We’re delighted to announce that the HLF-funded community project CITiZAN – the Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network – is featuring in a new three-part Channel 4 mini-series Britain at Low Tide. The programme aims to raise awareness of our threatened coastal heritage to a wide audience, highlighting methods used to survey and monitor those features while showcasing the work of the dedicated volunteers.

A wide range of themes is covered in the series, from prehistoric footprints in the sand, ancient submerged forests, several shipwrecks, a lost harbour and much more besides, all now sadly eroding. You will also see the community-based training sessions and the high-tech methods used at low tide: aerial drone surveys and the CITiZAN smart phone app.

Each programme looks at five or six foreshore stories covering a great variety of subjects in a particular region:

Saturday 19th November

Episode 1 – Northumberland: filmed at Beadnell and Howick, the programme explores the lost harbour at Beadnell, the wreck of the French ship Tadorne and CITiZAN volunteers’ work on the Howick bathing pools.

Saturday 26th November

Episode 2 – Formby/Liverpool: features the famous prehistoric footprints, the remains of England’s first lifeboat station and the wreck of the SS Pegu, lost in 1939.

Saturday 3rd December

Episode 3 – Essex: investigates a Tudor coastal fort, a foreshore fish trap and the abandoned Thames sailing barges at Maldon.

We really hope you will enjoy viewing the series over the next three weeks; you can watch the trailer here or follow along on Twitter using #BritainatLowTide. If you would like to get involved in the project please visit the CITiZAN website to find out more.