What makes the quintessential English village? A church? A pub? A post office? A cricket pitch?

Everyone knows the English village, whether it's from real life or via The Vicar of Dibley or Midsomer Murders. But what is the real history – from archaeological ruins to the present day – of this settlement? On today's Other Edens, we speak to Dr Ben Robinson (aka The Flying Archaeologist) about his book England’s Villages: An Extraordinary Journey Through to get the full story of how the great English settlement developed.

Presented by Nick Hilton.

With Dr Ben Robinson.

Theme music by George Jennings.

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