Anglo Saxon house - a reconstruction

http://www.woodlands.co.uk/ An Anglo Saxon house based on Anglo Saxon history. A reconstruction of an Anglo Saxon home built over a pit by the East Sussex Archaeology and Museums Partnership. A style of building which could be copied and used in woods and forests to form a shelter today. http://woodlands.co.uk

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Anglo Saxon house
• history
• 6th Century
• 7th century AD
• chestnut shingles
• reconstruction
• pit
• woodlandstv
• WoodlandsTV
• welovewoodlands

[DesmondPK]

0 dislikes and almost 16,000 views...nice :)

[WOODLANDSTV]

@DesmondPK Thanks for pointing that out. I hope you were one of the likes!

[chrisdeli7158]

in what centuries were these homes built?

[WOODLANDSTV]

@chrisdeli7158 The Anglo Saxon period was from 410 AD to 1066. Ian in the film mentions this reconstruction was based on remains found from the 6th or 7th century. Hope that helps and thanks for watching WoodlandsTV

[maximillianof98]

what would happen when it rains?

would it be turning into an indoor swimming pool?

[WOODLANDSTV]

Good point! Supposedly the roof is watertight if maintained. But if it drains in to the pit, or the water table rises you'd have problems. Presumably the Saxons knew where to build

[bytmeh]

@WOODLANDSTV lol well he obviously wasn't one of the dislikes!!

XD

[Madmachine73]

@WOODLANDSTV And you suppose they'd already store potatoes? back in middle age Europe?

[lunhil12]

I think the pit houses were made because it was much easier than trying to build walls strong enough to support a roof, less material as well. Great idea to have kids learn on site. Ive seen beautiful villages built with stone walls that were similarly below ground level.

[goldenscales]

How would they have been kept warm and dry? Great idea, small, compact, functional.

[DesmondPK]

@WOODLANDSTV no problem :) Now 18,500 views and 0 dislikes!

[Tinyoak2]

@WOODLANDSTV I was actually watching a video about the history of Britian on the Top Documentaries website and they mentioned that many of the Saxons as well as others in the region made a mixture of straw or grass with mud to reinforce the roof, which made perfect sense if done during a dry season or even a sunny day, it would be the closest you'd probably come to cement i am assuming.

[NewbieCamper]

I wonder if a possible reason for starting with a pit was to acquire a natural form of insulation. For example, here in Canada we have to build down to at least 4 ft. before getting to ground that won't freeze in winter ... effectively, where the temperature is "neutral". Presumably, in Britain, the depth would be a bit less, but still the same idea.

Please feel free to say that I'm dreaming awake if my thinking is completely off base ;-).