On Tuesday, pupils travelled back in time on a history trip to Cressing Temple Barns in Essex to explore aspects of medieval and Tudor life. The location itself is a historic one, with impressive buildings dating back to the 13th century made out of oak beams from trees which would have been mature at the time of the Viking invasions!  During the Anglo-Saxon period, Cressing belonged to King Stephen until his wife, Queen Matilda granted the land to the Knights Templar in 1137. 

Children were able to handle replica weapons and armour and even try some of it on. During an arms and armour demonstration, children learned how armour had developed from linked chain mail to riveted mail and on to plate armour as well as how weapons were developed to overcome the protection the armour offered. This was followed by an archery activity, where our potential Robin Hoods had to try and knock out a medieval knight.

The Tudor garden provided the chance to find out about some of the medicinal properties and every day uses of various herbs and plants (such as teeth cleaning!) which were so important in the lives of people living during the medieval and Tudor periods.