Building a Cob house in a day.

Imagine the year is 1650, a young couple, Jacob and Catherine are about to get married, but have nowhere to live together. Their respective houses are already over-crowded. Up to 10 or more people would live in a Cob house 25 feet long and 13 feet wide.

Hence the practice of erecting a house in a single day by the whole village for the newly-weds. A communal venture. Once the house was completed, the householder would treat their guests to a party of eating, drinking and dancing.

But how was it possible to build a house in a little over sixteen hours, and could it be re-attempted 350 years later? The following is an account of an incredible day and a brilliant group of volunteers who made it all possible.

Our thanks to the staff at Meridian Broadcasting in Northam for their help in sourcing this film.

BBC documentary from 2006

50 years of BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 1 BBC South. Steve Humphrey tells the story of BBC South from the first broadcasts of South at Six. Introductory footage is from the British Pathé Archive.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

50 years of BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 10 Home Movies. One of a series of features which celebrate BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Chris Coneybeer takes a look at cine footage filmed by BBC South viewers. Thanks to Nick Haslam, Dave Clark, Jonathan Sayers, Paul Hilton, Lionel Joseph and David Palmer.

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.

50 years of BBC South. A series of 19 mini-features made by BBC South at Southampton in 2011 to celebrate the station's 50 year history.

Episode 11 The Cellar Show. One of a series of features which celebrate BBC South's 50 years of broadcasting. Allen Sinclair takes a trip back to the eighties when BBC South had a regular arts programme called The Cellar Show. Presenter Jenni Murray introduces a new face on the music scene, Billy Bragg. But what young Billy say if he could meet Billy today?

NFG are indebted to the BBC staff at Southampton for their help in sourcing items for the archive. See more episodes in the Category - BBC South.