Testwood Lakes

"To celebrate the exciting discoveries of Bronze Age life at Testwood Lakes, Wildlife Trust staff, volunteers and local school children constructed this Round House. A house of this size and construction is believed to have housed one family. Most of the timber used to build this house came from this Wildlife Reserve. The large Oak posts were brought in from another Trust Reserve at Roydon Woods in the New Forest. The walls are made of wattle and daub, which is woven Hazel (wattle) covered in a mix of soil, clay and straw (daub). To construct the roof 48 Ash and Alder rafters were used and crossed with a Hazel lattice to provide support for the thatch." Information from the adjacent board. The building has recently been vandalised - a notice on the door says it cost the HWT £400 to repair the damage. This view is from the boardwalk, on the return journey from the bird hides.