Ancient Technology Centre
Damerham Road
Cranborne
Wimborne
Dorset
BH21 5RP
England
Website
www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk
Telephone
01725 517618
The Ancient Technology Centre's activities and buildings are based on archaeological evidence from a range of periods including the Neolithic, Iron Age (Celtic), Roman, Anglo Saxon and Viking eras.
Venue Type:
Architecture centre, Campaign or initiative
Additional info
The Ancient Technology Centre provides hands-on learning opportunities in ancient skills and crafts for school groups as day visits and as residentials.
The general public is welcome to visit on specific Ancient Days, Open Weekends and storytelling/musical events. Small groups may also visit the centre by prior arrangement only.
Please visit our website or telephone 01725 517618 for further information on all visiting details.
Over the past 26 years, the Ancient Technology Centre has constructed several buildings based on archaeological evidence from the Neolithic to the Viking Age. These have all been built with the help of thousands of visiting school children, using authentic methods and locally-sourced materials where possible. These buildings serve as 'living classrooms' with the EarthHouse also providing an internationally-acclaimed space for Storytelling, and the Longhouse offering a unique facility for residential visits.
Collection details
Performing Arts, Architecture, Archaeology
Key artists and exhibits
- Neolithic log cabin
- Iron Age Roundhouse
- Iron Age Earthouse
- Roman Forge
- Saxon Workshop
- Viking Longhouse
- Roman Water-lifting machine (formerly at the Museum of London)
- Ancient farmstead (animals and crops)
- Supporting artefacts and replica items for each building
Vikings Galore! Open Weekend
Explore the Viking Longhouse and see Viking and Saxon warriors re-enact battles of a time long past. A wonderful opportunity for all the family to learn about Viking crafts including blacksmithing and cob wall making. Kiddie Vike gives children the opportunity to challenge the Viking warriors to sword fights using wooden weapons. Try hands-on activities, listen to storytelling & Dark Ages music and purchase items from Viking traders. Part of the Festival of British Archaeology 2012.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10am-4pm
Where
The Ancient Technology Centre
Admission
No pre-booking necessary. Adults: £5; Children £2.50 (4-16 yrs) Concessions: Free entry to YAC members
Vikings Galore! Open Weekend
Explore the Viking Longhouse and see Viking and Saxon warriors re-enact battles of a time long past. A wonderful opportunity for all the family to learn about Viking crafts including blacksmithing and cob wall making. Kiddie Vike gives children the opportunity to challenge the Viking warriors to sword fights using wooden weapons. Try hands-on activities, listen to storytelling & Dark Ages music and purchase items from Viking traders. Part of the Festival of British Archaeology 2012.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10am-4pm
Where
The Ancient Technology Centre
Admission
No pre-booking necessary. Adults: £5; Children £2.50 (4-16 yrs) Concessions: Free entry to YAC members
Roman Open Weekend at the Ancient Technology Centre
Exerience life in Roman times. 'The Vicus' Roman re-enactors demonstrate daily life in a Roman town. See the herbalist and village surgeon and watch how a weaver produces cloth. Observe the blacksmith in the Roman smithy, the Roman waterwheel and participate in the Roman Sword School, Roman games, pottery making and Roman cookery. No pre-booking necessary.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10am-4pm
Where
The Ancient Technology Centre
Admission
Adults £5.00. Children £2.50 (4-16yrs).
Roman Open Weekend at the Ancient Technology Centre
Exerience life in Roman times. 'The Vicus' Roman re-enactors demonstrate daily life in a Roman town. See the herbalist and village surgeon and watch how a weaver produces cloth. Observe the blacksmith in the Roman smithy, the Roman waterwheel and participate in the Roman Sword School, Roman games, pottery making and Roman cookery. No pre-booking necessary.
Suitable for
- Family friendly
- Any age
When
10am-4pm
Where
The Ancient Technology Centre
Admission
Adults £5.00. Children £2.50 (4-16yrs).
Ancient Harvest And Apple Day
Make traditional apple jam in the Roman workshop, harvest hedgerow fruits and make fruit leathers good enough to eat! Other activities include using sheep’s wool to make felt and harvesting hedgerow plants to create natural dyes. A lovely, fun family day.
