Summary.The arrangement of space is fundamental to architectural study. The physical structure of a building is the means of transforming and containing space. The spatial order thus created reflects and reinforces the relations between people. As such, changes in the spatial arrangement within and between buildings are seen as a means of detecting changes in social organization at a domestic level. Approaches to the study of settlement space and later prehistoric buildings are reviewed and form the basis for a re‐examination of prehistoric round‐houses in northern Britain. Particular emphasis is placed on the various activities that were carried out in these buildings. The reorganization of space within settlements at times of political and economic pressure is also conside