Prehistory Roundhouse challenge

1. PrehistoryRoundhouse challenge Do you have the skills to make your own roundhouse? Click on the house to begin.

2. Roundhouses first appeared in the Thames Valley over 3500 years ago. At first they were built as part of small farmsteads, along the edges of fields and clearings but later they were found in larger villages. Roundhouses were the main type of home in Britain right up until the Roman period. Start the roundhouse challenge

3. Choose a location Imagine you are farmer with a small family who has just arrived in the Thames Valley about 3000 years ago. You have a small herd of cattle and a flock of sheep. You have access to land where you can raise these animals in meadows next to the river and open fields further up the valley. Where do you think would be the best place to build your house? Next to the river Further up the valley

4. Next to the river would not be a good place to build your house because it would be at risk from flooding. The Thames was a wilder and less predictable river than it is today, so most people built their houses on drier land further up the valley. Try again

5. Well done!Further up the valley is a good location for your house. Most people built their houses away from the river on the higher ground where it was dry and flat and there was good farmland. Areas next to the river were sometimes flooded by the Thames which was wilder and less predictable than it is today. Next

6. The size of the house You need to build a house that is large enough to hold all your family. The house will be made up of one large room where the family will eat, sleep, cook and work. First you need to mark out the area of the house on the ground by drawing a circle. How big do you want the diameter of your house to be? 10 metres 6 metres

7. 10 metres will make a really large house! Usually only people with wealth and power would be able to build a house of this size. You are only a modest farmer. Try again

8. Well done! 6 metres is probably big enough to house you and all your family. Next

9. The direction of the doorway When marking out the size of your house you also need to decide where to put the door. The direction the entrance faces is important as this will be the only source of natural light. Which way will you have the doorway facing? south east north

10. Placing the doorway facing north will mean no natural light will shine into the house. Try a different direction. Try again

11. Well done! Most roundhouses had entrances facing south east. This may have been to allow the morning sun to shine in through the door to light the inside of the house. Next

12. Building the framework The door and its frame have been put into place. Next you need to drive wooden stakes into the ground around the circumference of the house to support the walls and roof. A hard wood is best as this will help make the house last longer. What type of wood will you choose for the stakes? Hazel Oak Yew

13. Hazel would not be the best wood for this job. Hazel is too flexible to support the structure of the building. This type of wood is bendy so it is used to make wattle for the wall of a roundhouse. Choose a harder wood. Try again

14. Yew would not be the best wood for this job. Yew is an elastic type of wood which makes it really useful for making bows and other flexible objects. Choose a harder wood. Try again

15. Well done! Oak is a good strong wood which means the house will last a long time. Oak was widely available in the dense forests covering most of the Thames Valley. Next

16. Making the walls All the oak stakes have been pushed into the ground. Now you need to choose a material to make the walls solid. What will you use to make the walls? Mud bricks Wattle and daub Wheat straw

17. Straw would not be suitable for the walls of the house. It would be difficult to hold in place, but it would be good for the roof of the building. Choose a different material for the walls. Try again

18. Mud bricks were used in Britain, later, during the Roman period, but little evidence has been found for their use in roundhouses. Choose a different material for the walls. Try again

19. Well done! The wall was probably filled in with wattle. Wattle was a thin wood such as hazel or ash woven between the upright posts of the wall (a bit like weaving a basket). Later, when the roof of the house was put on, this was filled in with daub (a mixture of animal droppings, clay, earth and straw or hair). This made the wall weatherproof. Next

20. Supporting the roof Next you need to add a roof. The main supporting timbers (rafters) are set up in a cone shaped frame over the walls. These rafters will need extra support to hold them in place. How will you support the roof? The roof will sit on top of the walls and have posts touching the ground outside The roof will sit on top of the walls and have extra posts inside the house to hold it up

21. It’s not certain exactly how the roof was supported. However, little evidence has been found to suggest that people used extra posts inside their homes to hold the roof up. Try again

22. Well done! The roof was either supported by the walls or by rafters resting on the walls and on the ground. It’s not certain exactly how the roof was supported. The roof of this roundhouse will be supported with rafters resting on the walls and ground. Next

23. Adding the roof Once all the rafters are in place purlins made of hazel are added to hold it all securely. These also make a strong framework to hold the roofing material. What material will you use for roofing? Clay tiles Reeds

24. Clay roofing tiles were not introduced until the Roman period. They would have been too heavy for this house. Try again

25. Well done! It is likely that a naturally available material such as reeds was used to make the roof. The reeds were carefully laid on the roof in bunches, either tied or pinned in place. The surface of the roof was kept evenly sloping to ensure rain dripped off. The roof also hangs over the walls to keep them dry. Next

26. The final touches Daub, a mixture of animal droppings, clay, earth and straw is applied to the inside and outside of the walls. The reed thatch roof is almost finished. Once these tasks are finished the house is ready to move into! Play again Explore the Museum of London website End