Inside Henry VIII's Greenwich Tilt Yard - Banqueting Hall Revealed

Beneath Greenwich’s manicured lawns lie the remains of Henry VIII’s showpiece arena. In just three days, Time Team hunts the lost tilt yard and the royal armory. Following 16th century drawings and chronicles, the team chases faint clues through drains, cesspits and rubble to pinpoint Tudor structures. A single buckle, Tudor greenware, plaster flecks from the yard surface, and a heavy horseshoe hint at the action. Then a pair of Tudor walls align exactly to a 30ft width and 100ft rhythm, pointing to something spectacular. Meanwhile, near the Thames, microscopic hammer scale builds a different picture – not just forging, but welding – revealing how Greenwich armourers really worked. From mock-castle towers to Holbein’s banqueting backdrop, this dig re-maps the pageantry Henry staged to impress Europe. See how measurements from Edward Hall’s chronicle meet fresh archaeology on the ground, and watch a master armorer shape a breastplate the Tudor way. Dive in to witness the moment the landscape of royal sport snaps into focus. Watch now to see what survived, what didn’t, and the discovery that ties it all together. #TimeTeam #HenryVIII #Greenwich #Tudor #Archaeology #Jousting #History