Pioneering a new type of historically accurate playground directly informed by 11th Century accounts.
The vision was to create a playground that on first glance looked like an atmospheric and lively market place, where people come to trade, work and barter.
Throughout the playground we wanted both adults and children to have a journey of discovery, an insight into what life would have been during the 11th Century and to engage with the hustle and bustle of their daily chores. Each element of the playground appears to have a historical place within the monastic scene and yet offer the opportunity for role-play, creative thinking and physically challenging tasks.
We carried out the manufacture of the project in the spirit of medieval craft, with each member of the team crafting an element and stamping their mark on the piece.
We worked closely with the English Heritage team, interpretation experts and historians to develop and realize a historically accurate interpretation and to obtain scheduled monument consent for the works. Due to the historical importance of the site, the structures and equipment were designed to make no impact below 75mm depth. This resulted in a complete rethink of play equipment foundations and lead to free standing play equipment.
Sustainable and locally sourced timber sits naturally within the surroundings and will age gracefully.
