WEAPONS THAT MADE BRITAIN

PROGRAMME 4: THE SHIELD

PROGRAMME OUTLINE

00.00 – 00.35

An introduction to the series by the presenter, Mike Loades.

00.36 – 03.26

A preview of why shields are so fascinating, varied and significant, and an introduction to the Battle of Edington.

03.27 – 07.34

In this section we see a variety of shields designed for different purposes and visit the British Museum to see an ancient shield from the Sutton Hoo ship burial.

07.35 – 09.59

We learn about King Alfred’s use of shields during the Edington battle against the Vikings and the effectiveness of his shield wall.

10.00 – 14.49

A specialist shield maker demonstrates how the Anglo-Saxons would have made their shields.

14.50 – 18.43

At the Royal Military College of Science different shields are tested against various weapons.

18.44 – 20.23

We meet Dr Ryan Lavelle of King Alfred’s College, to learn how Alfred organised and trained his men.

20.24 – 22.45

At the Police Riot Training Centre we learn how modern police shields are used to form a wall and how tactics used today are very similar to the tactics used in medieval times.

22.45 – 25.45

Returning to Edington, a military historian explains how the shield wall was formed.

25.46 – 30.03

Mike has the challenge of making 100 inexperienced volunteers skilled enough to form a manoeuvrable shield wall.

30.04 – 33.57

A musicologist shows us some military commands using a horn.

33.58 – 36.04

At the Bayeux Tapestry we see a depiction of the kite-shaped shields used by William’s cavalry.

36.05 – 38.36

A look at the impact of plate armour on shields and the trend to use them for heraldic display.

38.37 – 41.55

Tobias Capwell tells us how shields were used as an offensive weapon, in judicial courts in late medieval Germany.

41.56 – 46.03

A recap of the programme. We also see how the shield-wall volunteers cope with making a real wall and following commands as a unit.