The Roundhouse Project

Help us build a roundhouse... one pole, one panel and one story at a time.

At Bugs, Bones and Botany, we believe the best way to understand history is to experience it.

Over the coming months we'll be starting a build - a traditional roundhouse. Using ancient techniques, hand tools and natural materials sourced from the woodland itself. Wherever possible we'll also reuse materials that would otherwise go to waste, including reclaimed thatch generously donated by local thatchers replacing older roofs.

After chatting with traditional craftsman Jake Keen, we left feeling even more inspired to create something lasting for our own community. His dedication to keeping ancient building skills alive reminded us how valuable these crafts still are today. We hope our roundhouse will become a place where those traditions continue, introducing children, families and volunteers to skills that have shaped our landscapes for thousands of years.

This won't simply be a finished building. It will be a living classroom.

Throughout the build, our Home Education groups and Holiday Club children will take part in every stage of the project. They'll learn how our ancestors selected timber, worked with the seasons, wove wattle walls, prepared natural materials and created homes using little more than the landscape around them.

The finished roundhouse will become a unique space for storytelling, Forest School, archaeology, ecology, traditional crafts, workshops and community events for years to come.

A Community Project

We're inviting our wider community to become part of the journey.

Parents are welcome to join us during build sessions, and we'd love to hear from anyone with traditional skills, practical experience or simply a willingness to lend a hand. Whether you can spare an afternoon or become involved throughout the project, every contribution helps.

Can You Help?

We're particularly looking for:

• 🌿 Local thatchers with reclaimed thatch available from roof replacements.
• 🪵 Woodland owners or arborists who may have suitable ash or other native timber.
• 🧺 Coppice workers and hedgelayers with hazel, willow or other weaving materials.
• 🪓 Craftspeople with traditional woodland or green woodworking skills.
• 🤝 Volunteers who'd like to be part of the build.

If you think you might be able to help, we'd love to hear from you (use the 'Contact Us' button below).

You can also help by sharing our project with friends, local businesses and craftspeople who may be able to contribute materials or expertise.

Every roundhouse begins with a single pole.

Ours will be built by many hands, using ancient skills, woodland materials and a shared belief that some knowledge is simply too valuable to lose.

We can't wait to welcome you to the build.