The Great British Story: Regional Histories

Rory McGrath enjoys an historical journey into Cambridge and reveals how the county was tamed from a boggy, mosquito-infested landscape into one of Britain's most wealthy and clever counties. Using a variety of boats, stilts and a bicycle, Rory travels through Cambridgeshire and meets the people who can show how our ancestors survived and created the beautiful city of Cambridge. 500 years ago, malaria was rife, and the Cam was a filthy shadow of the idyllic river that attracts thousands of tourists today, but a combination of chance and determination led to a series of discoveries that changed the health of the country.

A waterway dividing north from south, county from county. Tom Cunliffe sets sail on historic boats exploring 200 years of history along the Trent. He discovers how this river has shaped the people and places along its course.

Former boxer Richie Woodhall loves history. He wants to uncover the secrets of historic hotspot Ironbridge, the place where he grew up. Starting with the soldiers names on the town's War Memorial, he goes on a journey of discovery, retracing relatives of the dead soldiers and piecing together what life was like for them in the early 1900s.

Peter Snow takes a journey around east London's docklands and charts its rise and fall over the centuries. He hears the extraordinary stories of gruesome traditions, lost craftsmanship and secretive communities.

Jon Cuthill is in the New Forest discovering some of the Great British Stories from the last one thousand years. From the hunt for the lost Anglo Saxon settlement wiped out by William the Conquerer to the restoration of the vast chalk letters carved into the heath by pilots of one of Britain's first ever flying schools.

Jonathan Foyle sails the River Tamar in Cornwall to discover how mineral wealth shaped the history of this beautiful valley.

Westcountry comedian Tom Craine discovers the rich and colourful history of Glastonbury and uncovers its role in some of the most extraordinary events that Britain has ever seen. From the birth of Christianity in Europe to Henry VIII's dissolution of the abbey and execution of the abbot, Tom journeys through 2000 years of history - from Jesus to Jay-Z - to separate fact from fiction.

Stuart Maconie visits the Furness Peninsula. Here, he discovers evidence of a Viking past, the founding of a new religion and the importance of the railways to Barrow's industrial heritage.