KS3 History Visit to the Tower of London

  

            

 

 

On 17 April all Key Stage 3 students and staff set off for the Tower of London as part of their history curriculum. The students had been studying Tudor and Stuart Britain since the beginning of the year and the visit provided an opportunity to finish off the study unit and witness for themselves the place where many of the historical figures from that period had invariably ended up!

 

 

The students took part in two workshops lead by ‘characters’ from the time.

 

 

The first was on the life on Ann Boleyn which told of how the Tower formed a back drop for her marriage to Henry VIII and ended with her being taken to the Scaffold Site where she and Catherine of Howard were executed.

 

 

The second workshop focused on trial, punishments and executions at the Tower. The students were able to see where the prisoners were kept, sometimes in relative luxury if they were important.

 

 

The different types of punishments were discussed and tales told of different attempts made at escape by some of the prisoners. One tells of a prisoner who jumped from the Middle Tower but landed on his head which was pushed inside of his body, so much so that the guards were not able to recognise him!

 

 

                          

         

 

 

The day ended with the students being able to walk around the grounds and the opportunity to see the Crown Jewels and an exhibition of the weapons used over the years at the Tower. Staff and students had a great day but were nevertheless pleased to have made their escape from the Tower!

 

 

     

 

 

C Carroll