John Leland

Season 1Episode 760 minSept. 25, 2007
John Leland
In the 1530s, England was in a state of turbulence, caused by Henry VIII’s break from Rome and dissolution of the monasteries. Leland was sent on a mission by the monarch to save the libraries of these vanishing monasteries. But over nine years (1533-42), he turned the trip into something bigger. Leland planned to produce the information for a great map of Great Britain. He set himself the task of visiting and describing the entire nation in detail. It was a staggering undertaking, one that ultimately drove him mad. The journey that best exhibits Leland’s legacy was his 1533 visit to Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. In this Great British Journey, Nick Crane retraces Leland’s route and tries to discover what impact the dissolution of the monasteries had on the Tudor landscape. Does anything of that landscape remain today? And what was it about this project that cost Leland his sanity? Who was John Leland? Born in 1503, John Leland became a Royal Chaplain in 1529 then sub-librarian to Henry VIII. A scholar and priest, he was by instinct a geographer with a fantastic eye for detail. His journals made him the great recorder of Tudor England: although he feared his words wouldn’t survive, Henry VIII ordered them preserved. And while Leland died without producing his great map of England, the notes he left behind confirmed him as England’s original discoverer, the man who invented field work and whose rigorous methods laid the ground for generations of mapmakers. So why did he go mad? It’s probable that the magnitude of his task took a huge toll on Leland. And as a religious man, it must have pained him to see the fabric of the church being destroyed. But perhaps it was the loneliness of being so far ahead of his time that finally drove him over the edge.
John Leland has aired on Sept. 25, 2007 at 20:00
Previous EpisodeNext Episode

Trailer

We do not have any trailers for this episode

Recently Updated Shows

Recently updated shows that might be of your interest.
Eyes of Wakanda
Upcoming

Eyes of Wakanda

Throughout Wakandan history, brave warriors have been tasked to travel the world retrieving dangerous vibranium artifacts. This is their story.

Providence Falls
Upcoming

Providence Falls

In 1844 Ireland, Liam O'Conner, a rogue and a thief, falls in love with Cora McLeod, a fiery but sheltered aristocrat's daughter, who is promised in marriage to a man she barely knows. Their plan to make a new life together in America is thwarted, and the consequences of Liam and Cora's unlikely love ripples through time, causing everyone to relive the events of the past. Now the Angels of Destiny need Liam's help to set things right and if he doesn't succeed, his very soul is on the line.  They transport Liam to present day to help this incarnation of Cora fall in love with Finn, the man she was destined to marry in 1844.  Liam would give anything to reunite with his beloved Cora but only he retains the memories of their past together. Now a cop in Providence Falls, Oregon, Cora feels an inexplicable connection to Liam, who is introduced as her new partner. And as they tackle a big case together, Liam sees the same passion and adventurous nature in Cora that he had fallen in love with.  With everyone's lives at stake, Liam must overcome unexpected and otherworldly obstacles in his mission.  Perhaps none as powerful as his own undying love for Cora.

MasterChef Australia
Running

MasterChef Australia

MasterChef Australia is an Australian competitive cooking game show consisting of a group of hopeful contestants that cook and present food to judges in order to win the title of MasterChef Australia.

GenreFood
Game Changer
Running

Game Changer

In this game show, the game changes every show! Players begin each round without knowing the rules -- and must figure them out while competing to win.

GenreComedy
Big Brother
Running

Big Brother

Big Brother follows a group of people living together in a house outfitted with dozens of high-definition cameras and microphones recording their every move, 24 hours a day. Each week, the Houseguests will vote someone out of the house. At the end, the last remaining Houseguest will receive the grand prize of $500,000.