Public Open Weekend

Saturday 6^th & Sunday 7^th July

10am – 4pm

As part of our House of Wessex project, we’re excited to announce that our next public open weekend will take place during the first weekend of July. Watch the House of Wessex being constructed, plus have a go at Anglo-Saxon thatching, play traditional games, and see other traditional crafts on display. Free parking, and free entry.

Over the last six months, the timber frame for our reconstruction of an important Anglo-Saxon house has been created by dozens of volunteers. Over 80 logs of oak, sweet chestnut, ash, and birch have been split, shaped, and carved by hand using nothing more than wedges and axes. We are now ready to raise the frame.

During the open weekend you will be able to watch the final shaping of the timbers with axes and the raising of the House of Wessex.  A variety of traditional techniques will be used to carry the timbers to the site and raise the timber frame, including a gin pole and derrick.

Come and meet members of the Wulfheodenas, a living history society, to see and join in with Anglo-Saxon crafts, play traditional games, learn about bone carving, cookery skills and much more.

You can even learn thatching skills from our master thatcher and he will show you how to make bread using the wheat being used to thatch the roof

It will be a great family weekend and a major milestone in the project.

Free parking. Free entry. No booking required. Sylva Wood Centre, Long Wittenham. OX14 4QT.

If you would like to get more involved, we still have some places available for the public to receive training in timber-framing and traditional thatching. We are offering a series of one-day courses in July and August. Course-fees from attendees will be used to match-fund the funding received from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Find out more about the courses

Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund