Butser Ancient Farm Recce

[THOaken]

Yesterday, on my 20th, I went to Butser Ancient Farm with my brother and a friend. My friend flew down from Scotland to spend three days here in Hampshire.

We spent roughly 2 hours there, what I'd consider a recce trip, because we had many other things to do, but we were very impressed. My brother and friend aren't as enthused by the subject as I am, but they thought it was a very worthwhile trip and were in awe of the replica Iron Age weaponry hanging from some of the walls in select roundhouses.

Regarding volunteering, I spoke to someone at the Janus Visitor Centre and gave her my email. Should be in contact soon.

There were a lot of informative signs with detailed illustrations.

The visitor centre, though small, was filled with depictions of Celts and even had replica Roman armour and weaponry.

Outside at the beginning with my brother. I'm the one on the right.

Inside a Roman villa.

Outside one of the roundhouses. The roofs of all the Iron Age roundhouses were adorned with animal skulls. There was also a large pole with a yew or a ram's skull on it right in the centre of the village.

Inside a roundhouse. Incredible attention to detail. It's one thing to see artifacts in a museum behind a glass case, but to step into a reconstruction...

We thought Ryan had the look...

Me holding a spear.

Overall it was a great trip, if a bit short. I'm going to return for a more in-depth look at the village on Monday, probably. If I were to make one complaint, I'd say the school kids broke the immersion factor both in and outside of the roundhouses. School bags littered across the floors really don't make for authentic looking photos. Oh well, it's good that they're allowed to get out there at all.

I hope you enjoyed my report.

 

[Toddy]

Wow, I've never seen the roofs done that way before. The crannog has a ring beam on posts and then that supports an upper ring frame that the roof poles rest on. It has inner walls too that create divisions within the space. Very interesting. Thank you for the report and the photos

Happy Birthday too :hapbirth:

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Niels]

Cool stuff. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Paulm]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing, and Happy Birthday !!!

Cheers, Paul

 

[Goatboy]

Happy Belated Birthday
THOaken

Sorry I missed you Birthday, looks like you had a great time though. Good report there and very nice pictures. Would love to see that place.

All the best, Colin.​

 

[Robbi]

i like the look of that place, the fencing looks great and i'd love to try it.

many happy returns of the day mate.

Robbi

 

[Huon]

Another belated happy birthday. It looks as though you found a splendid place to celebrate.

Thanks for the extremely interesting recce write up.

Cheers

Huon

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[tombear]

Now I really want to go there. I've always had a vague urge to go but with the place they are filming the Tudor Farm not a million miles away I definitely think a camping trip in the spring is in order. Castell Henllys in Wales is worth another visit, especially now the lads are old enough to appreciate it more.

thanks for sharing that!

tom

 

[spiritwalker]

whats on the floor making it white, hard to make out is it chalk?

 

[Dark Horse Dave]

The place is certainly geared up for school visits - I know very well, having accompanied both my kids' year groups there - but they'll always be in the week and of course you could always check in advance. I think it's great that the kids are exposed to that part of our history. I loved watching them making up wattle and daub panels, and they all seemed to enjoy eating their packed lunches in a roundhouse with a fire - I certainly did!

The events they run there are often focused on children & families as well, but certainly not always, and it's worth checking.

I've enjoyed and got something out of both my visits there, and would say it's worth a visit if you're in the area.

Nice pics by the way THO; glad you had a good time and hope you enjoy your return.

(I think it's all chalk around there SW, so you're right.)

 

[THOaken]

Thanks, everyone. Just thought I'd share some more images with you.

There were numerous buildings under construction. The place really does feel alive, and that's just after a 2 hour rough recce around the site.

Flintknapper's dream behind the Roman Villa.

I do have a question about this image. I don't know that runes were in use during the Iron Age... Didn't they originate during the Viking Age and the great migrations? Those are Anglo-Saxon futhorc runes, and that doesn't really have anything to do with this period. The native Britons didn't have writing and it was only when the Romans came that place names were recorded and other such things. Any idea?

Again, it's a real working farm.

 

[Clouston98]

Looks a nice little place! Thanks for sharing .

 

[paulnb57]

We always say we must have a look when we see the road signs, in a rush to get the ferry home to the IOW, Now I realise we must do it

Paul

 

[John Fenna]

If you ever get to West Wales you must visit Castell Henlys, an reconstruction of an Iron Age fort that has the huts built on the post holes of the original huts.

 

[boatman]

As with the maze, I think that the runes are just someone's good idea to enhance the range of historicity of the place without relevance to the iron Age. However, it is not impossible that, pre-Roman, the Britons did have some form of writing or record keeping, tally stick to a kind of Ogham, for example, is no great leap.

 

[RonW]

Good way to spend your birthday!
I love the roundhouse and interior. I could imagine living like that.

 

[THOaken]

Went back to Butser and spoke to Ryan. I'm going to volunteer tomorrow for the first time. I didn't think I'd ever be volunteering at an ancient Iron Age farm that's ten minutes drive away from my house. Yet more voluntary experience under my belt, but it's all worth it.

 

[greensurfingbear]

Went back to Butser and spoke to Ryan. I'm going to volunteer tomorrow for the first time. I didn't think I'd ever be volunteering at an ancient Iron Age farm that's ten minutes drive away from my house. Yet more voluntary experience under my belt, but it's all worth it.

Nice one mate. Volunteering is a pain especially when all you want to do is work. But it's a great way to gt experience.


Orric

 

[THOaken]

Nice one mate. Volunteering is a pain especially when all you want to do is work. But it's a great way to gt experience.


Orric

Indeed, but it'll be a nice change. Instead of being out in the countryside working soley with plants, I'll be helping to maintain an Iron Age farm... in the countryside.

Thanks.

 

[Dave Budd]

Not a bad result for a couple of hours out for a jolly I'm sure you'll have fun and learn loads there. I've not been there for years myself (despite demonstrating 5 mins down the row at other shows). I've got friends that work there, so say Hi for me