRELY
OVER THE TOP.
SO WHAT YOU GET IS THIS
AMAZING, HIGHLY CONTRASTING,
HIGHLY DECORATIVE TILE.
BUT
THAT'S NOT THE BEST BIT.
THE BEST BIT IS DOWN HERE.
WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY BEAUTIFUL
WINDOW GLASS.

Tony says GLASS?!


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Cassie gives Tony a transparent recipient with water and a piece of glass inside.

Cassie says YEAH, LOVELY GLASS.


LET ME JUST GET YOU A BIT.
SO CAN YOU SEE ALL THE
BEAUTIFUL FLORAL DESIGNS, YEAH
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE THAT'S AT
THE HEAD OF THE WINDOW THERE.
THE TWIDDLY BITS AT THE TOP.

Tony says YEAH, ISN'T THAT


BEAUTIFUL?
NOW THAT WAS SMASHED UP OVER
500 YEARS AGO, AND IT COULD BE
AS OLD AS 800 YEARS.
THIS STAINED GLASS MEANS WE'VE
FOUND AN EXTREMELY GRAND BURIAL
CHAPEL.
WE'VE ALSO HAD A SNIFF OF THE
DE VERES' AND ARE WELL ON TRACK
IN OUR MISSION TO COMPLETING
THE WHOLE PICTURE OF THIS LAST
MEDIEVAL PRIORY.

Tony stands next to a helicopter. Mick sits inside.

Tony says AFTERNOON OF DAY TWO


HERE IN EARLS COLNE IN ESSEX.
WE'VE GOT FANTASTIC ARCHEOLOGY.
WE'VE GOT A 12th-CENTURY PRIORY
THAT SEEMS TO BE GETTING BIGGER
BY THE MINUTE, BEAUTIFUL FINDS.
UNDER THE GROUND WE'VE GOT
SKULLS AND BONES.
SO WHAT DOES MICK WANT TO DO?
GO UP IN THE AIR.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING, MICK?

Mick says WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER


THE SITE AND LOOK AT THE PRIORY
AND THE TOWN AND BACK OVER EARLS
COLNE.

Tony says WHAT WILL YOU BE ABLE


TO SEE FROM UP THERE THAT YOU
CAN'T FROM DOWN HERE?

Mick says YOU ALWAYS SEE THE


INTERRELATIONSHIPS BETTER FROM
THE AIR.
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THINGS CLICK INTO PLACE.

Tony says WELL YOU'D BETTER COME


BACK WITH SOME ANSWERS,
OTHERWISE WE'LL THINK YOU'RE
JUST SKIVING.

Mick says OH, SURELY NOT.

Tony faces the camera and says HOW COME


HE'S
ALWAYS
THE ONE THAT GETS THE HELICOPTER
RIDE?

Alex and Lucy stands next to a table with a piece of alabaster on it.

Tony says AS MICK HEADS FOR THE SKIES,


ALEX IS ON HIS OWN VOYAGE OF
DISCOVERY - LEARNING THE
INTRICATE ART OF MEDIEVAL TOMB
CARVING.

Alex says WELL, WHAT I DO KNOW


ABOUT ALABASTER IS THAT IT'S A
VERY SOFT STONE SO IT'S ACTUALLY
QUITE EASY TO CARVE?

Lucy says IT IS EASY TO CARVE,


BUT IT'S ALSO VERY EASY TO
MAKE MISTAKES.

Tony says UNDER LUCY'S EXPERT


EYES, HE'LL BE CARVING A STAR
ON 200 POUNDS WORTH OF RARE
ALABASTER.
NO PRESSURE, ALEX.

Alex rubs the alabaster with a file.

Alex says OKAY, HERE WE GO.


NERVOUS.

Lucy says THIS MAY TAKE SOME


TIME.

Tony says THE STAR WAS THE


DE VERE FAMILY EMBLEM.
TODAY IT'S EVERYWHERE IN THIS
NEIGHBOURHOOD.

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Alex carves the alabaster with a chisel and a hammer.

Alex says I'VE GONE A BIT CLOSE;


SHALL I COME OUT JUST A LITTLE
BIT?

Lucy says COME SLIGHTLY HIGHER UP


ITS BETTER TO GO CAUTIOUS FIRST
AND THEN AS YOU BECOME
COMFORTABLE GO DEEPER AND
REFINE THE LINE.

Alex says I CAN SENSE YOU'RE


GETTING FRUSTRATED, LUCY.
IT'S LIKE MY DAD HOVERING OVER
ME THERE SAYING COME ON, COME
ON.
DAMN, I VEERED COMPLETELY OFF
COURSE THERE.

An aerial view shows the excavation site.

