January 23rd 2023
Learning about Tudor houses
Monday afternoon saw Year 2 taking their topic lesson off site. They had been warmly invited to the Haworth's house, not for tea and cake, but to see a real Tudor house showing lots of the features that would have been in the homes that succumbed to the Great Fire of London. Moulsford parent Jess Haworth, who Mrs McMann feels has missed her calling as a tour guide, showed the boys the tools used by a thatcher as well as those required to achieve the wattle and daub walls. The children learnt all about the bendy hazel twigs used to weave the walls and the donkey hair and poo required to plaster over the twigs. The boys looked down the well to see just how far down it went and marvelled at the idea of the Tudors using the water as drinking water.
Inside the house the children felt well and truly protected from any witches there may have been about as there were numerous witches marks put in place to protect the inhabitants. The fireplace held a, now blocked up, bread oven and the historic occupiers would have provided bread for not only themselves, but others in the village also. The final treat was to go all the way to the top of the house where the boys could pop their heads up into the roof space to see the underside of the thatch. What a wonderful opportunity it was to be able to see these things up close and we are sure that the boys will remember so much from their visit.
Thank you once more to the Haworth's for opening their home up to 29 boys and 4 members of staff.
