Crannogs were built using wood from nearby trees and woodland areas. This meant the house could be maintained, while food sources such as berries and wild cabbage could be foraged for. To build a Crannog, round timber poles were used for the flooring as well as to form the structure of the roundhouse.

What was the purpose of a crannog?

An artificially constructed site for a house or settlement, a crannog was usually built on an islet or in the shallows of a lake. Crannogs were made of timber or sometimes stone, and they were usually fortified by single or double stockaded defenses.

Are there any crannogs in England?

Surprisingly, despite a strong concentration of crannogs in south-west Scotland, no artificial islands have yet to be found in England, although sites at Glastonbury and the Somerset Meare appear to employ raised platforms in a wetland setting.