Butser Ancient Farm

From the moment you arrive the experienced Butser Ancient Farm education team organise the smooth running of the day for all school visitors. All trips begin with an introductory talk and discussion around a real fire in one of the ancient houses. Our school visitors then move through their planned activities, all conducted in one of our buildings or in a superb open-air setting. The Butser education team provide hands-on instruction for each activity as well as a discussion of archaeological evidence, historical detail and fascinating anecdotes to reinforce learning... and fun! There is ample time for discussion with students and staff and each activity stimulates a lively, fun discourse in which everybody is encouraged to participate.
At the end of a Butser day our visiting schools leave a little dirtier, highly stimulated, much more knowledgeable about and engaged with their subject, and on time.

Farm

Butser is a working farm with rare breed animals including sheep, goats and pigs. We also grow ancient crops.

Prehistory

From the Stone Age to Iron Age Butser Ancient Farm offers a choice of activities to teach children about life in the past. Our reconstructed buildings from the Stone Age and Iron Age give children an authentic experience of life in the past with Stone Age houses and Iron Age roundhouses.

Celts

From the Celtic Iron Age Butser Ancient Farm offers a choice of activities to teach children about life in the past. Our reconstructed buildings from the Iron Age give children an authentic experience of life in the past with Round Houses, Iron Age toilets, and a weaving house.

Romans

From Roman Britain, Butser Ancient Farm offers a choice of activities to teach children about life in the past. Our reconstructed Roman villa gives children an authentic experience of life in the past, with a working hypocaust, Roman toilets, and a recently-completed Roman mosaic.

Saxons

From Saxon Britain, Butser Ancient Farm offers a choice of activities to teach children about life in the past. Our reconstructed Saxon house gives children an authentic experience of life in the past, with a traditionally-built oak-framed building, a treasure hide, and smoked meats hanging under the thatch.

Vikings

Butser Ancient Farm offers a choice of activities to teach children about life in Viking Britain. You can choose from activities that include learning about Viking runes, spinning wool, making jewellery and excavating Viking archaeology.

We have a Stone Age area and an Iron Age village at Butser Ancient Farm. There is a Roman villa and a Saxon house. All our structures are based on documented evidence from archaeological excavations.
Students visiting the farm for a whole day will take part in at least 4 hands-on activities chosen in advance from an extensive list. Activities are led by experienced Butser education staff and are designed to be specially relevant to the period studies. Our activities include Pottery, Wattle Fence Making, Jewellery, Clunching, Spinning, Cordage, Flint Wall Building, Mosaics and Roman Mathematics, Chalk Carving, Anglo-Saxon or Viking Rune Carving or Sewing, Chalk Carving and Archaeology.

Minimum charge is for 20 children, however smaller groups are welcome at this price. We can accommodate very large groups, please contact us to discuss your needs.

Our houses are our classrooms and visitors will have a chance to sit around a real fire and learn about life in Britain while they experience these authentic buildings.

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