The roof is on!
Hurrah! After putting on about 15,000 hand split oak shakes the roof of the Saxon hall has been completed. A traditional Saxon celebration of roast pork, mead, carrot cake and […]
Author Archives: richardbrunningswht
Through a glass darkly
Hurrah! The windows are in the Roman building (well done Terry and Rod) and the shingles are on the smoke hood roof. The cob walls are being smoothed off. There […]
Summer frenzy
Despite the oppressive heat of our British summer (last Tuesday if you missed it) work continued on site fuelled by steely determination, a can-do attitude, doughnuts and ice creams (thank […]
Firing up!
A Roman hypocaust has been lit in Somerset for the first time in 1,550 years (give or take a few). The underfloor heating system was fired up a few days […]
A window on the past
The windows for the Roman building have arrived safely, courtesy of our resident glass expert Terry. Sadly the sills were not level enough so have to be tweaked to provide […]
Flues, valleys, glass and Viking invasion
Exciting times on the archaeological building site. On the Roman building the scaffolding is down and the hypocaust flues are going in the walls. On the Saxon longhall shingles are […]
Beckery uncovered!
The chapels on Beckery island have been uncovered again for the first time in 50 years. Glastonbury Abbey sources from the 12th century link the chapel to King Arthur, who […]
Shaking in the sunshine
Despite the intense heat, work has been continuing on the Saxon hall, with wattling of the gable ends and walls using hazel from woodland on Cothelstone Hill. The battens are appearing on […]
Shutter up!
Back to a bit of woodworking with shutter making for the Saxon hall this week. Hopefully they will be open most of the time in the finished building to make […]
Art week
Last week turned into an impromptu art festival, on show and tell lines, where people brought in their homework for public acclaim. Mary had a very nicely carved window shutter latch […]
Avalon Archaeology 'Hands on Heritage' 