British Isles: A Natural History — Season 1, Episode 5: Taming the Wild
Documentary • 60 min • 1 season, 8 episodes • ★ 10.0/10
Episode synopsis
Piecing together clues from the natural and man-made landscape, Alan looks at the dramatic changes that have affected the British Isles from the Stone Age to the Industrial Revolution. The entire population of Britain could fit into a football stadium 8000 years ago. Today we probably see more people on the way to work than one of our ancestors would have seen in a lifetime. The clearing of forests for agriculture and the introduction of new species changed the landscape for ever.
About British Isles: A Natural History
British Isles: A Natural History is an eight-part documentary series produced by the BBC Natural History Unit and presented by Alan Titchmarsh. Originally broadcast in the UK on BBC1 from September to November 2004, it took viewers on a journey from the formation of what is now the British Isles some 3 billion years ago to the present day, revealing how natural and human forces have shaped the landscape. Each of the 50-minute episodes was followed by a 10-minute short specific to each region of the British Isles. In 2007, the BBC made a companion series about British wildlife called The Nature of Britain, also presented by Titchmarsh. A 3-disc Region 2 and 4 DVD set featuring all eight episodes was released on 29 November 2004. Titchmarsh wrote an accompanying book, also called British Isles: A Natural History, and released by BBC Books on 1 October 2004.