Tony says WITH ALEX SWEATING


AWAY IN OUR MAKESHIFT MASON'S
YARD, THE TRENCHES KEEP
EXPANDING.
FROM THE AIR, MICK'S BIRD'S EYE
VIEW OF THE PRIORY WILL HELP
US WORK OUT ITS SCALE IN THE
GROUND.
HE'S GOT GEOPHYS PLOTTING OUT
THE ENTIRE COMPLEX AND LOOKING
FOR THE DE VERES' 16th CENTURY
MANOR HOUSE.
BUT IN TRENCH TWO, OUR “MYSTERY
ROOM,” IT'S NOT QUITE GOING TO
PLAN.
THIS ROOM DIDN'T FIT WITH
ANYTHING YOU'D EXPECT IN A
PRIORY SO MICK HAD WONDERED
WHETHER IT WAS A PRIVATE
CHAPEL.
PROBLEM IS RAKSHA'S A METRE
DOWN AND THE TRENCH LOOKS
EMPTY.

A woman appears on screen. She’s in her late thirties, with dark hair combed up in a bow. She wears a
black T-shirt and jeans. A caption reads “Raksha Dave.”

Raksha says BUT AS FOR THIS


MYSTERY BUILDING COMING
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THROUGH... I CAN'T FIND IT.

John says WE'VE DOUBLE CHECKED


THE MEASUREMENTS.
THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.
ANOTHER 20 CENTIMETRES, THAT
WILL RESOLVE IT.

Raksha says GO ON THEN!

John says WELL, IT'S HERE,


I TELL YOU.

John takes a small shovel and starts scratching the ground in the trench.

John says LOOK, IS IT NOT A CUT IN THERE?

Raksha says THE WORDS CLUTCHING


AT STRAWS, JOHN.

John says NO LOOK THAT'S SOFT,


THAT'S SOLID.
I'VE SEEN PHIL DO IT!

[laughter]

Tony says WHATEVER THIS ROOM IS


IT'S LOOKING LESS AND LESS LIKE
A CHAPEL.
BUT I'LL LET JOHN OFF BECAUSE
IN PHIL'S TRENCH GEOPHYS HAVE
COME UP TRUMPS.
THIS BRICK TOMB VAULT
CORRESPONDED PERFECTLY WITH
BLOBS ON THE GEOPHYS.
THE BEAUTIFUL GLASS AND
DECORATIVE FLOOR TILES INDICATE
THIS WAS AN EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE
CHAPEL ADDED TO THE PRIORY
CHURCH IN THE 15th CENTURY,
CONTAINING TWO DOUBLE DE VERE
TOMBS.

An animation reconstructs the chapel. It has high stone walls and pointed windows with lancets. Two
double tombs rises in the interior of the chapel.

Tony continues AT THE OTHER END OF THE TRENCH,


MORE SKELETONS ARE EMERGING.
INCLUDING ONE THAT WOULDN'T
LOOK OUT OF PLACE IN TATE
MODERN.
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Fragments of human bones lie on the ground of Jackie’s trench.

Mary Ann says WHOA, JACKIE.


WHAT IS THAT?

Jackie says WELL, YOU KNOW WE'VE


BEEN FINDING LOTS OF GROUPS OF
BONE THAT'S BEEN DISTURBED AND
THEN RE-DEPOSITED AND QUITE
OFTEN YOU'VE GOT NICE LITTLE
BUNDLES.
THE DIFFERENCE HERE IS THIS HAS
ALL BEEN THROWN IN ONE BAG AND
THAT BAG HAS BEEN DUMPED
DOWN HERE.

Mary Ann says SO THE BAG HAS


ROTTED AWAY AND IT'S JUST LEFT
THE EVEN OLDER BONES?

Jackie says YEAH.


WHAT WE'VE GOT THERE IS MOST OF
A YOUNG ADULT MALE.

Tony says WHEN THE PRIORY WAS


DEMOLISHED, THESE BONES WERE
GATHERED UP AND PLACED ON TOP
OF WHAT WAS LEFT OF A WALL.
BECAUSE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT
WALLS, THIS BIT OF THE TRENCH
IS PARTICULARLY COMPLICATED.
THEY THINK WE'VE TWO DIFFERENT
CHAPELS, BUT WORKING OUT THEIR
SEQUENCE WON'T BE PLAIN
SAILING.
ALONG WITH THE ARCHEOLOGISTS,
GEOPHYS HAVE A MOUNTAIN TO
CLIMB.
TO SURVEY THE ENTIRE SITE AND
IRON OUT THE FLOOR PLAN, WE'RE
TALKING 8 MILES OF TROLLEY
PUSHING.

(Guillermo Tell overture plays)

A man pushes a trolley across the ground to measure it. He’s in his thirties, clean-shaven and ball. He
wears a gray T-shirt and beige trousers.

Tony continues AND NOTHING CAN STOP JIMMY'S


SUPERHUMAN QUEST FOR
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GEOPHYSICAL PERFECTION.
IT'S BECOMING EVER CLEARER THAT
THIS WAS A SIZEABLE PRIORY --
HOME TO 12 MONKS WHOSE
BENEDICTINE LIFESTYLE WAS IN
STARK CONTRAST TO THAT OF THEIR
FLAMBOYANT PATRONS.

