Earthworks
An octagonal earthwork surrounds the main enclosure. This enables monitoring of the decay, and colonisation of, the ditch and bank, with reference to the points of the compass.

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Fences
Based on long lines of postholes across sites, the fencing is mostly wattle (woven wood). The decay and replacement of the fences match the growth cycle of the material used.

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Working Hollows
This one is a daub pit, where a mixture of clay, soil and straw is mixed with water. This mixture is used to plaster on the walls of the buildings as half of 'wattle and daub'.

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Storage pits
Pits dug into the ground for storing food stuffs such as grain.
More details available here

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Pole Lathe
This machine is set up to demonstrate wood-turning. Items like tool handles, spoons and bowls can be produced on it.

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Metal Working
Assorted metal working activities are carried out here, such as smelting copper and casting bronze.

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Hay Stack
Based on the archaeological description 'a single post hole with depression'
Hay is dried grass, stored for animal feed during the winter.
The hay stack has a base of timber on the ground, around a post set upright to support the stack. This is to keep the stack dry and allow air flow up through the centre, (wet hay gets very hot as it ferments, and will self-combust!).
The hay stack has a roof with a hole in the top, to allow it to slide down the central post - as the hay is used, the stack becomes smaller. Butser has stored hay successfully for over two years in a stack.

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Wood Rack
A 'four post structure'.
Just what it is! A rack for storing timber.

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Firewood Store

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Compost Heap
A 'four post structure'.
Where else do you put all the vegetable left overs that will rot down? A compost heap will turn it all into a rich soil (with the help of worms).

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Bee Hive
The hive is made of straw, in the shape of an inverted basket. It has a covering of reed, to keep the rain off, and retain warmth.
Bees were kept for production of honey and wax.
The wax was used in the 'lost wax casting' of bronze items.
The honey was the only source of sweetener, and the remains of the honeycomb can be fermented to create mead, a strong alcoholic drink.

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Kitchen Garden
This is a small area behind the Moel y Gerddi roundhouse. A limited number of vegetables and dye plants are grown here, to be used in experiments and courses.

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Drying Racks
A 'two post structure' in this case a simple rack for hanging things on. It could be herbs....or clothes!

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Chicken House
Based on 'a single post hole'.
A covered perch for the chickens, about 2m off the ground. (It stopped the chickens trying to roost in the houses!)

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Weather Station
A record of the weather has been kept since the start of the Butser project. Apart from being able to compare the yearly conditions to the crops that are grown, the information is fed back to the Weather Bureau.

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