Year 7 explore the Northumbrian coastline

The History Department took 22 Year 7 pupils on a trip to Northumberland last weekend to visit Hadrian’s Wall and the breathtaking castles on the Northumbrian coastline.

Starting out at the Roman Army Museum on the first day, the group visited the Roman auxiliary fort at Vindolanda and then Vercovicium/Housesteads; another fort which is part of Hadrian’s Wall. The pupils learnt about the training, weaponry and composition of the formidable Roman Army and the reasons why Hadrian’s Wall was built and maintained. The site at Vindolanda, where extensive archaeological work has taken place since the nineteenth century, is truly exceptional and provided a unique insight into how the Romans lived behind the Wall.

Day two was dedicated to visiting the castles at Warkworth, Dunstanburgh and Bamburgh, which gave the pupils an opportunity to extend their learning of castle construction and development in the Middle Ages. At Warkworth the students found out about the Percy family and its history, as well as visiting the magnificent stone keep. Dunstanburgh is a great example of a castle that was primarily built to impress rather than defend, with an enormous gatehouse that would have stood 80 feet high. The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly Bamburgh Castle, one of the finest castles in the country and home of the Armstrong family. The pupils were given an opportunity to visit the keep and see some of the family’s possessions, including suits of armour and weapons from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

As well as immersing themselves in the history of the North East, the pupils went tenpin bowling and had great fun on the dodgems and playing football on Bamburgh beach. They were a credit to the sSchool and conducted themselves superbly throughout the trip.

Many thanks to Miss Revell and Mr Wilbur for giving up their weekends to make the trip possible.