Anna, Mary Ann and Alex sit under a tree.

Mary Ann says WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE


THEN?

Anna says IT WAS A WORLD GOVERNED


BY BELLS.
BELLS WOULD SOUND IN THE
MORNING FOR PRAYER TO BEGIN,
AND THE DAY WOULD THEN PROCEED
ACCORDINGLY.
THERE'D BE TIME FOR STUDY
AND TIME FOR MANUAL LABOUR.
AND OF COURSE ALL AROUND THIS
WAS THE IDEA OF MODERATION
AND SILENCE.

Mary Ann says SO WERE THEY


TOTALLY SELF-SUFFICIENT?
THEY NEVER NEEDED TO GO OUT
INTO THE OUTSIDE WORLD?

Alex says WELL, ONE OF THE THINGS


WE KNOW FROM THE RULE OF
St. BENEDICT IS THAT IF ANYONE
WENT OUT OF THE COMPLEX, FOR
WHATEVER PURPOSE AT ALL, WHEN
THEY CAME BACK IN THEY WERE
FORCED TO LIE PROSTRATE ON
THE FLOOR OF THE ORATORY AND
BEG THE LORD FOR FORGIVENESS
FOR ALL OF THE SINS THEY WOULD
HAVE ENCOUNTERED OUTSIDE OF
THE COMPLEX.

Fast clips show the excavation sites and Earls Colne state.

Tony says WHEN THEY WEREN'T DEEP


IN SILENT PRAYER, ONE OF THE
MONK'S ROLES WAS BURYING THEIR
PATRONS.
PHIL'S TRENCH HAS ALREADY
REVEALED TWO DOUBLE TOMBS,
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ALONG WITH LOTS OF DISTURBED


BONE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THERE'S NOTHING
LEFT OF THE ORNATE TOMBS.
SO GOOD JOB WE'RE MAKING OUR
OWN.
WELL ONE LITTLE BIT OF IT AT
LEAST.
AT MASONRY HQ, ALEX IS PUTTING
THE FINISHING TOUCHES TO HIS
STAR.

Alex has finished carving the alabaster star.

Lucy says OH, THAT'S GREAT.

Alex says DO YOU LIKE IT?

Lucy says YEAH, WELL YOU'VE DONE


BRILLIANTLY I HAVE TO SAY.

Alex says YOU'RE PLEASED?

Lucy says YEAH, I AM.


I'M PRETTY IMPRESSED.

Tony says BUT THEY'RE NOT QUITE


FINISHED.
WE WANT TO RECREATE OUR OWN
VERSION OF A DE VERE TOMB --
WHICH MEANS MORE STONE CARVING
TOMORROW.
IMAGINING THE NUMBER OF
ELABORATE TOMBS THAT ONCE LAY
IN THE CHAPELS OF THIS PRIORY
PAINTS AN EVOCATIVE PICTURE.
BUT THERE'S MORE TO THIS PRIORY
THAN CHURCHES AND CHAPELS.
GEOPHYS ARE NOW SURVEYING THE
WESTERN RANGE, USUALLY LIVING
QUARTERS, LOOKING FOR EVIDENCE
OF IT BEING CONVERTED INTO A
HOUSE.

Now, tony hugs John and Mick.

Tony says THESE TWO HAVE BEEN COOING OVER


JOHN'S LATEST PIECE OF GEOPHYS
FOR THE LAST 5 MINUTES, BUT THAT
DOESN'T LOOK AS GOOD TO ME AS
THE LAST LOT YOU GAVE ME.
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IT LOOKS LIKE A SNAIL'S WANDERED


OVER IT.

John holds another lidar picture with red and yellow areas. He points around the picture and says YEAH,
BUT
THAT
LINE
THERE IS WALL REMAINS THAT DON'T
APPEAR AS CLEAR.
WHAT I THINK WE MIGHT BE
LOOKING AT HERE IS BRICK.
WE COULD BE TALKING ABOUT A
BUILDING THAT APPEARS TO HAVE,
WELL, I CAN ONLY DESCRIBE THEM
AS BAY WINDOWS.

Tony says AH, SO THE REASON


YOU'RE EXCITED IS THAT ALL
THIS IS THE PRIORY, BUT IT COULD
WELL BE THAT WE'VE NOW HIT ON
WHAT WE WERE LOOKING FOR --
THE STORY OF THE HOUSE AFTER
THE PRIORY GETS DISSOLVED.

Mick says THE DE VERE HOUSE ON


THE SITE, AFTER THE PRIORY'S
GONE OUT OF USE.

Tony says WHY YOU DIDN'T TELL ME


THAT FIRST OF ALL?
SO TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO PUT
JOHN'S AMAZING GEOPHYS RESULTS
TO THE TEST.
WE COULD BE ON THE VERGE OF
UNCOVERING THE DE VERES'
LONG-LOST MANOR HOUSE FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN OVER 500 YEARS.

