Murton Park (UK)
Murton is a small village just outside York. In the park, you will find the Yorkshire Museum of Farming. It actually has become a conglomerate of a farming museum (of course) as well as several (re) constructed settings from different periods, from Celtic scenes to WWII perspectives, all of which are used as large classrooms.
Education programmes at Murton Park are designed to provide realistic Living History experiences for adults and children both on site and in schools. The aim is to enable children to better understand the everyday lives of their ancestors.
Brigantium is a large outdoor classroom cunningly disguised as a Roman Auxiliary Fort of the 1st Century AD. Designed to take up to 65 children a day as trainee soldiers in the Roman army. Equipped with their uniform, helmet, spear and shield, the young recruits are put through their paces by our centurion. Ditch digging, weapons practice (with blunt, dummy weapons), guard duty, craft work and parade ground drill are just some of the tasks they may have to complete to earn their Diploma. The garrison may also need to visit the local Celtic settlement, giving a chance to compare and contrast the life of the Romans to the Celtic peoples living in this land before the Roman Invasion.
Danelaw Dark Age Village is a unique educational environment that is designed to allow children to become Vikings or Saxons for a day. Costumes are provided and children carry out activities as the villagers of a Dark Ages Settlement. Grinding wheat, weapons training (with blunt, dummy weapons), guard duty, pottery, field and house work are some of the tasks children will undertake. Various visitors arrive to create role play scenarios and on a full day a banquet lunch is included.
The Tudor Croft forms the backdrop to a half day of activities for up to 30 children. Whilst in Tudor costume children will learn various skills such as candle dipping, calligraphy and making pomanders. The session is nicely rounded off with a period story told in front of the fire.
The children arrive at The Home Front Experience as evacuees and carry out a range of activities including baking on a ration, taking cover in an air raid and visiting the ARP Warden’s observation post. Role play, craft activities and scenarios will be used to create a realistic, unforgettable experience for children. An authentic packed lunch is provided.