We had Tesco Clubcard vouchers for Warwick Castle that had been sitting around for weeks and were about to expire, so yesterday we went to Warwick Castle. My wife, my 7 year old son and me. Frankly we had a wonderful day out. Whilst none of the day improved my knowledge of Elizabeth I, it did help me understand even more about the value of such experiences in teaching history.
We started by listening to an archer and watching him demonstrate the use of both long and cross bows. He then told us how you removed arrows from wounds; gruesome but fascinating and my 7 year old was absolutely rapt, a state he would be in for large periods during the day. Many employees of the castle were dressed in medieval costume and walking around talking to visitors. We took part in the Sword in the Stone event, Tom was even chosen to step up and remove the sword for which he was rewarded with a toy sword and a certificate proclaiming him to be a true knight of Warwick Castle. Parenthood is made of such proud moments. We tried our own hand at archery and watched full sized working trebuchet fire a flaming projectile.
The value of learning this way is immense. I learned things I hadn't know, not major points and facts but little things that really bring it to life; the tools being used in the demonstrations and displays of Kingmaker, that Winston Churchill was not very tall, and other things too. Experiences like this really bring history to life, lifting it from the page so that you don't just read and understand what it was like, but you can see, feel, hear and smell what is was like and really start to appreciate it.
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