Musket drills, pike training and execution of a King
Students from Year 8 got stuck in to an engaging array of activities at the National Civil War Centre in Newark. A day which was designed to support students’ understanding of the English Civil War, Britain’s deadliest conflict and the focus of their history lessons for the Spring term.
The visit saw students taking on challenges in the Civil War Galleries ranging from using computer generated cannon to target the Governor of Newark’s residence, to attempting a seventeenth century amputation and dressing appropriately as Royalists and Parliamentarians which was not as easy as it sounds !
A cinematic experience gave an insight into what life was like for those in Newark at the time of the siege of 1645-1646 when Parliamentary forces and their Scottish allies were desperate to oust the Royalist garrison.
Later students used their analytical skills to assess the cause of wounds from the battlefield on synthetic limbs and torsos before taking part in timed challenges with musket drills and pike training – a sight to behold complete with war cries!
For those students with a penchant for drama, came the opportunity to take on centre stage roles in a drama based session on the events of Charles I’s trial and ultimate gory execution, cue head in a basket whilst all considered the legitimacy of trying a King.
An exhausting, enjoyable day and one which could not be replicated in the classroom (thankfully)….