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Adults £4.00. Children £2.00.
Ancient Winter Day
See the crafts and skills that thousands of winters have seen before.
See the blacksmith working in the Roman smithy and participate in various activities in the Earthouse.
Come and talk to the people who have helped to build our structures and maintain the site – see ancient and traditional skills and crafts and take part in some of them. Our Ancient Days are a mixture of demonstrations and “have a go” sessions and always feature something for children to get stuck into!
Suitable for
- Any age
- Family friendly
When
10am-4pm
Admission
Adults £4.00. Children £2.00.
Website
http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk/ancientdaysprogram.html
Residential Visits
http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk/residentials.html
Our Viking Longhouse provides unique accommodation in a traditionally built hall, which includes well disguised modern toilets and a kitchen to ensure safe levels of hygiene. Children transform themselves into ancient farmers by dressing in simple costume and embark upon tasks that are real and varied, including the preparation of their own ancient style meal (including making butter, cheese and bread), tending to crops and animals, making rope, gathering and chopping firewood and many other tasks. Children also enjoy free time in the evening to play with a range of ancient games and toys. (Ancient Music or Storytelling workshops available).
How to obtain
From 1st April 2013 to the 31st March 2014 :
Dorset County Schools:
£360.00 per teaching day plus £20.00 per head for overnight
(including all “ancient food”, snacks and a modern breakfast); and £110 facilities charge for cleaning and laundering of costumes.
Non Dorset County Schools:
£370.00 per teaching day plus £22.00 per head for overnight
(including all “ancient food”, snacks and a modern breakfast)); and £110 facilities charge for cleaning and laundering of costumes.
Extra-curricular evening sessions of storytelling (£100) and Dark Age music (£150) can be added to your residential stay.
Education 'Winter' Day Visits
http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk/winterdayvisits.html
The Winter Days covers some of the tasks our ancestors had to do in the past: Farming with ancient ploughs and ards, fertilizing with wood ash, and sowing seed for our crops; Fire-making explores three methods of fire by friction in the past and children have to gather their own tinder around the site – the aim is to produce a fire that will keep the whole group warm at the end of the day; and Fence-building lets the children process hazel rods, saw and stack up firewood and build lovely hazel fences to manage the movement of our sheep and pigs.
How to obtain
Please visit our website www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk or contact Pascale Barnes on 01725 517618 or email on atc@dorsetcc.gov.uk
Prices as per Summer Day visits.
Educational 'Summer' Day Visits
http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk/summerdayvisits.html
Summer day visits are based in and around our reconstructed buildings and focuses on the ancient skills and jobs people would have practiced in the past. Our teaching days tackle some fundamentals of education – “where do things come from” – “how has the world changed” - “how did the seasons affect our ancestors” by looking at historical and archaeological evidence, but the overriding focus of any day visit to the ATC is to let your children get their hands on the past through a range of real, exciting and enjoyable activities such as blacksmithing, rope making , felt making and many others.
How to obtain
For further information please visit our website www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk or contact Pascale Barnes on 01725 517618 or by email: atc@dorsetcc.gov.uk
From 1st April 2013 to the 31st March 2014:
Dorset County Schools:
21 – 33 children £360.00 for two ATC tutors and includes all materials.
up to 20 children £240.00 for one ATC tutor and includes all materials.
Non Dorset County Schools:
21 – 33 children £370.00 for two ATC tutors and includes all materials.
up to 20 children £250.00 for one ATC tutor and includes all materials.
Educational 'Winter' Coppice Day visits
http://www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk/winterdayvisits.html
The Coppice Day.
A unique opportunity for your children to experience a working wood and genuinely understand the processes that were so familiar to our ancestors. After demonstration of ancient tools for harvesting hazel and a safety demonstration for the bow saw and loppers, your children begin the physical task of coppicing for the morning. We all return to the ATC with our gathered wood and have lunch around the fire in the Earthouse. The afternoon’s activities involve the use of the coppiced wood to rebuild woven fences and hurdle gates, and making fire by friction in the Roundhouse.
How to obtain
For further information please visit our website: www.ancienttechnologycentre.co.uk or telephone Pascale Barnes on 01725 517618 or email atc@dorsetcc.gov.uk.
Prices as for Summer Day visits.
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