During the Iron Age the Roundhouse was ubiquitous, but clearly not a common sight in the twenty first century.  In the mid 1980s an Iron Age Roundhouse was constructed at the Ancient Technology Centre (ATC) in Cranborne , Dorset.  This was  built by Jake Keen and school children and many thousands have visited this building gaining an insight into how Iron Age people lived.  The Roundhouse has provided much useful information, but after more than a quarter of a century showed signs of its age.  The ash and hazel frame had become rotten with woodworm and was becoming unstable so the building was taken down before collapsing.  In October 2011 work commenced on rebuilding the Cranborne Roundhouse using the knowledge gained from the previous structure and the same archaeological evidence used in the original project, keeping the same structure and external appearance.  However, the experience gained from teaching and living in the building suggested changes inside.  A key member of the team in this reconstruction was Anthony Brown, a teacher at the ATC, who was also instrumental in the construction of the Roundhouses at Colehill, Downlands and Rushcombe during 2012 and 2013 as shown in the following photographs.

Conygar CoppiceThe Roundhouses at Colehill, Downlands and Rushcombe have been constructed in school grounds for educational purposes and as structures in their own right.  Anthony Brown has acquired knowledge and skills in the construction of these evocative and useful buildings and is able to either build an Iron Age Roundhouse for you or talk on the topic, and can combine the two so that a course in Iron Age Roundhouse construction will result in an Iron Age Roundhouse as the end product.  To give an idea of cost, a small Roundhouse can be constructed in the region of £5000, but it is important to remember that materials need to be sourced and prepared so that the result is authentic as possible.

An Iron Age Roundhouse is a good way of preserving and learning about our heritage whilst providing a novel, innovative, interesting and practical  building instead of a more mundane modern structure.

Minstead Roundhouse Finished - 9th December 2020 Minstead Roundhouse
Minstead Roundhouse – December 2020 Minstead Roundhouse
   
Minstead Roundhouse Minstead Roundhouse
Minstead Roundhouse Minstead Roundhouse
   
Round House at Heathland's School Bournemouth Round house at Heathland's School Bournemouth
Roundhouse at Heathland’s School in Bournemouth Roundhouse at Heathland’s School in Bournemouth
   
Badgers Farm Round House Badgers Farm Round House
Roundhouse at Badger’s Farm Roundhouse at Badger’s Farm
   
 Colehill Roundhouse Cranborne Old Roundhous
Colehill Roundhouse Roundhouse at the ATC built in the mid 1980s
   
Cranborne Old Roundhouse Cranborne Old Roundhouse
Roundhouse at the ATC built in the mid 1980s Roundhouse at the ATC built in the mid 1980s
   
Cranborne Old Roundhouse Cranborne Roundhouse 2012
Roundhouse at the ATC built in the mid 1980s Roundhouse at the ATC in 2012
   
Cranborne Roundhouse 2012 Cranborne Roundhouse 2012
Roundhouse at the ATC in 2012 Roundhouse at the ATC in 2012
   
Cranborne Roundhouse 2012 Cranborne Roundhouse 2012
Roundhouse at the ATC in 2012 Roundhouse at the ATC in 2012
   
Cranborne Roundhouse 2012 Downlands Roundhouse
Roundhouse at the ATC in 2012 Downlands Roundhouse
   
Downlands Roundhouse Downlands Roundhouse
Downlands Roundhouse Downlands Roundhouse
   
Rushcombe Roundhouse Rushcombe Roundhouse
Rushcombe Roundhouse Rushcombe Roundhouse
   
Rushcombe Roundhouse Rushcombe Roundhouse
Rushcombe Roundhouse Rushcombe Roundhouse
   
Roundhouse cross section Cranborne Old Roundhouse Snow + Anthony

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Conygar CoppiceConygar Coppice
The ancient technologies that have shaped the English countryside for millennia are kept alive today by dedicated people who have become skilled in these ancient crafts. 
Conygar Coppice is a web site that provides a gateway into this fascinating world of Iron Age Roundhouses, Hedge laying, Hurdles and Fencing and even Composting Toilets.

Iron Age RoundhouseIron Age Round House
What was it like to live in the Iron Age? In the 1970s an Iron Age Roundouse was constructed on the Cranbourne Estate for a television program to explore such an experience.  It is by reconstructing the past that it is possible to learn hitherto hidden details of ancient life, but it is not possible for everyone to live in, or even visit such a building and experience it for themselves.  It is panoramic photography that can bring us closest to actually going inside a real Roundhouse and looking around, seeing where the people slept, what they had to cook on, the drawings on the walls and looking up to see herbs and sacks hanging from the roof, perhaps keeping grain out of the reach of rodents.  After forty years this building showed signs of decay and was demolished in 2011.  Although it is being replaced with a new Roundhouse the 360° panorama is now an historic record and enables us to still look around this amazing building.

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