Thanks to Beatrice for writing this beautiful piece about her experience living in our Saxon house for a week. She joined us earlier in the summer as a student of archaeology from the University of Reading, and slept and ate in our new Saxon house dressed in authentic costume.Life in the Saxon hall has been an ultimately new experience, unlike any other previously encountered. Time spent there feels less stressed, no matter the activity and the simplicity of routine is relaxing. The central fire keeps the hall fully heated, even into the darker hours. After a day or so, a ‘lived in’ feeling develops, bringing a warmth unrelated to the fire or candles. Waking up in the morning to light streaming in through the ceiling vents is an amazing feeling, and its hard not to think back to hundreds of years ago, as our ancestors woke themselves in the same way.The house itself is beautiful, and it has been wonderful to be lucky enough to spend the time that I have in it. The clothing is surprisingly freeing, despite long skirts and leg wraps. This maybe comes from how comfortable they are to wear, and how adaptable and easily alterable they prove to be. Pride can be taken in appearance whilst simultaneously losing the concern over such things as body type, current fashions, and getting clothing dirty. Similarly, bare feet hold no issue and remain surprisingly clean due to a lack of modern pollutants. The ritual that comes from routinely placing similar clothing on, and combing and plaiting hair for the start of the day actually becomes calming, and surprisingly comforting.Whilst in the house I’ve eaten, and drunk, surprisingly well. A lack of processed foods lays way to stews and homemade breads. Fruit and nuts become snack food and act as a bulk on top of simple meals such as bread, cheese and honey. The fire gives off far less smoke than imagined, and it mostly rises well above head height. In the evenings, candles in brackets on the walls light the hall surprisingly well, and the atmosphere is amazing, no matter the number of people inside. Music enhances this, and even if just talking, or sat in silence, it feels different and special.It’s going to be odd leaving it all – dressing in modern clothing and no longer relying on the fire as the backbone to daily life. I think I will miss it: It is oddly easy to slip into life here, and having to venture back out of it feels like a strange and alien concept.