(music plays)

Now, Tony stands near an excavation parcel.

Tony says BEGINNING OF DAY THREE


HERE AT EARLS COLNE IN ESSEX
WHERE WE'RE EXCAVATING A
MEDIEVAL PRIORY WHICH USED TO
BELONG TO ONE OF THE GREAT
FAMILIES OF ENGLAND.
THE SITE'S COME UP WITH A LOT OF
BONES -- SEE THIS INTERESTING
LITTLE CLUMP HERE?
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Tony walks some steps further and meets Jackie.


He says BUT THERE'S ONE BURIAL THAT'S
GOT JACKIE PARTICULARLY EXCITED.
WHAT IS IT YOU'VE FOUND,
JACKIE?

Jackie says WELL, WHAT WE'VE GOT


HERE IS THE FIRST SIGN OF
IN-SITU REMAINS -- I.E. EXACTLY
WHERE THEY WERE PLACED TO
START WITH.

Jackie bends down and removes the dust of a human femur with a brush.

Jackie continues AND, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE'VE GOT


A LEG -- THERE'S THE FEMUR
THERE -- OF A CHILD.
AND THAT'S GETTING TO THE
KNEE JOINT THERE, AND THERE'S
PART OF THE UPPER LIMB IN PLACE
HERE.

Tony says DOES BRING A BIT OF


HUMANITY INTO THE STORY OF THIS
SITE, DOESN'T IT?

Jackie says WELL, YEAH.


WE GO FROM JUST HAVING LOTS OF
IMPORTANT CHAPS WITH THEIR BIG
MONUMENTS, TO HAVING THEM AND
THEIR FAMILIES, AND IT BECOMES A
MORE REALISTIC FAMILY AFFAIR.

Tony says YEAH.


IT SEEMS THAT ENTIRE FAMILIES
WERE BURIED HERE.
NO WONDER THEN THAT THE
DE VERES SPLASHED SOME SERIOUS
CASH ON EXTENSIVE
REFURBISHMENTS.
AT THIS END OF TRENCH ONE IS
THE WALL OF THE ORIGINAL
CHURCH, BUT THERE'S A POST-12th
CENTURY CHAPEL BOLTED ON HERE
AND ANOTHER CHAPEL IN THIS
CORNER.
THESE DECORATIVE FLINTS
INDICATE IT'S PROBABLY 15th
CENTURY.
THIS WAS A HUGE ESTATE AND,
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UNUSUALLY, THE DE VERES


RETAINED IT AFTER THE
DISSOLUTION.
A HANDSOME REWARD FOR THEIR
LOYALTY TO KING OVER POPE.
BUT DID THEY CONVERT A SECTION
OF PRIORY INTO A
POST-DISSOLUTION DES RES?
TO FIND OUT, TRACEY'S OPENED
A TRENCH OVER THE WESTERN RANGE
WHERE GEOPHYS REVEALED WHAT
LOOKED LIKE BAY WINDOWS.

Tracey and John stand in Tracey’s trench, looking at what she found: a piece of wall that has carved on it
what looks like a bay window.

Tracey says DO YOU FEEL


SLIGHTLY VINDICATED?

John says THAT IS ABSOLUTELY


FANTASTIC.
I MEAN, THAT'S THE BAY WINDOW
THEN?

Tracey says YEAH.


IT DEFINITELY LOOKS LIKE IT.
THE CURVE IS FOLLOWING THE
GEOPHYSICS IN HERE, THAT CURVED
EDGE THERE PERFECTLY.

John says THAT IS FANTASTIC.

Tony says THIS BAY WINDOW IS A


CLEAR SIGN THAT THIS IS A
DOMESTIC BUILDING AND COULD
BE OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE
DE VERES' POSH HOUSE.
IT'S A PROMISING START.
AS THE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR
EVIDENCE OF A HOUSE, RAKSHA'S
DESPERATE TO RESOLVE THE
IDENTITY OF A ROOM THAT'S HAD
US STUMPED FOR TWO DAYS.

Now Tony and Mick meet Raksha in her trench.

Tony says AT THE END OF DAY ONE JOHN


PRODUCED A NEW PIECE OF GEOPHYS
WHICH MICK GOT VERY EXCITED
ABOUT BECAUSE OF THIS MYSTERIOUS
ROOM HERE WHICH NOBODY COULD
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EXPLAIN.
WE STARTED DIGGING IT YESTERDAY
AND, RAKSHA, YOU'VE JUST ABOUT
FINISHED NOW, HAVEN'T YOU?

Raksha says I HAVE FINISHED.

Tony says WHAT IS THERE IN YOUR


TRENCH?

Raksha points at a two meters length wall in her trench.

Raksha says I'VE GOT THIS MASSIVE


WALL HERE.
THAT'S ACTUALLY THE PRIORY
WALL.
AS FOR THE MYSTERY BUILDING
THOUGH WE DON'T SEEM TO KIND OF
REALLY HAVE FOUND IT.

