Sheshen Eceni: Iron Age roundhouses info

Back To Wandlebury Info Page Back To Photo Gallery Page New Artwork of Celtic Britain Gallery

Reconstructed Iron Age roundhouse at Flag Fen
http://www.flagfen.com/iron_age_roundhouse.htm

Prehistoric Roundhouses of the British Isles.

An Iron Age roundhouse is far from the “simple mud hut” that we have been given to understand from our old school history books.In fact the technical complexity of its construction surpasses that of even a Roman or Greek temple building.

Its formation is of two concentric circles of posts spanning approximately 40ft, the inner posts of substantial, well seasoned oak with oak top rails to support the enormous straight grained oak roof timbers laid from the ground to a central apex. The roof was constructed using cross members and rafters of oak, the whole intricately interwoven with selected hazel wood branches and thatched from apex to about 2.5 ft above ground level.

Amazingly, the weight of the roof was around 20 tonnes and its vertical strength could easily support the men to work on it.

The outer ring of posts was cross battened and woven like a willow basket and finished with wattle and daub to form the solid outer wall of the house, just under the eaves of the thatch.

Mesolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age roundhouses

The foundations and postholes of one of the first roundhouses built in Britain were uncovered during excavations at Howick – the house was built in the Mesolithic period and is 10,000 years old. On completion of the archaeological reconstructions of this house - I noticed how similar the roundhouse was in comparison - to those built during the Iron Age.

This leads me to conclude that the design and structure of these dwellings had hardly changed in thousands upon thousands of years. Even more remarkably these types of roundhouses are exclusive - known only to the British Isles, they are not found on the continent, and are confined to Britain and Ireland.

The large Bronze Age settlement at Flag Fen, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, contained at least fifty roundhouses. These earlier types of houses were once common place throughout Britain - and the archaeological excavations carried out in the East Anglia region alone - has revealed the remains / post holes of several hundred similar structures.

Archaeological investigations of the foundations of two Iron Age roundhouses at Aylesby, revealed evidence of circular (curved)trenches. Experts believe that these were gutters designed to collect the drips from the eaves of the buildings. These were necessary in order to keep the mud walls of the houses dry.

The conical shape of the roundhouse meant that the structure was very strong, and as a result of this there were no roof support posts cluttering the floor space; in comparison with all rectangular shaped houses. The only disadvantage being that they could not be extended or altered in any way.

Each of the two houses in question had a diameter of seven metres - enough room and space for a single family to live in relative comfort. It is worth taking note of the fact that these buildings were not huts, but properly constructed houses, designed with maximum floor space.

The roundhouses conical design means that they share a great deal of similarities with the Teepee, or Wigwam of the North American indians, which was also very strong - but portable like a tent.

British roundhouses were strong and extremely sturdy structures, capable of withstanding severe storms and the traditional wet and windy weather conditions of the British climate. The conical roof was designed to shed rain water effectively; inside the houses a fire in the central hearth generated a good draught and plenty of heat. The flue or opening (vent) in the roof insured that the houses were kept airy.

The walls of Mesolithic - Iron Age dwellings were created using a combination of mud and sticks ; “wattle & daub” and had roofs of reed thatch, straw, or grasses.

A reconstruction of a typical Iron Age house at Butser Iron Age Farm, Hampshire, actually survived the great storm of October 1987, intact, along with several other dwellings.

Butser Iron Age Farm, Hampshire