the Trade Tent

The Trade Tent is a small company run by a family living in Dorset who have a passion for history and crafts and have managed, we think, to combine the two. Through working and volunteering at The Ancient Technology Centre (ATC) in Cranborne we have increased our knowledge and abilities with numerous skills and activities which we have put to good use.

Our initial concept addressed the residential aspect of the ATC – whenever our children have stayed on residential trips they always go with pocket money and return with ‘things’ of varying value. At The Trade Tent we focused on how to enable residential children to buy worthwhile, affordable and relevant souvenirs to remind them of their stay.

This idea developed into sourcing beads and coins which replicate those from the Roman and Viking periods and making small leather pouches. Our leather working evolved and we found ourselves immersed in archaeological reports studying the scant leather remains identified predominantly in Britain and Northern Europe.

At The Trade Tent, we then expanded our modest range to include a more extensive range of handmade items, the prices of which reflect the quality and attention to detail.

The Trade Tent is actively supporting the ATC through several means – physically, by attending their open events and residential groups, through spreading the word about the Centre through this site and when attending outside events, and financially – all sales of goods from The Trade Tent result in a contribution to the work carried out at the ATC.

We hope you enjoy looking at our products and find what you are looking for. If you have any suggestions or specific requirements please contact us and we will try to help.