Tony says ALRIGHT, MICK.


WHERE'S THE MYSTERY ROOM AND
WHAT WAS IT?

Mick says I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S


GONE.
I WONDER WHETHER IT'S NOT A CELL
FOR AN ANCHORITE OR IN THIS
CASE AN ANCHORESS.

Tony says WHAT'S AN ANCHORESS?

A drawing appears on screen. It shows a tall tower with a small window at the top. The face of an old man
pops out of the window. He has a vision: Jesus Christ carrying the cross.

Mick says IT'S LIKE A HERMIT WHO


LIVES SORT OF WALLED UP IN A
CELL FOR SPIRITUAL REASONS.
AND THERE IS ACTUALLY A MENTION
FOR EARLS COLNE OF A FEMALE
ANCHORITE ROUNDABOUT THE LATE
12th CENTURY, 1200.

Tony says SO WHERE RAKSHA IS


STANDING NOW...
A HERMIT, AN ANCHORESS, COULD
HAVE BEEN IN EXACTLY THAT
POSITION.
CAN YOU LOOK VERY QUIET AND
VERY HOLY?

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Raksha says WELL, I CAN DO THE


QUIET BIT, BUT I'M NOT SURE
ABOUT THE HOLY.

Tony says YOU CAN'T DO EITHER.


[laughter]

Tony says YES, I CAN'T QUITE


IMAGINE RAKSHA BEING WALLED UP
IN A CELL FOR THE REST OF HER
LIFE!
THE MISLEADING GEOPHYS WAS
PICKING UP WALL FOUNDATIONS --
THE ACTUAL STONE LONG ROBBED
OUT.
EVEN SO, IT'S AN UNUSUAL FIND
THAT REINFORCES THE
SPIRITUALITY OF THIS PLACE AND
FILLS IN YET ANOTHER BLANK IN
THE PRIORY LAYOUT.

A clip shows Lucy carving a piece of alabaster.

Tony continues AWAY FROM THE ACTION IN THE


TRENCHES, LUCY'S FRANTICALLY
CARVING ANOTHER DE VERE EMBLEM
THAT WOULD HAVE ADORNED MANY
TOMBS HERE.
THE BOAR SYMBOLIZED THE
FAMILY'S LOVE OF HUNTING.
BUT THERE WAS ONE DE VERE WHO
REALLY LIVED THE HIGH LIFE:
THE FLAMBOYANT EDWARD DE VERE
WHO MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
THE REAL SHAKESPEARE.

Now Tony sits at a table inside the house with Whight, Anna, and Mary Ann.

Tony says PAUL, YOU SAID THAT THE ONE


DE VERE WHO YOU LIKED MORE THAN
ANY OF THE OTHERS WAS EDWARD.
WHAT IS IT ABOUT HIM THAT
ATTRACTS YOU?

Whight says HE WAS THE 17th


IN LINE IN THE FAMILY TO TAKE ON
THE OLDHAM, AND IN THE SPACE
OF TAKING CONTROL OF THE
ESTATES WHEN HE BECAME 21, TO
ABOUT 25 YEARS LATER HE HAD
LOST THE LOT.
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Mary Ann says WHAT DID HE SPEND


HIS MONEY ON?

Anna says HE LIKED PERFUMED


GLOVES, HE LIKED FRAGRANCES
HIMSELF, HE LIKED TO WEAR
FRAGRANCES.
AND HE TRAVELLED A LOT.
HE WENT TO FRANCE AND ITALY.
HE TOOK WITH HIM A VENETIAN
CHOIRBOY APPARENTLY WHO HE ALSO
SPENT MONEY ON.

Mary Ann says AND HE WAS INVOLVED


WITH THE THEATRE?
AND THIS IS THE LINK WITH
SHAKESPEARE, RIGHT?

Whight says WELL, THE THEORY


IS THAT HE WROTE A LOT OF THE
SONNETS, SOME MIGHT SAY EVEN
SOME OF THE PLAYS AND, GOING
EVEN FURTHER, THAT HE WAS THE
INSPIRATION FOR THE STORY OF
HAMLET.
SO THERE IS A BIG LINK THERE.
AND IF YOU OVERLAY THAT WITH
THE RECORDS SHOWING THAT HE WAS
ALLEGEDLY A SHAREHOLDER IN THE
GLOBE THEATRE AND SPENT A LOT
OF TIME IN SOUTHWARK WITH THE
ACTING COMMUNITIES AROUND THE
INNS DOWN THERE, IT WOULD SEEM
TO HAVE
SOME
TRUTH.

Anna says AND HE WAS, OF COURSE,


A GREAT POET AND PLAYWRIGHT
HIMSELF, AND HE WAS CELEBRATED
IN THE DAY FOR HIS WRITING.

Mary Ann says AND HAVE YOU SEEN


THEIR FACES, TONY?
THEY'RE SORT OF QUITE SIMILAR.

Mary Ann puts two pictures on the table: one is Shakespeare’s and the other one is Edward De Vere’s.

