The Bronze Age Village at Trewortha in Cornwall is attached to the Trewortha Farm Centre. It consists of Bronze Age roundhouse reconstructions on privately owned land, used for education purposes. The rich landscape of Bodmin Moor stood at the beginning of this initiative.
The farm / residential centre is meant for young people and is a private initiative. When Tony Blackman had retired as a Head Teacher, he got more involved in archaeology. The original idea however came from Mr. Lawrence, with Mr. Blackman helping – together a good team.
Mr. Blackman is a Bodmin Moor researcher, walks leader, leader of the Young Archaeologists Club of Cornwall, President of the Cornwall Archaeological Society, and retired Trustee and at present Honorary Vice-President of the Council for British Archaeology. Mr. Blackman does all the education days except specialist courses (which are for example done by Neil Buridge et al.). There has not been much sponsorship, but indeed help and support from Cornwall County Council Education Committee and support from North Cornwall planners in the early days.
Goal is to be interpretive for the understanding of Bronze Age life (as best as possible) and an understanding of what would be seen on the moors at that period, getting children practically involved in the past, teaching them about the day-to-day battles to survive and introduce a possible life style. The National Curriculum directs some of the work. Interpretation and excitement about archaeology / history are key elements.
The roundhouses constructed at the farm are general reconstructions, but there are real roundhouses in the same field. The first two houses were reconstructions 7 and 8 in the country and the first stone walled houses. Archaeologist Steve Hartgroves of HES Cornwall is involved for advice, but the interpretation and expertise of building were their own.
