BBC show Villages by the Sea returns to Northumberland for fifth series

Northumberland is "winning in the Villages by the Sea league", as the documentary returns to the county for the fifth series.

Archaeologist Ben Robinson has previously shone a light on the histories of Alnmouth, Holy Island, Craster, Bamburgh and Seaton Sluice in the documentary series since 2021. He has returned to the region again for series five, this time delving into the depths of Seahouses.

It means that Ben has now showcased six Northumberland villages, ahead of four in Cornwall and three in Suffolk. And he says that "it's the great stories" that keep bringing him back to the North East coast.

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When filming took place in September, Ben explored the lime kilns and yards, and uncovered the history of the herring industry and shaped the village as we know it today. He also got out to the Farne Islands, for the first time since a school trip, which he fondly recalled.

Ben told ChronicleLive: "I was just blown away by them as a kid, it was such an adventure going on these quite small boats.

"They weren't like they have now, it was old coble style boats. I've never forgotten it, I was just absolutely stunned by it all."

Presenter Ben explored the lesser-visited residential part of Seahouses, where many of the homes are converted warehouses, herring yards and granaries. And though it didn't make it into the edit, he stumbled across the popular smoke house Swallow Fish.

He continued: "You've got to have some seafood, mackerel in a bun, very simple but absolutely delicious. I don't think people know that part of Seahouses exists so much, but you see this entire industrial fishing settlement up there, which is pretty amazing."

Ben's visit to learn more about the industries which shaped the village in the 19th century came up with one surprise. He finished: "I think the big lesson for me is these places were reinventing themselves even as early as the late 1800s.

"Even before the 20th century, Seahouses fishermen were already advertising via the railways and taking folk out for boat trips. Even in an era that's industrial and was all about fishing, people were being attracted to Seahouses as a destination.

"Tourism isn't the only industry now, but it's been as long-lived as almost any other that exists there."

The Seahouses episode of Villages by the Sea will air on BBC Two on Monday, November 11. It will also be available on iPlayer.