The workshop building now has its main roof timbers and an enlarged area for our new blacksmith's forge. The forge area is thatched but the remainder is awaiting drier days and is therefore temporarily covered with a very un-Saxon tarp. The new forge, complete with a hand operated bellows, has provided many happy hours of hammering for Matt and great interest from passing members of the public.
Richard has created an authentic bodger's 'hovel', with a brushwood roof on its steep A-frame structure. His heavy duty pole lathe fits at the mouth of the hovel with viewers held at a safe distance behind an fence. Spured on by this construction, Richard and Richard 2 also reinforced the roof extension to the sunken hut, ensuring that the earth oven was kept out of the worst of the weather. Poorly supervised children have proved to be a menace, causing damage to fragile walls and roofs, resulting in a rash of fences and obstructions that seem to be having the desired effect.
Eve has, periodically with other help, been tanning our second boar skin. The first, Boris, now hangs as a door skin on the sunken hut. Ali, Leah, Anthony and Kevin have ably worked at a multitude of activities. Annie and Ann have continued to expand our costume stash, attempting to master the drop spindle but consider that they are a VERY long way off weaving their own spinning.
Small craftwork sessions with volunteers attending above and beyond our monthly sessions have resulted in a considerable number of items for sale to the passing public. A trip to the International Living History selling fair in the Midlands has resulted in a considerable quantity of suitable fabrics for costumes and accessories, samples of arrow heads, garment fasteners, a new bucket and a wealth of information being acquired.
Our most unwelcome arrival has been the rain - our ancestors coped with dank clothing and only the option of a smoked filled hut to dry out in, making central heating and chimney flues all the more appreciated.
An Anglo-Saxon village is under construction here at Escot Park. Over the coming years a living history site will enable individuals and groups to investigate and experience the day-to-day life of our ancestors. A particular emphasis will be placed on comparing the sustainability of ancient vs. modern lifestyles.
Coming Events
Volunteer Days are during the first full weekend of most months (both Saturday and Sunday are in the new month) here at Escot Education, starting at 10am. If you would like to join us please let me know - 07814036634.
Family Activity Days - on each Sunday of our volunteer weekends we are offering the public the opportunity to 'have a go' at some of our craft activities. Grinding corn and then making bread in the earth oven was a very popular activity over the winter, as well as Matt's forging sessions with copper pendants as the final product. Richard demonstrated his considerable wood carving skills. Craft products are available for sale on these days.
School Activity Days - we can offer Anglo-Saxon experience days as well as the Forest School, Environmental Art and Science and Fun Days. Half, Full day or overnight camps are possible with the sessions tailored to your own individual needs and preferences. See the appropriate link on the Escot Education home page (link on the left of this page) or email or telephone Alan for further information.
Family Activity Days - on each Sunday of our volunteer weekends we are offering the public the opportunity to 'have a go' at some of our craft activities. Grinding corn and then making bread in the earth oven was a very popular activity over the winter, as well as Matt's forging sessions with copper pendants as the final product. Richard demonstrated his considerable wood carving skills. Craft products are available for sale on these days.
School Activity Days - we can offer Anglo-Saxon experience days as well as the Forest School, Environmental Art and Science and Fun Days. Half, Full day or overnight camps are possible with the sessions tailored to your own individual needs and preferences. See the appropriate link on the Escot Education home page (link on the left of this page) or email or telephone Alan for further information.
There's lots more to do and not just heavy work
We have already planted a boundary hedge and fruit bushes, completed a splendid thatched sunken hut, workshop, chicken coop, small bread oven and a bodger's bothy; raised a gateway arch and shelter for the spring; created costumes and researched building techniques; woven sections of wattle fencing and investigated wild foodstuffs of the period.
There is still plenty to do including:
There is still plenty to do including:
- daubing the new roundhouse
- milling flour for our open days and then baking bread
- making domestic and workshop tools and equipment
- blacksmithing
- thatching
- make charcoal for the forge
- splitting logs to feed the fires
- maintaining the herbs and planting a dye plant garden
- making and applying cob daub to more walls and structures
- spinning, weaving and dying wool and other yarns such as nettle
- sewing more costumes for living history days and school visits
- creating a photo album and preparing information packs and display boards
- chasing funding for materials and training expenses.
