A Short History of North Lees Hall

Raider of the Lost Barques

Editor ROLY SMITH catches up with popular TV archaeologist and historian SAM WILLIS, who describes his adventurous life

Sam Willis could be described as a modern-day Indiana Jones, as an award-winning historian, archaeologist and adventurer. He is also one of the world’s leading authorities on maritime and naval history.

Sam’s work has taken him on adventures all round the world, and he has made more than 10 TV series for the BBC and National Geographic that have been watched by millions of viewers.

He has made films and documentaries on such diverse subjects as castles, weapons, pirates, highwaymen, shipwrecks, submarines, Antarctic exploration, invasions, the Spanish Armada, and the First and the Second World Wars.

His 2014 three-part series for BBC4 entitled Castles: Britain’s Fortified History, enabled him to pursue yet another of his passions, that of why and how castles were built. “It’s always interested me why, for example, in the Civil War of the 17th century, it was thought necessary to destroy castles which were built three or four centuries before,” said Sam.

He added: “I’m particularly fond of the history and archaeology of the Peak District, not least the magnificent Peveril Castle at Castleton. So few castles from the earliest wave of Norman invaders and castle-builders survive and yet here at Peveril you have a magnificent stone keep that was built by Henry I in 1176.

“It literally towers over the landscape and is such a powerful reminder of what the Normans were trying to do – not just conquer the land but demonstrate to everyone that they were in charge.

Sam continued: “Bolsover is another castle that I’m very fond of – because it is so different to Peveril. More than four centuries later and you can see how the whole conception and techniques of castle building has changed. Part stately home, part castle and, importantly, full to the rafters with ghosts.

“I’ve always wanted to make a series called Britain’s Haunted History. No luck so far, but I’d definitely start with Bolsover!”

Sam, now 45, was born and brought up far from the sea in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and moved to his present home in Exeter after studying history and archaeology at university there, graduating in 2000.

“Doing things entirely the wrong way round” as he explains, he earned a PhD in Naval History from the same university, studying under Prof Nicholas Rodger. He then went on to research for an MA in Maritime Archaeology from the University of Bristol, where he studied under Time Team’s Prof Mark Horton. He is now a visiting Fellow in Maritime and Naval History at the University of Plymouth and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

So where did his abiding love of the sea and ships come from? Sam recalls: “Although my father was an accountant, our house was filled with pictures of naval officers and ships, because both my grandfather and great grandfather served in the Royal Navy, so I can only think I may have inherited it from them.”

His life of history, travel and adventure began more than a decade ago with an archaeological excavation of a mass grave of sailors from the time of Nelson’s navy at English Harbour in the Caribbean island of Antigua, as recorded in Nelson’s Caribbean Hell-Hole, a 2012 film for BBC4.

In 2013, Sam was navigator on the nine-man crew led by Dan Snow who recreated John Wesley Powell’s epic 1869 voyage down the uncharted Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in tiny wooden rowing boats, which was broadcast by BBC2 in January 2014. “It was the trip of a lifetime,” said Sam. “It was very, very hot and tough going for sure, but I loved every minute of it.”

Since 2016, Sam has hosted the chart-topping and live “Histories of the Unexpected” podcast show with Prof James Daybell and has written several books based on the series with his co-presenter, notably the fascinating pot pourri of historical facts entitled Histories of the Unexpected (Atlantic Books, 2018).

As Sam explains: “It’s an entirely new way of thinking about history – challenging yourself to think about how and why things are as they are,” Sam explains. “It’s a bit like a Swiss cheese – there are far more holes than cheese, the challenge is filling in the holes!”

Sam’s latest venture is The Mariner’s Mirror Podcast – the World’s No.1 podcast dedicated to maritime and naval history.

Sam meets a medieval knight outside Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland

“I’ve always wanted to make a series called Britain’s Haunted History. No luck so far, but I’d definitely start with Bolsover!”