Frequently asked questions

Written by David Coward, Time Team researcher extraordinaire

What will happen to the finds?

According to David Viner, curator of museums for Cotswold District Council, the owner of the farm on which the finds were discovered by the Time Team has generously donated them to the Corinium Museum in Cirencester for permanent preservation. This museum houses one of the largest collections of antiquities from Roman Britain and attracts visitors from all over the world. The finds will be conserved, studied in more detail by experts and then put on display. However, it may be some time before they appear, so check with the museum first. David Viner hopes that there can be a special Time Team exhibit, bringing together all the latest news of the Roman villa excavation and plans for the future.

What will happen to the site?

Things have been moving very quickly for a site that, not so long ago, was almost totally unknown. Two weeks before the live programme – and simply because of the phenomenal aerial photographs showing the outlines of the villa – it was entered on the SMR (Sites and Monuments Record) for Gloucestershire, a register of sites of archaeological interest. It may be further protected by becoming a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which would make unlicensed excavation on it a criminal offence. The landowner will continue to look after the site, and measures have been taken to deter the nighthawks ... Reports on the site are being prepared – every Time Team investigation ends with an academic write-up – and the finds are now at the Corinium Museum. Essentially, now that the trenches have been recorded, photographed and filled in, the site will continue to look much as it has for the last few centuries. The sheep won’t even notice.

Can we get National Lottery funding to investigate the site further?

This is one of the options that are available for developing the site. It certainly deserves some recognition – it is one of the greatest of its kind ever found in Britain, and other, smaller sites have already been investigated, developed and opened to the public. Lottery funding is a matter for local government and the landowner, but Time Team haven’t heard of any developments yet. The immediate future for the site is that it will return to how it was before the broadcasts.

During Time Team Live, one of the visiting archaeologists commented that archaeology had been significantly unsuccessful in getting Lottery funding, primarily because it was thought not to have public appeal. Perhaps the extraordinary interest shown by the public in Time Team Live – not least the overwhelming response we had to this website - will go some way to prove the pundits wrong.

Is the site open to the public?

The landowner very kindly allowed us to investigate the site for Time Team Live, but it is not now open to the public – and, in any event, there is nothing to see since the trenches were filled in. However, it is such an important site that perhaps things might change in the future. We will let you know of any developments.

Can the Time Team go back to the site?

Contractually, we could go back, but it’s more a question of whether we will – and that's a question we have all been asking ourselves. On the one hand, it’s the most incredible site that Time Team has ever discovered, with much more to it than what we found over the August Bank Holiday weekend. On the other, it's no longer a new site and we would never recapture the excitement of the initial results from the geophysics and the opening of the first trench. And there are a lot of other sites for Time Team to investigate where we cannot predict exactly what we might find – and that's the fun of archaeology, eh? Opinion is split down the middle on this one – what do you all reckon?

Will the Time Team Live programmes be repeated?

The actual 'live' broadcasts will never be seen on television again. But hey, cheer up! At the same time that we were making Time Team Live, we were also filming a 50-minute documentary of that extraordinary bank holiday weekend, which will be part of the next series of Time Team. It will include loads of new material that, amidst all the bustle of the 'live', we did not have time – or forgot – to put in. See the unique (if perhaps a bit naff) Roman brooch! I bet that didn't belong to the governor's wife ... See Steve's 3D reconstructions that did not get shown properly because someone pulled out a cable by mistake! See more of Sue's reconstructions of the finds, plus other stuff that you'll just have to wait to find out about until you have checked out the programme. And talking of which ...

When is the next series?

Series V will be probably be shown some time in the first half of 1998. There will be eight programmes – an increase from the usual six, and including the Time Team Live documentary. Over the last year, we have visited sites all over the UK (and somewhere exotic as well). But we don't know exactly when the series will be shown as we are completely at the mercy of the schedulers. When they have decided that the moment is right, they will strike - any time between January and May. Keep watching Channel 4 for the latest details!

Will there be a similar website for the next series?

The generic Time Team website will be completely revamped and updated at regular intervals with information about the next series' programmes as and when they are shown. The Time Team Live website was unique as we could tell you what was going on without compromising the content of the broadcasts; there was also a lot of material used on the website that never made it into the programmes. Obviously we can't tell you too much about the next series as we might lose the surprise and excitement that is so much a part of Time Team. Also, from a purely personal and selfish point of view, the producer would probably kill me.

Will there be another Time Team Live?

Another Time Team Live? Yikes! The Time Team haven't recovered from the last one yet. There is nothing planned at the moment, but who knows what might happen?

What was discussed in the pub after every day's dig?

Normally there are plenty of friendly arguments about what will be done onsite the next day, but during the 'live', everything went so well that most conversation was about the quality of the site, the amazing geophysics results and how rewarding the digging was. There was a huge number of people involved (see below) as well as a lot of pressure, especially on Tony and Jeremy the director, to hold the whole thing together and make it work regardless of what was actually happening behind the scenes. The result was that a lot of people were knackered and went to bed early.

