William Edwards Young Roots Project

William Edwards School and Sports College

 In July 2006 William Edwards School and Sports College undertook what was know as their young Roots Project.  As the School had been built on a Roman and Anlgo Saxon settlements it was a year nine project to recreate a time line garden on the east side of the School which included an archialogical dig, where ancient artifacts were found, an ancient burial ground, a human sundial, a forge, a Tudor wall and gaden, and more recently a 2nd world war allotment and bomb shelter. 

Further west in what locals would remember as  Primrose Island was planned to build an Anglo Saxon dwelling using traditional methods of construction.  The Stifford Forum took on the design, supervision and construction of this dwelling with help from volunteers from Fords, Bellway Homes and Ikea, and in the three day project  the main construction was completed.  Other work continued through November of 2006 and in late February 2007 work started on the thatching and the whole project was complete in March when the door was fixed.  Unfortunately three days after completion it was burned to the ground by vandals.  The school had plans to use this dwelling as a learning centre for all the schools in the area.  The good news is that it will be rebuilt in early spring of 2008 and the Stifford Forum will be supervising the rebuild with more voluntary help.

 These photos show the completed dwelling before and after its distruction.   March 2007

 The next set of photos are of the reconstruction. 

All the timbers that survived the fire	Construction starts with new oak ridge, purlins, coppice pole rafters and hazell battens.	Students tying the battens to the rafters
Main structure complete	Chestnut boarding to rear	Chestnut boarding to the front
All ready for thatching	Thatching under way with Norfolk reed	Thatching near completion
Students involved with the project	Inside showing existing burnt timbers	The completed Anglo Saxon Dwelling
This photograph was taken at the begining of February 2009 during the period of snow