Richard Glover Explores

Richard Glover Explores We are at risk of losing our ancient stories. If you want to see these stories remembered - please follow

From forgotten folklore and myths to local history, this channel aims to preserve and celebrate these tales - through film, photography and music.

09/09/2026

Did You Know?

Before modern archaeology, most archaeological findings in the Saddleworth area were not found by experts, but by a group of passionate amateur historians, writers, and poets - who would walk the moors each morning, hoping to uncover a forgotten past...

George Marsden—known locally as "Th' Owd Relic." spent his life walking these high moors, uncovering the forgotten Bronze Age artifacts that shaped our understanding of the areas ancient past.

Discover more about our local pioneers such as Marsden and the legacy they left by watching "Ancient Saddleworth" available to stream now on YouTube.

08/09/2026

Thousands of years ago, the dense forests of the Pennines were home to wolves, lynx, and brown bears. As Bronze Age clearance shifted the landscape, humans systematically reshaped the ecosystem—driving apex predators to extinction.

🐺 Watch Episode 2 of Ancient Saddleworth for the full Bronze Age story. https://youtu.be/GK8DcPvynWw

07/09/2026

Experts estimate that approximately 22,500 archaeological sites hidden in British peatlands are at risk due to changing environmental and climatic conditions.

Beneath the Pennine moors lies an ancient ecosystem formed over 40,000 years ago, potentially holding Britain’s deepest historical secrets. But as the peatlands dry and erode, thousands of years of history are at risk.

Watch Ancient Saddleworth Episode 2 on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK8DcPvynWw

06/09/2026

ANCIENT SADDLEWORTH - EPISODE 2: NOW LIVE 🎥

Thank you to everyone who watched Episode 1 which currently sits on just over 30,000 views.

Each week will look at the land, the animals and the people throughout Saddleworth's ancient past and will take a look at the pioneers responsible for bringing that history to light.

Episode 2 looks at The Bronze Age, when Britain transformed, moving from stone and flint, to metal. We will also be diving into the life of George Marsden - the pioneer who helped shape Saddleworth's past.

View the full video: https://youtu.be/GK8DcPvynWw

25,000 VIEWS!A huge thank you to everyone who has streamed Episode 1 of my new YouTube series "Ancient Saddleworth".This...
03/09/2026

25,000 VIEWS!

A huge thank you to everyone who has streamed Episode 1 of my new YouTube series "Ancient Saddleworth".

This has been my most ambitious video to date and the response has made it my most viewed video - after less than 4 days.

Episode 1 is available to stream on YouTube and covers the Mesolithic era across the Saddleworth Moors.

Each episode focuses on a different point in time, exploring the landscapes, animals and peoples that made up the ancient world, and the pioneers who brought that history to life.

If you are yet to watch it, click the link in my bio or head over to YouTube to view it.
If you have seen it - let me know your comments below.

Please remember to like the video and subscribe to the channel.

Episode 2 will be live this weekend and will be exploring the Neolithic and Bronze Age.

01/09/2026

What would life had been like for Saddleworth's earliest hunters?

The famous bleak moors would have been covered in trees, animals such as red deer, blue hares and the once long extinct aurochs would have made perfect food choices for Mesolithic hunters.

But they would also have had to compete with predators such as wolves, foxes and bears, taking to the high gritstone to seek out prey.

Archaeological evidence suggests that places around Saddleworth and Marsden were used as temporary seasonal hunting camps, with one spot by P**e Hill used to lure and ambush prey.

Episode 1 of my new YouTube series, "Ancient Saddleworth"is now live.

Each week we will be exploring a different period of Saddleworth's forgotten past, showcasing the landscape, animals and civilisations that thrives - and the pioneers that brought this history to life.

This week, travel back almost 9,000 years ago - to the Mesolithic Era.

The Helmet That Shattered The Dark Age Myth. Helmets such as the Pioneer helmet (pictured) and the Sutton Hoo helmet, co...
01/09/2026

The Helmet That Shattered The Dark Age Myth.

Helmets such as the Pioneer helmet (pictured) and the Sutton Hoo helmet, completely changed the way we thought about the misconceived term the "dark ages".

It was long thought that Britain was primitive, barbaric and backwards once the Romans left, but these findings suggest the opposite.

Intricate artistry and sophisticated metal working shows a society driven by social status - where weapons, armour and jewels were used to display power, wealth, and spiritual protection.

The Boar, which featured on this helmet, was a specific carving and was seen as a talisman meant to magically protect the warrior from harm.

What these findings unearthed was a culture heavily invested in art, geometry and advanced metal working, but they also show a land that was not isolated. Burial sites frequently include garnets from Sri Lanka and India, showing a vibrant and international trade.

The Pioneer Helmet is on display alongside other artifacts found with the "Wollaston Warrior" at the Leeds Royal Armouries Museum.





30/08/2026

ANCIENT SADDLEWORTH - EPISODE 1: NOW LIVE 🎥

Very pleased to announce that my new series on Ancient Saddleworth is now live on YouTube.

Each week will look at the land, the animals and the people throughout Saddleworth's ancient past and will take a look at the pioneers responsible for bringing that history to light.

Episode 1 looks at The Mesolithic Era, of life after the last ice age and the forgotten hunters who roamed the hills, we will also be diving into the life of Ammon Wrigley - the pioneer who helped shape Saddleworth's past.

View the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9MwKHt5cMA&t=1s

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