Wiltshire Tourist Guide

Neolithic houses at Old Sarum near Salisbury - Wiltshire

In 2012 three experimental Neolithic houses at Old Sarum near Salisbury were begun in preparation for the new Stonehenge Visitor Centre due to open 2014.



The Riverside Project close to Stonehenge at Durrington Walls involving archaeological excavations by three universities over several summers past uncovered evidence of a considerable settlement around 2500BC at the time of the construction the ancient Stone Circle. It seems from the collection of bones and pottery found at the site that these Neolithic people gathered at Durrington on a seasonal basis much as the archaeological teams did as part of the Riverside Project!

Facilities near Old Sarum

The evidence uncovered is being used currently to build three experimental Neolithic houses on the boundary of the Old Sarum Castle a couple of miles north of the city centre. They were selected from about ten that were discovered in 2006 and 2007 at the Durrington Walls wite. Whilst the groundwork involving postholes and floor material from the Durrington Walls site is available the upper construction of the houses has long since vanished. Hence the experimental building techniques using only the flint tools available to early man. Chopping down to provide the timber post was an achievement in itself. The building materials include chalk, willow wattling, oak logs and water reed.

It is planned that the three experimental Neolithic houses at Old Sarum near Salisbury , as well as providing prototypes for the new Stonehenge Visitor Centre at Airmans Cross on the Salisbury to Devizes road, will be moved to the Salisbury Museum as part of an outdoor display on completion.

Neolithic Houses at Old Sarum near Salisbury