Time Team: History Hunters

The history hunters will be investigating in south London this Saturday, trying to find out why the Crystal Palace was moved here from Hyde Park after the Great Exhibition in 1851, who were the wheelers and dealers behind this magnificent structure and who or what was responsible for the horrendous fire that destroyed it in 1936.

This Saturday, Time Team travels to Blackpool where three teams of history hunters attempt to discover the origins of the Pleasure Beach, as well as why this resort became the favourite of the working classes and who profited from it.

This week, Time Team's intrepid history hunters attempt to answer one question: which is the oldest pub in Nottingham? Three teams – one from each pub: Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, The Salutation and The Bell – check out the records, building architecture and timbers, and local legends to find out where you can have a pint in the most ancient surroundings.

Coventry is known for car manufacturing and the bombing of its cathedral, but did you know that, in the 18th and 19th centuries, it had a thriving watchmaking sector? This week, three teams of history hunters investigate the few remaining factory premises, the archives and the beautiful products of Coventry craftsmen to shed light on a little known corner of this city's history.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, the Scottish border was as lawless as the American Wild West, with raiders known as reivers robbing, pillaging and murdering with surprising frequency. At the same time, their feats were celebrated in a series of romantic ballads. This Saturday, three teams of history hunters investigate some of those ballads to find out the truth behind them by perusing ancient documents, examining maps and trekking through the undergrowth to uncover the meagre remains of this exciting period of Anglo-Scottish history.

Burton upon Trent is renowned for the beer made there, but back in the Middle Ages, it was the site of a very important abbey. This week, three teams of history hunters try to find out as much as they can about this once-tremendous monument. Is there anything remaining? What happened to it? And what connection did it have with a magnificent house on a hillside some three miles away?