Butser Ancient Farm

Over het museum

Butser Ancient Farm grew out of a decision in 1970 by the Council for British Archaeology to set up a working ancient farm where archaeologists could test their ideas about how people lived in the Iron Age. Work began on a trial site known as Little Butser in 1972, and the first public open day took place in 1974. The farm later moved to its present home on the Hampshire downland near Chalton.

All the buildings are based on evidence from archaeological excavations. They cover the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods and include roundhouses, a Roman villa and a Stone Age hall. By building and using them, the team tests theories about ancient technologies, building methods and daily life, and works with academic partners such as UCL Institute of Archaeology and Wessex Archaeology.

The farm is also a haven for rare-breed sheep and goats, ancient crops and historic gardens. It is run as a not-for-profit community interest company with a strong focus on education and research and welcomes more than 35,000 school pupils a year. For the public it is open on weekends and Bank Holidays, with extra opening in school holidays, and it hosts festivals, re-enactment weekends and craft workshops. The site has also been used as a location for films and television programmes.

Hoogtepunten

• Reconstructed Stone Age, Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon buildings
• Great Roundhouse and Roman villa
• Free drop-in craft workshops such as spinning, pottery and chalk carving
• Rare-breed sheep and goats
• Festivals and re-enactment weekends

Vaste collectie

• Reconstructed ancient buildings – Houses and halls from the Stone Age, Bronze Age, Iron Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods, built from archaeological evidence.
• Rare-breed animals and historic gardens – Rare-breed sheep and endangered goats, ancient crops and historic garden plantings across the site.

Opgericht

1970

Beheerder

Butser Ancient Farm CIC

Toegangsprijzen & kortingen

Booking online saves £1 per ticket. Annual passes and Friends of Butser members get free general admission on open days. Workshops and special events are charged separately.

Toegankelijkheid

• Rolstoeltoegankelijk
• Lift: geen informatie
• Aangepast toilet
• Gehandicaptenparkeerplaats
• Hulphonden welkom
• Tastmodellen / voelbare objecten
• Rondleidingen in gebarentaal: geen informatie
• Informatie in eenvoudige taal: geen informatie
• Audiodescriptie: geen informatie

The site is mostly flat with firm gravel paths. All buildings are wheelchair accessible except one room in the Roman villa, which can still be viewed. A wheelchair can be borrowed free at the visitor centre. The main car park beside the visitor centre is fully accessible; the overflow car park is on a grassy slope. Most ancient buildings have open fires, so smoke is possible. Everything may be touched and tried, except one roped-off display. Dogs are welcome on normal admission days but not at special events (assistance dogs excepted).

Kinderen & gezin

Erg geschikt voor kinderen & gezinnen

• Gezinsrondleidingen & workshops
• Speurtocht, doeboekje of kinderaudiotour
• Doe- en voelstations
• Kinderwagenvriendelijk
• Verschoonruimte

A free children’s trail, free drop-in craft workshops and holiday clubs such as the Time Traveller Holiday Club. Children can touch and try nearly everything. Baby changing is at the visitor centre toilets. The site is a working farm with open fires, so children must be supervised.

Bereikbaarheid & parkeren

Two minutes off the A3. Taxis can be booked in Petersfield (for example at the station rank).

Service & horeca

• Restaurant: niet aanwezig
• Museumwinkel

Hot and cold drinks, snacks and cakes at the visitor centre shop, with sandwiches at busy times and in school holidays; picnics are welcome and there are picnic benches across the site.

Evenementen & zaalverhuur

• Ruimtes te huur
• Privéfeesten
• Zakelijke evenementen
• Bruiloften / trouwceremonies

Tot 120 personen.

Roundhouses, a Roman villa and other ancient buildings can be hired; the Great Roundhouse takes about 90 seated or 120 standing. Weddings, handfasting and filming are offered.

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