Tony says THAT'S SHAKESPEARE,


ISN'T IT?
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Mary Ann says AND THAT'S EDWARD


DE VERE.

Tony says THEY'VE GOT SIMILAR


NOSES.
I WONDER WHAT THE VIEWERS THINK.
THIS ONE HERE, THAT'S
SHAKESPEARE AND THAT ONE IS THE
EARL OF OXFORD.
IS IT THE SAME PERSON OR IS
THAT SHEER MADNESS?
WELL. AS HAMLET SAYS, IF IT'S
MADNESS, THERE IS METHOD IN IT!
A QUOTE FOR EVERY OCCASION.
ONE THING'S FOR SURE, WE'RE
NOT GIVING UP ON FINDING HIM
IN OUR TRENCHES.
IN TRENCH ONE, THE PRIORY'S
MAIN CHURCH, JACKIE'S
DISCOVERED ANOTHER VAULT,
AND IT'S NOT EMPTY.

Tony meets Jackie in her trench. Jackie brushes human bones.

Tony says IS THAT ANOTHER SKELETON THERE?

Jackie says YES.


I'VE GOT SOMEBODY'S LEGS FROM
THE KNEES DOWN AND THEIR FEET
GOING OFF THERE.

Tony says IS IT A MAN?

Jackie says WELL, IT'S A BIT


DIFFICULT TO BE ABSOLUTELY SURE
BECAUSE I'VE ONLY GOT THE LOWER
PART OF THE LEGS FROM THE KNEES
DOWN, BUT THEY'RE QUITE BIG
AND CHUNKY SO I THINK THAT'S
GOING TO BE A MALE, YES.

Tony says AND IT'S VERY CLOSELY


RELATED TO THE SKELETON OF THE
CHILD HERE?

Jackie says YEAH, THAT CHILD HAS


BEEN PLACED RIGHT UP AGAINST
THE SIDE OF THIS VAULT WHICH
SUGGESTS THERE'S GOING TO BE A
DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THAT
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INDIVIDUAL AND THE INDIVIDUAL


THAT'S INSIDE IT.
AND IT'S INSIDE ONE OF THE
CHAPELS, WHICH MEANS THAT IT'S
ALMOST ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT
THIS IS GOING TO BE A DE VERE.

Tony says COULD BE EDWARD


DE VERE, OR SHAKESPEARE,
OR BOTH!
FOR IT TO BE EDWARD, WE NEED
TO FIND SOMETHING THAT DATES
THIS BURIAL TO THE EARLY 17th
CENTURY.
AND WITH JUST HOURS TO GO,
IT'S NOT LOOKING HOPEFUL.
BUT WE'RE NOT JUST SEARCHING
FOR DE VERE SKELETONS.

Now, a black and white picture of the old house appears on screen.

Tony continues ON DAY ONE, PAUL PRODUCED THIS


18th-CENTURY ETCHING OF THE
DE VERES' 16th-CENTURY HOUSE --
BITS OF WHICH ARE NOW BUILT
INTO HIS HOME.
BUT THE BIG QUESTION IS WHETHER
THERE ARE ALSO FRAGMENTS OF THE
OLD HOUSE IN THIS TRENCH.

Now, Tony and Blinkhorn sit on the ground. They look at the pieces of wall Blinkhorn found.

Blinkhorn says WE'VE GOT WALL


PLASTER, THERE'S A BIT OF AN
IRON WINDOW FRAME THERE EVEN,
AND WE'VE EVEN GOT SOME NICE
CLEAR WINDOW GLASS IN THE
WATER IN THE CUP.
I MEAN, IT'S ALL THE TYPICAL
SORT OF THING YOU'D EXPECT ONE
OF THESE PLACES TO HAVE.
IT'S IN THE RIGHT PLACE, IT'S
BROADLY THE RIGHT DATE.
IT CAN'T REALLY BE ANYTHING
ELSE.

Tony says IT'S ALL VERY GENERAL


THOUGH, ISN'T IT?
THERE ISN'T ANYTHING SPECIFIC.

Blinkhorn says ONE LAST THING WE HAVE


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GOT THAT COULD BE THE KEY TO IT


IS THIS.
I KNOW THIS DOESN'T ACTUALLY
LOOK VERY MUCH, BUT THIS IS A
SMALL FRAGMENT OF A LARGE
TERRA COTTA MOULDED PLAQUE.

Blinkhorn shows the piece. Then, an animation completes it showing a coat of arms carved on a stone.

Blinkhorn continues YOU SEE THERE'S THE CURVED LINE.


IT PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN A BIG
CIRCLE, MAYBE A COAT OF ARMS OR
SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE.
NOW IF YOU LOOK AT THE PICTURE,
SEE ABOVE THE FRONT DOOR?
NOW IT'S JUST A LITTLE BLUR ON
THE PICTURE, AND WE CAN'T BE
100 PERCENT CERTAIN, BUT
SOMETHING LIKE THAT WOULD HAVE
BEEN RIGHT ABOVE THE FRONT DOOR,
WHETHER IT BE THE DE VERE COAT
OF ARMS OR WHATEVER, TO PROCLAIM
TO THE WORLD WHO THEY WERE.
SO THAT'S NOT AN EVERYDAY
THING.
YOU DON'T FIND A LOT OF THOSE.