Why not visit us on the next Volunteer Weekend and see what we get up to? Ring Alan Bruford on 07814-036634 or email at abruford@hotmail.co.uk for dates and details.
- milling flour for our open days and then baking bread
- making domestic and workshop tools and equipment
- blacksmithing
- thatching
- make charcoal for the forge
- splitting logs to feed the fires
- maintaining the herbs and planting a dye plant garden
- making and applying cob daub to more walls and structures
- spinning, weaving and dying wool and other yarns such as nettle
- sewing more costumes for living history days and school visits
- creating a photo album and preparing information packs and display boards
- chasing funding for materials and training expenses.
Why not visit us on the next Volunteer Weekend and see what we get up to? Ring Alan Bruford on 07814-036634 or email at abruford@hotmail.co.uk for dates and details.
7 Dec 2009
Summer/Autumn 2009
This season has seen the earth oven being fine-tuned. A carved oak door with twisted, hand forged steel handle was created by Richard and Matt and greatly improved the thermal properties of the oven - numerous successful baking sessions as the proof.
Improvements were made to the outdoor woodwrighting area, with a wooden fence built to keep the public at a safe distance from the (very) sharp edged tools on view.
On sunny days the tent has been raised to show off the small craft and household items the group have accumulated. On one of our very wet weekends four brave souls risked camping in Suffolk (in a downpour, with one of the tents missing its outer roof covering - don't ask, let's just say we'll check our tents more closely before camping again). The trip was in order to visit the West Stowe Anglo-Saxon village development to view the building construction techniques used as well as the small domestic items. A very impressive site with a purpose built visitor centre, complete with interactive displays and a fully stocked shop. New publications on construction methods/designs and on costume were purchased to add to our library. Alan, Ann, Annie and Chrissie admitted they really enjoyed the visit but paled if the M25 was brought into the conversation.
The sunken hut has had its thatch reinforced with a turf topping giving it a wild look and the internal fire pit is now located beside a wall, complete with an ornamented clay fire back to protect the wattle walls.
Pole lathe work continues apace with bowls of increasing quality being produced.
Improvements were made to the outdoor woodwrighting area, with a wooden fence built to keep the public at a safe distance from the (very) sharp edged tools on view.
On sunny days the tent has been raised to show off the small craft and household items the group have accumulated. On one of our very wet weekends four brave souls risked camping in Suffolk (in a downpour, with one of the tents missing its outer roof covering - don't ask, let's just say we'll check our tents more closely before camping again). The trip was in order to visit the West Stowe Anglo-Saxon village development to view the building construction techniques used as well as the small domestic items. A very impressive site with a purpose built visitor centre, complete with interactive displays and a fully stocked shop. New publications on construction methods/designs and on costume were purchased to add to our library. Alan, Ann, Annie and Chrissie admitted they really enjoyed the visit but paled if the M25 was brought into the conversation.
The sunken hut has had its thatch reinforced with a turf topping giving it a wild look and the internal fire pit is now located beside a wall, complete with an ornamented clay fire back to protect the wattle walls.
Pole lathe work continues apace with bowls of increasing quality being produced.
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How we began...Anglo-Saxon Wood Wrighting Workshop- Nov 2007
We had a great weekend with Damian Goodburn from the Museum of London in November 2007 which kick-started the Edcott site. Discussions on appropriate building styles and techniques led on to designing and the first tentative steps in building our first Anglo-Saxon family dwelling, axes being wielded to great effect.
These skills have now resulted in our thatched sunken hut, complete with internal fire. A new cob bread oven was finished during our May 2008 weekend.
Further workshops have been run on a variety of topics - ring to let us know if you want to be involved.
These skills have now resulted in our thatched sunken hut, complete with internal fire. A new cob bread oven was finished during our May 2008 weekend.
Further workshops have been run on a variety of topics - ring to let us know if you want to be involved.