Principal Christine Shaw
This is a long term programme with international equivalents.
This on-going project has involved the building of a variety of constructs based upon specific archaeological data from excavations. The majority of above ground features are however derived from constructional principles and the implementation phase has sometimes thrown up interpretations of previously unexplained elements of the archaeological record (The Impacts of Experiment).
Currently there are four roundhouses on site. The largest is based on Dr Sonia Hawkes' records from Longbridge Deverell, Cowdown, Wiltshire, UK. Since this was built following the recorded deconstruction of an earlier large roundhouse at the Butser Demonstration Site (The Impacts of Experiment) (Life and Death of a Post Hole), the opportunity was taken to incorporate re-utilisable material as part of the new experimental construct.
Over the last year or two, considerable refurbishment and even rebuilding has been necessary. Limited recording could be undertaken due to pressure on resources. The opportunity was taken to use a new model for the thatching of the junction between the porch and main roof of the Great Roundhouse. Variations of approach, in this respect, have been incorporated over the years as lessons emerged and this continues. Naturally, the life span of the structures is always under test ! The extensive use of the Great Roundhouse as an educational tool and as a location for other events has confirmed that the presence of fires inside, on a frequent and regular basis, aids in keeping birds away from the thatch, as well as keeping insects at bay.
The house is some 15 metres in diameter with a floor area of about 176 square metres. It is built on the double ring principle. The inner circle of posts with a horizontal ring of timber morticed and tenoned into place sustains the weight of the roof of more than 25 tonnes. The outer wall of wattle and daub is important during construction, but afterwards can be replaced completely without structural difficulty. The roof depends upon six major rafters which form the apex and hold in position a cross-braced hexagonal ring one third down the slant height of the roof. This ring holds the roof apart and acts as the anchorage for all the other rafters. The rafters are also tied together by the purlins, hazel rods tied in concentric circles just a hand's breadth apart. These not only make a powerful cone of the roof but also act as the support for the 15 tonnes of thatch which cover the roof. Such a large house undoubtedly belonged to a rich and powerful person. Unfortunately, we have little clear evidence of how the interior was arranged beyond the position of the hearth and 3 major post-holes, which might indicate a large inner room with a gallery above. The space between the inner circle of posts and the outer wall might have formed a number of small rooms, perhaps bedrooms and storerooms.
There is a smaller double ring roundhouse based on an excavation at Moel y Gerddi, Dyfed, Wales, UK. It represent a typical working farmhouse and there is no evidence for an entrance porch. Its earliest phase had diametrically opposed doorways. The diameter of the house is just over 9 metres with a floor area of 67 square metres.
There are also two rather small roundhouses, each consisting of a single space, based on excavated ground plans from Glastonbury Lake Village, Somerset, UK. It is possible such buildings were used both as animal houses in winter and as part of the living area for a household utilising several such buildings.
Other constructions are based on a range of interpretations of the function of buildings based on the ubiquitous "four post-hole" record. More recently, work on single pole structures such as for hay storage has been reintroduced.
As well as recording features of the constructional process, a principal element of the study is to follow the life and maintenance demands of the buildings, including the need for replacing thatch, wattle and daub, posts etc.. Special studies are introduced from time to time. One Master's project involves reconstructing various types of threshhold surface and following wear patterns. Longer term monitoring of the changes of magnetic susceptibility inside the building have started to produce useful evidence (The Impact of Experiment) No recent activity in the last two areas has arisen.
This programme is carried out predominantly by Butser personnel.
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Created 01 August 2001 - Updated 10 December 2004