Tony says IT'S A NICE FIND THAT.


THIS PLAQUE COMBINED WITH THE
HIGH-STATUS DOMESTIC FINDS
AMOUNT TO A COMPELLING CASE
THAT THE DE VERES CONVERTED
THE PRIORY'S WESTERN RANGE
INTO A VERY SWANKY HOME.
THEIR ANCESTRAL CONNECTION WITH
THIS PLACE WOULDN'T BE EASILY
BROKEN.
IT WAS, AFTER ALL, THEIR FAMILY
MAUSOLEUM.
BUT EDWARD BLEW THE FAMILY
INHERITANCE AND WAS FORCED TO
SELL THE PLACE BY 1591.
SO, REALISTICALLY, IT'S NOT
LIKELY HE WAS BURIED HERE.

Now, Anna, Marry Ann and Whight sit on the steps on a big door.

Mary Ann says ANNA, ARE ANY HINTS


ON THE RECORD ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED TO EDWARD THE 17th
EARL?
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Anna says WELL, WE'VE FOUND SOME


DOCUMENTS.
YOU HAVE A SENSE THAT HE WAS
HERE, OR YOU'D HOPED THAT HE
WAS HERE.

Whight says I HOPED HE'D BE


HERE.

Anna says WELL, LET ME TELL YOU,


HE'S BURIED IN HACKNEY.

Whight says REALLY?

Anna holds a piece of paper. The title reads “The Death of Edward De Vere.”

Anna says SO WE KNOW THAT FROM


A SOURCE WHICH DESCRIBES
EDWARD DE VERE HAVING DIED ON
THE 24th OF JUNE 1604 AND
BEING BURIED ON THE 6th OF JULY
IN St. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH IN
HACKNEY, OF ALL PLACES.
THERE'S A REFERENCE IN THE
PARISH REGISTERS THAT HE DIED
OF PLAGUE.

Mary Ann says I'M ASSUMING, EVEN


THOUGH IT WAS IN HACKNEY, IT WAS
A BIG, FULL-ON, POMP AND
CIRCUMSTANCE FUNERAL?

Anna says YOU WOULD IMAGINE SO,


WOULDN'T YOU?
BUT OF COURSE, AS WE KNOW,
EDWARD DE VERE SPENT A LOT
OF HIS MONEY, AND THE CREDITORS
WERE AFTER HIM.
SO, VERY SADLY, HE'D HAD TO
HAVE A VERY LOW-KEY FUNERAL
FEARING THAT HIS WIFE WOULD
THEN BE UNDER MASSIVE
PRESSURE FROM THE CREDITORS
IF HE'D GONE OUT WITH A BANG.
SO A BIT OF A SOMBRE AND SAD
END REALLY.

Tony says AND CLEARLY NO FANCY


TOMB FOR THE PROFLIGATE EDWARD.
SOUNDS LIKE HE WOULD HAVE BEEN
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LUCKY TO GET A HEADSTONE, LET


ALONE A HAND-CARVED BOAR ON HIS
TOMB.

Now, Alex and Ann meet Lucy. She has finished carving the boar.

Alex says EXCITING.


WOW, THAT IS AMAZING.

Anna says YOU DID IT!


AND IN JUST A FEW HOURS.

Lucy says FASTEST CARVING I'VE


EVER DONE IN MY LIFE.

Alex says YOU LOOK EXHAUSTED,


I HAVE TO SAY.

Anna says WELL, IT'S ABSOLUTELY


AMAZING.
YOU'RE THE MASTER AND
APPRENTICE.

Alex says BROUGHT INTO SHARP


RELIEF HERE, AREN'T THEY?

Tony says THE BOAR AND STAR WERE


THE DE VERE FAMILY EMBLEMS.
WE'RE GOING TO USE THESE
SYMBOLS -- AND A FEW OF OUR
OWN -- TO RECREATE A VIRTUAL
MEDIEVAL TOMB WITH ALEX AS OUR
WILLING VICTIM.
OR SHOULD I SAY EFFIGY.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT WOULD TAKE
AT LEAST A YEAR AND OUR ENTIRE
BUDGET TO CARVE A TOMB FROM
SCRATCH.
THANK HEAVENS FOR MODERN
TECHNOLOGY.

Alex lie on a couch in the same position that the alabaster statues of the tombs. A man passes a laser
device over Alex’s body, while a computer screens shows a 3D recreation of the body.

Alex says I FEEL LIKE JAMES BOND


HERE, NEIL.
AND YOU'RE Dr. NO.

