YEAR 7 King’s Ely Junior pupils visited Ely Cathedral on February 12th to explore what it was like to go on a Medieval Pilgrimage, the life of a Monk and life in Anglo-Saxon and Norman Ely – all as part of their current topics in History lessons.
Students were able to dress up as Medieval Pilgrims and they discussed the motives for the various pilgrims, what a pilgrimage was like and what they wore. The activity finished with a procession to the site of the shrine in the cathedral.
The second activity was an opportunity to learn about life in the Benedictine Monastery of Ely. Pupils acted out the daily routine of eight church services, chapter meetings, meals and work. They also learnt about the philanthropic work of the Monks, the distribution of alms and the use of herbs in the monastic infirmary.
The final activity saw the pupils constructing a timeline of Anglo-Saxon and Early Modern England. In particular, they focused on developments in East Anglia, such as the burial at Sutton Hoo, the establishment of the first Monastery in Early by St. Etheldreda and the defence of the Isle of Ely by Hereward the Wake.
They also talked about some of the weapons and other tools used at the time, and some pupils had the chance to dress up and handle some replica weapons and other artefacts.
