Season 1 2004

Rory McGrath looks back at one of Britain's most famous military victories, the gory and glorious Battle of Trafalgar.

Rory McGrath explores Mary Tudor's murderous reign, learning about various Tudor techniques for torture, and finds out how to burn a heretic.

Rory McGrath investigates body snatching in 19th century London, travelling to graveyards and learning how to get a body out of a coffin.

Rory McGrath finds out how King John was able to burn down Rochester Castle in 1215 using the fat of forty pigs and learns how to fire a crossbow.

Rory McGrath finds out about the savage witch-hunts of the 1640s, learning how to test for a witch and how to protect himself from witchcraft.

Investigating the rebellion of 1685, Rory McGrath travels to Dorset, learns how to fire a musket and takes on a horse in a running race.

Rory McGrath investigates the killings of Jack the Ripper, tracking a villain with a bloodhound to find out whether this method could have caught him.

Rory McGrath travels to Northumberland to learn the story of a Viking raider nicknamed 'Hairy Trousers' and finds out how to fight Viking-style.

Rory McGrath learns about an attempt to seize Wales from the English in the 1400s, trying out for himself the weapons and techniques used.

Rory McGrath finds out why the peasants stormed London in 1381, learning how they would have fought knights and how many people were beheaded.