Priceless prehistoric house could be lost to learners after arson attack despair for organisers and volunteers



© Courtesy Poole Museum

© Courtesy Poole Museum

© Courtesy Poole Museum

© Courtesy Poole Museum

More than 1,000 schoolchildren a year were inspired by one of the country’s most authentic replications of a Roman’s home, razed in a blaze on Monday evening in Poole.Changes to the curriculum had seen the space become increasingly popular. The funding for its rebuild is uncertain, potentially threatening the future of the learning service which made such productive use of the prehistoric site.“It was a reconstructed salt worker’s dwelling and conforms to a type of building only found in East Dorset,” said Dr Trudie Cole, the Learning and Access Manager for Poole.“The Roman House was built using authentic techniques and based on excavation data from a house from Ower, in Purbeck.“The building seems to be a unique sub type found on in East Dorset. We believe it was the only reconstruction of its type in the world."It was a fantastic resource for schools, used exclusively for educational purposes.”Only the charred structure and some of the lime panels from the house remain. Local residents reacted to the news with dismay on Twitter.“This makes me very sad and angry,” wrote one. “My kids loved going there when you opened it to the public.”“I was only there with my son's school trip last month,” said a fellow supporter.“It really brought history to life for them.”Michael Spender, the town’s Museum and Arts Manager, said the attack – which is being treated as malicious by Dorset Police, who were called to a previous fire when a bird hide was set alight in 2013 – had left staff at Poole Museum and volunteers who had restored the house “heartbroken”.“We also feel extremely sorry for all the children whose school workshops are going to be affected,” he added.“We will of course be making alternative arrangements to minimise disruption.”The rest of Upton Country Park has remained open to the public. Anyone with information is asked to telephone Dorset Police on 101.