By the way, one thing that considerably brightened up the first night was the printout of some of your comments from the forum. Everyone involved in the shoot was amazed and extremely pleased to get such wonderful feedback so quickly.

How many people were involved in TimeTeam Live?

The short answer: about 172ish, I reckon. But I suppose you all want more than that, so here is the long answer:

Landowners, 3; the Time Team (and guests), 19; the Production Team, 21; the Crew, 25; the Contributors, 22; the Music, 2; the Caterers, 4; the Diggers, 20; Local Helpers, 12; the Webbers, 5; Channel 4, 9 (keeping an eye on us, eh?); First Aid, 2; Coach Driver; Security, 4; the Ermine Street Guard, 20; people I have forgotten because I am an ungrateful and selfish scumbag, at least 2.

The numbers for the 'live' were indeed huge; there are always many more people involved than those attached to the names that flash past on the credits at the end of each programme. It is really a team effort. Without Becky and Rachel's scrummy (did I really just use a word like 'scrummy'?) food, or Richard the security man helping out when someone parked in the way of where we wanted the crane to go, or a digger working away enthusiastically in the wind and rain, it wouldn't matter what Mick and Tony said to camera because the backup to make everything happen and keep us all happy would not be there.

(After a speech like that, you'd think that I'd just received an Oscar. I could cry any minute – because in reality I'm just sitting here in front of a computer in west London and not in sunny LA.)

Security man Richard asked me not to tell anyone that, in the evenings, he works as a male stripper. Grrrrrrr.

Did we expect Time Team Live to be so popular?

We always knew it would be good because the site was so very interesting, but we never expected such amazing results or viewing figures. More people hit the website than for any other Channel 4 programme. Thank you all very much. The producer was very happy when the rain was running down Tony's neck because he knew that this meant that more people would be staying at home watching – it quite made him forget that the rain was running down his neck, too.

Are you ever going to show what has happened at other sites previously excavated by Time Team?

There are no plans at the moment for Time Team to return to sites investigated in the previous four series. As we see it, Time Team's main purpose is to investigate a number of archaeological mysteries, and a lot of the excitement that comes from this might be lost if we returned to a site. Besides, there are loads of sites waiting for us to investigate them, and nothing beats that feeling on the first day when you have done all the preparation and there is nothing left to do except roll the dice.

There are, however, updates on all of the sites featured in the programmes in the Time Team 1997 booklet and, of course, there will be updates of the sites shown in the January-February 1997 series in the forthcoming Time Team 98 booklet, due to be published with the new series. See Further reading, viewing and visiting for ordering details.

Can we buy Time Team merchandise?

The only things available at the moment are the Time Team booklets (see above) and videos (see below). Why not let us know what you want? You never know.

Are there any videos of Time Team for sale?

Yes. There are two from Series I: On the Edge of Empire (Ribchester, Lancashire) and The New Town of a Norman Prince (Much Wenlock, Shropshire). See Further reading, viewing and visiting for ordering details.

Where is Phil from?

Phil comes from Wiltshire, which is probably not a revelation. He lives in Salisbury. His shorts have attracted much fan mail, but his wife says that people would not be so enthusiastic about them if they had to wash them!

Where does Mick get his jumpers?

Mick's jumpers are knitted for him by admirers. At the moment, he has five favourites, with horizontal stripes being definitely tops. (Perhaps we could merchandise a Mick doll for admirers to dress up?) Mick has been sent a lot of jumpers but is very choosy about what he likes. For instance, he was sent a fantastic one with the Time Team logo but has never worn it.

He was even knitted this mascot (see photo) as a thank you for giving a presentation. It came in very handy as a stand-in when he was off the series with a broken leg, and it is now taken to every Time Team shoot. Keep your eyes peeled when you watch the programmes – you just might spot it!

How do you get into archaeology?

Join the Young Archaeologists' Club, or approach your local archaeology unit (check with your local council for details) and volunteer for a dig. If you fancy archaeology as a career, make sure you experience as much of it as you can. You may like the idea of digging, but in reality, it can be boring, cold and wet. If you love it, then go for it. Mick the Dig, one of our best diggers, has a degree in mechanical engineering and found a place on his first dig simply because he happened to have a van. He is now very experienced and has worked all over the world.

Unfortunately, however, as with most things nowadays qualifications are very important. Many universities do archaeology degrees, with a very wide variety of specialisations. Archaeology is a good degree to do as it is very eclectic, combining science, geography, history, academic and physical work, theory and practical skills – as well as many visits to a wide variety of pubs! Once you have your multi-disciplinary degree, there aren't enough archaeology jobs to go round, but the many skills you have learned will come in useful for other things.

For more information, contact:

The Council of British Archaeology
Bowes Morrell House
111 Walmgate
York YO1 2UA
Tel: 01904 671 417