Farm Life - Iron Age living

by Roger Hill

We recently visited an Iron Age village, but 2500 years ago there probably wouldn’t have been late night December parties. The folks back then got up at daybreak and went to sleep at dusk.

I was amazed at their ingenuity in using the natural landscape not only to build their houses, but to live sustainable lives. Of particular interest to me was the diversity of crops they grew - wheat, oats, barley, rye, spelt and emmer. Livestock included cows, sheep, Iron Age pigs and small horses fenced in by a palisade made of oak or ash stakes, interwoven with hazel wattle. Dogs, cats and bees were also kept.

House structures consisted of oak rafters and wall posts tied together with hemp (pictured right). Reed was used for thatching the roof which came nearly down to the ground. Inside was a wall made out of daub (clay, dung, straw and hair) as was the floor. A central fire burned all day providing heat, cooking and light. Nothing was wasted because everything was precious to everyday life.

Wishing you all a lovely Christmas and a healthy New Year. Oh that reminds me, I must choose my wife’s present. Another wheelbarrow? Saw? Ladder? Ummm! ‘Til next time, Roger #TuppertheTractor (website: quoit-at-cross.co.uk)

Sustainable living in Iron Age times