Building an Iron age roundhouse in Guisborough

flyguy Mar 15, 2004 19:26:54

Hi,

We are hopefully planning to build a recreation of an iron age cheiftains roundhouse at our school, Highcliffe in Guisborough. At present our plan is to build one approx 40ft (13metres) diameter by 24ft (8metres) tall using local materials supplied by the forestry.

Can anyone help with any details of iron age sites in the area that we can link with, or offer any help with the planning (or building) of it. We hope to have grants, building materials, planning consent etc in place for March 2005

Any help or information will be gratefully received

Steve

BlueGloves Mar 16, 2004 07:55:40

Replying to flyguy

Have a look at this image - http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/post/17173 - can you see the roof of anything here ?

That site is mix-and-match archaeological reconstruction. Most of it looks sloppy to me, and the site name is wrong, wrong, wrong. But the roundhouse is very well made and has survived the storms of several winters. The raw materials were a fieldwall, some forestry poles and a lot of heather. There is also a useful method for getting free beers or coffee at the bar nearby ("Will you put this on R's tab, please").

It's called Brigantium - but should be 'Votadinium' - and no doubt Google will respond. On Tyneside there are roundhouses at the Rising Sun visitor centre (1) and Bede's World (3?). I've the thatcher's phone number somewhere. If you were to build a Bronze Age roundhouse instead I could suggest how the courses of stone were laid. The Aberdeen county archaeologist has spent a couple of summers excavating a roundhouse hamlet and has made some startling discoveries.

pebblesfromheaven Mar 16, 2004 08:13:08

Replying to flyguy

Hi,
this site may be useful

http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/1487

.o0O0o.

Hob Mar 16, 2004 09:36:51

Replying to flyguy

Hiya,

These folks have a nice reconstruction, it's waterproof and everything. It's a bit of a hike though.

http://www.archaeolink.co.uk/outdoor/farm.htm

Good luck!

Jane Mar 16, 2004 09:55:21

Replying to flyguy

Hi Steve
I went to Castell Henlys last spring, an iron age recon in West Wales.
http://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/508

It was amazing and they were building more houses at the time. It blew me away! Go see!
J
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