Archeologist Alex Langlands, presenter of the BBC’s Victorian Farm series, talks to Charlotte Tindle about his book Cræft and how, over centuries, we humans have learnt to use the natural materials around us to practical ends, from whittling wood or spinning wool to smoking  fish and meat. 

Working with nature can help us engage with our local landscape in a more meaningful way, as he has also recently revealed in his YouTube videos on the art of basket-making using wild hedgerow brambles. Do visit if you want to learn how to turn brambles and weeds into baskets!

Alex Langlands is currently a lecturer in medieval history, archaeology and heritage at Swansea University, and a patron of the Heritage Crafts Association. He presented the BBC programmes Victorian Farm, Edwardian Farm and Wartime Farm and is the author of Craeft: An Enquiry into the Origins of Crafts (Faber, from £15.63). 

This podcast was first released by CHaRM at University of Winchester as a video for the 2020 Winchester Heritage Open Days festival, and has been re-edited specially for Histbites.

For more information, including full credits, our show notes and a transcript, please visit our website: https://www.winchesterheritageopendays.org/hampshire-histbites-episodes