History Visit Ends with a Bang

Year 1 had an explosive, fun filled day in the company of the History Man as he made a much-anticipated return visit to Davenies to bring the boys’ topic Castles and Knights to life.

The morning began with a look at the time line of the history of castles in England, beginning with the Norman Conquest in 1066. Year 1 discovered that because not many people could read or write in Medieval times, the news of the invasion was spread by sharing a ‘sewn comic’ or tapestry in churches so that the Saxons were in no doubt about who was now in charge. The boys were able to ‘model’ the everyday clothes worn by Kings, bishops and monks and of course armour. This provided a fantastic opportunity to discover just how heavy these protective suits were.

There were so many fascinating facts to learn throughout the day, from the origins of the English language, to the reason why trousers are known as a pair. The Normans kept exotic leopards and their depiction on shields made them look rather like lions. Three lions on a shield has a certain ring to it and of course the boys did not miss this reference to the England football team’s emblem! The History Man had recreated the Mappa Mundi, a treasured relic from Medieval times housed in Hereford Cathedral. It depicts the world as understand by the Normans, resplendent with unicorns, mermaids and dragons.

Added to all this excitement, the boys had the opportunity to try out for themselves many of the artefacts brought along for discovery. Trebuchets and catapults were shot at a castle, archers shot their arrows and the History Man was pleased to engage in a sword fight with any of our knights who dared to challenge him. The afternoon ended with a very loud bang as the History Man fired a canon on the Sports Field. It was a fitting end to a very exciting and interactive day of learning.