The roundhouse was the traditional type of building in Britain for over 2000 years from the late Neolithic period (about 4000 years ago) until the Romans invaded in 43AD. Even after the Romans arrived many people on rural sites, especially in remote areas, continued to live in roundhouses. By the end of the Roman period around 400AD most people lived in square or rectangular, Roman style buildings, although after the Romans left many traditional styles of life became common again.
The most common form of roundhouse was made almost entirely of timber, with upright timber posts supporting walls of interwoven willow or hazel branches. These branches could be covered with daub that was a mixture of clay, hair, earth, animal droppings and straw. This would bake hard like plaster and make the walls weatherproof. The roof was probably constructed of timber poles that were joined to make a cone shape over the house that could be covered in straw, hay or animal hides. In other parts of Britain, especially the highlands of Cornwall, Wales, Northern England and Scotland, many roundhouses had stone walls because the ground was either too stoney, making foundations difficult to dig, or too wet which would cause the timber walls to rot.
A whole family would probably live in the roundhouse that would have a central fire place for cooking and warmth and cooking.
