House of Wessex newsletter

Welcome to the House of Wessex newsletter

The House of Wessex project is nearing completion. Since our last newsletter we have continued the reconstruction of the building. Hazel hurdles have been fixed to the roof structure, wattling weaved for the walls, and then we had some great fun daubing the walls with the help of volunteers. The thatching has begun and will be completed in the next few weeks. Just this week the doors are being made, and a volunteer wood carver will be returning soon to continue a beautiful carvings over the main doorway. Read on to find out more, watch a video, and find out more about our next public open day.

Lesley Best
Project Manager

A 24-hour timelapse film showing thatcher Alan Jones at work on the House of Wessex

We need your help!
An important phase of our of Heritage Lottery funded project is to collect feedback from everyone who has been involved in or influenced by the project. We would be very grateful if you could complete the following questionnaire to help us complete the evaluation to our funders.

Please leave your feedback on the project

Facts & Figures about the traditional thatch roof

The roof covers 150m2
40 wattle hurdles made from hazel have been fitted to make the roof structure
300 pegs will be required
800m of cordage will be used to tie on the hurdles
140 rolls of turf will cover the hurdles before the wheat thatch is laid
5 tonnes of heritage Red Standard wheat will be used in the thatch
5000 spars made from bent hazel will be needed
10 ridge rolls will be fitted, made from water reed

Public Open Day

The next Public Open Day will be held on Sunday 20^th October 10am-3pm. Please note that this is a change of date from that advertised earlier in the year.

Come along to celebrate the opening of the House of Wessex building to the public, and marvel at the stunning craftmanship. See the Wulfheodenas demonstrating Anglo-Saxon living history in their new home.

Become a Patron

The faithful reconstruction of the House of Wessex, working with many dozens of volunteers with its programme of learning, is part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Sylva Foundation is seeking help in raising funds to realise the project’s full potential, and to establish a legacy fund.

We offer different levels of support, from Bronze, to Silver, to Gold, with some great perks for the donor.

Find Out More

Daubing

We held a very successful week where members of the public helped mix clay, straw, horse hair and cow dung, and then apply the daub to the wattle walls. It was good weather and everyone enjoyed working with the materials and getting really stuck in. Our friends from Style Acre were particularly brilliant (see photo above)!

Day School at Oxford University

House of Wessex. Anglo-Saxon Hall Complexes: Architecture, Use and Setting

The Department for Continuing Education at Oxford University is holding a Day School looking at Anglo-Saxon Hall Complexes around the country, exploring their structures and archaeological evidence. Places are still available: click here for more information.

Students will be visiting the House of Wessex on the Sunday, where thatcher Alan Jones and a some Wulfheodenas will be on site to meet and explain the reconstruction of our site.

Day School course

Have you visited the House of Wessex webpages? They are being updated frequently with new content including films, photos and information about the build, Kingdom of Wessex trail, and more on the history. Visit www.sylva.org.uk/wessex