A shepherd's hut was a 19th and 20th century forerunner to today's RV. These huts were used by shepherds during sheep raising and lambing. They were also used while moving flocks around for "natural fertilizer" purposes. Shepherd's huts often had iron wheels and corrugated iron tops. Sometimes the sides were also made of corrugated iron.
One story depicts Wally Byam

Wally Byam

Wallace Merle "Wally" Byam, was one of the pioneer manufacturers of the travel trailer. He founded the company, Airstream Inc. From the 1930s until his death in 1962, Byam was a leader in developing both a romance and enthusiasm associated with the automobile and recreational vehicle culture as...

, manufacturer of Airstream

Airstream

Airstream is a brand of luxury recreational vehicle manufactured in Jackson Center, Ohio, USA. It is currently a division of Thor Industries. The company, which now employs fewer than 400, is the oldest in the industry. Airstream trailers are easily recognized for their distinctive rounded...

trailers, as living in a similar contrivance at some period during his youth.

The shepherd's hut was a kitchen, dining room, bedroom, sitting room and storeroom all rolled into one. The designs vary but all were constructed to provide the shepherd with practical and durable accommodation. The old huts had a stove in one corner for warmth and cooking, and a window on each side so the shepherd could see the flock. A hinged stable door, which was always positioned away from the prevailing wind, enabled him to hear the flock, and strong axles with cast iron wheels were used to withstand the constant movement from field to field.

New versions are now being made by a number of companies to be used as garden rooms, for example.

External links

• shepherdhuts.co.uk, a website devoted to historical shepherd huts; a UK database for surviving huts