Tony says THIS HUNDRED-THOUSAND


POUND BIT OF KIT USES LASERS
TO SCAN IN 3D.
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AND NOT WANTING TO BE OUTDONE


IN THE TECHNOLOGY STAKES,
GEOPHYS HAVE CREATED THEIR OWN
MASTERPIECE: A COMPLETE 3D
RADAR PICTURE OF THE PRIORY
REMAINS.
BOYS AND THEIR TOYS, EH?

John sits along Jimmy. He shows John a 3D lidar picture in the computer.
A caption reads “Jimmy Adcock. Geophysics.”

John says THAT IS JUST


UNBELIEVABLE.

Jimmy says THAT'S 12 KILOMETRES


OF PUSHING THE TROLLEY.
AND I DON'T THINK WE'VE EVER
DONE ANYTHING QUITE AS BIG AS
THAT ON A
TIME TEAM.

John says NOT TO GET A COMPLETE


MONASTIC COMPLEX.

Tony says THIS STUNNING SURVEY


REVEALS THE PRIORY TO BE MUCH
BIGGER THAN EXPECTED.
IN PHIL'S MASSIVE TRENCH,
HE'S FOUND REMAINS OF THREE
DIFFERENT CHAPELS BUILT AT
DIFFERENT PHASES, AND ALL
CONTAINING DE VERE BURIALS.

(music plays)

An animation reconstructs the priory. It has huge stone walls, pointed-arched windows and hip roofs
with black tiles.

Tony continues AND OUR TRENCHES, COMBINED WITH


THE RADAR SURVEY, MEAN WE CAN
NOW CONFIRM THE BASIC OUTLINE
OF THIS PRIORY.
WE'VE LOCATED EACH RANGE OF IT,
INCLUDING AN ANCHORITE CELL IN
THE NORTH.
THEN THERE'S THE COLOSSAL
CHURCH, WITH ITS BURIAL
CHAPELS.
FINALLY, WE CAN NOW FULLY
UNDERSTAND THE DEVELOPMENT OF
THIS WHOLE SITE.
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Mick and Tony stand high on a machine platform where they have a panoramic view of the tranches.

Tony says REALLY, YOU'VE GOT ONE BIG


SKELETON WHICH WAS ALWAYS THE
PRIORY, BUT AS FASHIONS CHANGED
OVER THE CENTURIES, THE
COSMETIC EXTERIOR WOULD HAVE
BEEN ALTERED.

Mick says THAT'S RIGHT.


BECAUSE IF THE PATRON FAMILY,
THE DE VERES, DECIDE THEY WANT
A BIG CHUNK OF IT REBUILT, THEN
THEY PUT THE MONEY IN.
THEY'RE NOT LIKE US.
THEY DON'T THINK THAT NORMAN
STUFF IS LOVELY, WE MUST KEEP
THAT, 15th CENTURY STUFF IS
LOVELY, WE'LL KEEP THAT.
NO, SWEEP IT ALL AWAY.
LET'S HAVE THE LATEST FASHION.

Tony says AND THEY CERTAINLY


EMBRACED THE LATEST FASHION
WHEN IT CAME TO TOMBS.
BUT THEY CAN'T HOLD AN ANTIQUE
CANDLE TO WHAT WE'RE ACHIEVING
WITH LASERS!

Alex still lies on the couch. A man keeps on working on him with the laser.

Alex says SO AM I STILL ENOUGH


FOR YOU THEN, NEIL?

Neil is in his forties, with short grays hair and a beard.

Neil says YOU WILL BE IF YOU STOP


TALKING.

Now, the recreation of the tomb appears on screen with the shape of Alex body.

Tony says AND HERE IT IS --


TIME TEAM'S INTERPRETATION OF
A MEDIEVAL TOMB MONUMENT.
EVERY BIT AS CLASSY AS THE
DE VERES'.
IT'S BEEN A THRILLING THREE
DAYS.
WE'VE GOT OUR PRIORY AND
LOCATED THE DE VERES' MISSING
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MANOR HOUSE.
AS FOR WHETHER EDWARD DE VERE
WAS REALLY SHAKESPEARE...
THAT DEBATE WILL ROLL ON.
BUT BEFORE WE LEAVE ESSEX
THERE'S JUST ENOUGH TIME TO
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PAUL'S
HOSPITALITY ONCE MORE.

Now, all the team sits on a Jacuzzi on the open air. They hold a glass of champagne.

Tony says WELL, EVERYONE'S BEEN MOANING


ABOUT THEIR DODGY FEET.
SO ONE LAST TREAT BEFORE WE GO.

Everybody says CHEERS!

The theme music plays as the end credits roll.

Presenter, Tony Robinson and Mary Ann Ochoa.

Editor, Olly Baker.

Production manager, Kerry Fly.

Executive producer, Philip Clarke.

Produced and directed by Sian Price.

Series producer, Tim Taylor.

Copyright 2010, Videotext communications Ltd.

The Picture House Television Co. Ltd.

Watch: Ep. 7 - The Only Earl is Essex

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