Henry Makes a Bender Tent for Benenden Primary School

Bender Tents in Kent Gypsy Travellers have traditionally favoured Kent as a stopping place (atchin tan), because of the opportunities for seasonal work. Including: hop stringing in the Spring strawberry picking in the Summer harvesting of apples and hops in the Autumn Christmas wreath making in the Winter. Before the development of the Gypsy caravan (vardo or wagon) Gypsies used to live in bender tents similar to the one made here by Henry.

Hazel poles are gathered from the hedgerow and cut to size. One end is cut to make a point that can be driven into the ground.

One of the poles is put on the ground and a kettle hook is used to make a line of straight holes next to it. The poles are pushed firmly into the holes that have been made by the kettle hook.

This is repeated on the other side. The size of the bender tent will be determined by the length and number of poles used.

String is cut into equal lengths, traditionally thin strips of willow would have been used.

The hazel pole is bent over to form an arch and secured in place with the string. This is repeated with all the poles. Henry makes sure that they are all the same height.

Another pole is tied at the back to give support for the canvas covering and add rigidity to the structure.

A ridge pole is cut to size and tied across the top of the arches, two more poles are tied to the sides. These will ensure that the structure is held firmly together.

A sheet of canvas is cut to fit, leaving enough to cover the back.

Tent pegs, made from left over pieces of hazel, are hammered through the canvas into the ground.

The canvas is tied securely onto the frame. Henry makes sure that there are no gaps so the tent will be weather proof.

Henry with the finished bender tent.

Being Resourceful Gypsy Travellers are very resourceful and good at recycling. When building a bender tent they would use materials that could be easily found around them or that they already had and could be adapted.

Your challenge - to make a bender tent Choose – Will you make a life sized bender tent or a smaller model? Research – Henry made one design of a bender tent, they can be made in a variety of ways. Look on the websites below to see the different designs. Which design will you make? Plan – Will it be best to work on your own, with a partner or in a group? What materials will you use for the poles, covering, ties and tent pegs? What properties will they need to have? Design – Draw a design for your tent with labels. Do – Make your bender tent. Review – How successful was your bender tent? Is it weather proof? How can you find out?

Romany Wales Project: Kent Romany Voices Instructions for making a bender tent The living Album – Hampshire’s Gypsy Heritage Passing places – living space