Flag Fen Archaeology Park has been painstakingly rebuilding its Iron Age replica roundhouse after it was almost completely destroyed in a fire on 13 July.
The swift response from the Peterborough Fire Brigade on the day prevented the fire from spreading to the wider Bronze Age site, safeguarding internationally significant archaeology and artefacts.
A crowdfunding campaign was subsequently launched aiming to raise £18,000 to help with the rebuild. In just one month, donations have reached an impressive £17,289.
A spokesperson for the site, located in Northey Road, said: “Since the incident, we have been overwhelmed by public generosity on our fundraising page, along with offers of volunteering support – and even local business like Tyrel Surfacing who were amongst the first to reach out. Substantial contributions have also come from organisations, and heritage partners, including financial support from Historic England and materials from The National Trust Wimpole Estate.
“Whilst the new Iron Age roundhouse will take approximately nine months to complete, countless volunteers and community groups, including the 5th Peterborough Central Scouts Group, have stepped in to help accelerate completion of a new roundhouse that City College Peterborough students have helped to build this year.
“Their support will ensure that the part completed roundhouse will be ready for September when schools return and continue to experience and explore prehistory in the unique setting Flag Fen provides.”
Volunteers, including the scouts, have been helping to ‘daub’ the walls of the new roundhouse – which involves applying traditional mixture of soil, clay, straw, and animal poo for weatherproofing and insulation.
The spokesperson added: “It's a messy but rewarding task that again offers insights into historical construction methods.”
Commenting on the community support, Jacqueline Mooney, General Manager at Flag Fen, added: “We are deeply grateful and humbled by the huge amount of support from our community and partners.
"This collective effort is helping us recover quickly, protect our heritage, and continue delivering our award-winning education programme.”
Flag Fen is now set to launch the roundhouse rebuild this coming Bank Holiday Monday, 25 August.
The event will mark the first step in bringing back the structure, laying both the symbolic and practical foundations of the project.
Activities will include:
• Marking out the roundhouse footprint
• Coppicing willow and hazel for building materials
• Timber splitting for rafters and stakes
• Traditional wattling demonstrations
Activities on the day will include talks by roundhouse expert David Freeman who will lead the project to rebuild the Iron Age roundhouse.
The spokesperson added: “These talks are a unique opportunity to hear from David at the start of the project. Titled “From Posthole to Roof – Reconstructing an Iron Age Roundhouse” the talks will take place at 10:30am and 1:30pm. Visitors will also have the opportunity to experience hand-on workshops, tool handling and wattle weaving.”
They added: “The rebuild will not only restore a much-loved landmark but will also endorse Flag Fen’s commitment to heritage, education, and community engagement.”
To volunteer, email [email protected]. To donate, visit the site’s GoFundMe page.
1. Community Support
The 5th Peterborough Central Scouts Group spent time at the site helping to rebuild the roundhouse following its devastating fire last month (inset). Photo: Supplied
2. Devastation
The roundhouse was almost completely destroyed int he fire last month. Photo: Supplied
3. Rebuilding
The dirty task of building up layers of mud mixture on the structure. Photo: Supplied
