Tudor History workshops for Schools

In this engaging and lively workshop, writer and storyteller John introduces the class to a variety of Tudor songs, both familiar and unfamiliar. Using his well-traveled mini-guitar, John will teach the group to sing one or two of these songs.

If time permits, this workshop can be combined with a Shakespeare session, where a short scene from a selected play is linked with the featured songs. Alternatively, based on the songs learned earlier, the class can collaborate with John to write, perform, and record their own original "Tudor" song.

Children will create a model of Bread Street, a fictitious yet typical pre-fire London street. Each child will have a model house to customise by adding windows, beams, shop signs, people, carts, animals, and more before cutting out and gluing the pieces together. A church and a large merchant’s house will also be provided. All buildings will be placed or stuck onto a specially designed baseboard, taking around 40-50 minutes. Both classes can work on their street simultaneously. Later, tissue paper flames will engulf the model.

This is usually the beginning of a day filled with activities, also covering the Plague and the Great Fire. The next activity involves bringing the street to life by creating soundscapes. Children will work in teams of about eight to recreate the sounds of a London street: vendors' street cries, working noises, church bells, animals, etc. This activity also takes about 40 minutes.

Alternatively, there is a bucket chain gang game where teams compete to see who can get the most ‘water’ onto the fire from a stand pump.

Additionally, children can build another model of Bread Street, this time as it would have been rebuilt after the fire, featuring brick terraced houses. This activity is usually left for a later date.

A character from the 17th century will visit, sharing their story of the Great Fire of London. Children will learn about life in the 17th century, including clothing, food, jobs, the plague, and medical practices. Our actor speaks in a language understandable to modern young minds. We recommend a Dressing Up Day to immerse children in the experience. Activities include role plays, storytelling, problem-solving, and artifact handling. Each visit is tailored to suit the children's age and topic cycle. We require two tables for display, parking access, and ample space for activities, preferably in the hall for optimal engagement. If space is limited, we can adjust activities accordingly.