The history of the Suffolk coastal village of Orford is set to be explored in the new series of a BBC Two show.
Villages by the Sea, which has previously recorded in nearby Thorpeness, will take a deep dive into Orford's past in a forthcoming episode.
Archaeologist Ben Robinson, who presents the show, will take a look at clues from buildings, street patterns and the landscape to unravel why the village is there, as well as how its fortunes have changed over the years.
The Kings Head in Orford features in the BBC show (Image: Archant)
This includes speaking to the landlord of The Kings Head, a 13th century pub with links to Orford's smuggling past.
Orford is perhaps best known today for the Orford Ness nature reserve, a shingle spit over the River Alde from the main village.
Orfordness Lighthouse, which was on the spit, was demolished two years ago due to fears over coastal erosion.
The BBC said in its show description: "The village has its fair share of myths and legends and one of them involves the local pub where its rumoured smugglers used to share out their booty. Ben meets the current landlord, Ian Ballantine, who shares some of the tricks the smugglers would use to avoid getting caught red-handed.
"The remoteness of the shingle spit also caught the attention of the Ministry of Defence who, for over seventy years, used The Ness as a top-secret weapons and ammunitions testing site.
Villages by the Sea presenter Ben Robinson on a previous visit to Thorpeness on the Suffolk coast (Image: BBC/Purple Productions/Sarah Lucy Brown)
"Their clandestine activities were kept under wraps for many years as Ben finds out from Michael Flint who claims to remember a World War Two air raid, on the Ness, that he was told was never to be spoken of."
The latest series of Villages by the Sea starts on BBC Two on September 20.
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