Henry VIII was one of the most influential monarchs in British history and the Year 5 boys have thoroughly enjoyed learning about him this term. Therefore they were thrilled to have the privilege of visiting his residence – Hampton Court Palace. What could be a better place for learning about such a significant historical character?
The visit began with a trip to the Hampton Court kitchens where the class learnt about cooking meat on the spit and how much food was produced day to day. Did you know that Hampton Court fed around 400 people twice daily during Henry’s reign?
Before visiting Anne Boleyn’s gateway, the Year 5 boys learnt all about Henry’s first two marriages and the fact that the palace was once adorned with many decorations expressing his love for Anne. They found it interesting to find that all of these had been removed after her beheading apart from two single stone tiles which can still be seen today.
Visits to the Great Hall, the Watching Chamber and the Haunted Gallery gave opportunities for the boys to find out about and explore Henry’s other marriages. Unfortunately, the class were not lucky enough to spot the headless ghost of Catherine Howard. Perhaps she was loitering at the Tower of London that day?
The day ended with a workshop all about Tudor fun and games. All of the boys had a turn at something whether it was advising in a game of jousting pulleys, rolling marbles or trying on armour. A great day was had by all!
Categories: School News
