Year 4 had two brilliant trips to Murton Park this week, helping us to develop our understanding of what Vikings were really like, and how that might be different to the stereotypical view of Vikings that we often hear about.
Our day began in the Great Hall, where we were introduced to the idea that Vikings were six things: sailors, raiders, settlers, farmers, traders and crafters. We then split into two families (each family with a mum and a dad) and headed off into the Viking Village to experience life as a Viking settler, and complete some jobs to help the lord of the village.
Since the Vikings did not have electricity, candles were important to provide light that could be transported. We learnt that most Viking candles were made from tallow (animal fat) as beeswax would have been difficult to get hold of and very expensive. Then we enjoyed making and decorating clay tallow lamps.
In the lord’s house, we gave further thought to the role of fire for the Vikings, this time thinking more about cooking and food. We found out why bread was an important food for the Vikings and had a go at grinding our own flour. (With the doors and windows closed during their visit, 4SL really experienced the importance of the fire to provide light – the photography conditions were very difficult!)
For many children, one of the most exciting parts of the day was guard duty, where we learnt how to defend the village from Anglo-Saxon invasions using shields and spears.
We also had fun playing a Viking game. In the evenings, Vikings would sit in their houses telling stories and playing games to pass the time (and develop skills of logic and strategy too).
Throughout the day, we were shown different parts of a Viking village, including the homes of ordinary people and the lord, the garden and the toilet. In the centre of the village was a bell that could be rung to call a meeting or in an emergency.
The children in both classes had a great time and engaged really well with all the activities. Thank you to the staff at Murton Park, who did a brilliant job of bringing our history topic to life and showing what it really meant to be a Viking.
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