Villages by the Sea

Ben Robinson visits Charlestown in Cornwall

Archaeologist Ben Robinson explores the history of Charlestown in Cornwall, revealing how the villages's namesake Charles Rashleigh transformed the local trade and commerce from fishing and distribution of pilchards, to minerals exported by a hand-built port with pioneering technology. Ben looks at how Charles commissioned renowned engineer John Smeaton to create man-made lakes and hand-dug ponds, and explores their impact on the village's prosperity