The Blackden Trust Blackden

Event report

The Blackden Trust at
The Manchester Grammar School Junior Department

Thursday 4th June, 2009

Tutor: Tom Hughes

Helping to create a timeline

Helping to create a timeline

We asked the boys who attended the course to send us their thoughts on the day.

The Thoughts of some Year 6 MGS Junior Section Boys.

On 4th June Griselda Garner and Tom Hughes came to visit us from The Blackden Trust. This is situated near the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank and the house and land holds many secrets of long ago.

The first part of the talk gave us an opportunity to study a history timeline and artefacts associated with the different periods. We made lots of mistakes along the way but with some questioning and clues we managed to put everything in the correct place. Artefacts such as pots, hold many clues, for example if they're glazed then they're from a later period. Everything had a special story from the Tig cup with its three handles to stop you eating and drinking at the same time to the tankard with its flat bottom to stop it falling over. We loved dressing up in a variety of hats from different periods - the metal helmet was really heavy!

Considering the evidence

Considering the evidence

In the second part of the talk we discussed Anglo Saxon Burials. Frank had to lie down and pretend to be dead. We surrounded him with objects needed for his afterlife such as armour, weapons and food.

Then we imagined what would be left when the burial site was discovered years later. Everything that came from something living would disappear including Frank's flesh! It was really interesting to see what would be left.

It was fascinating and great fun. Thank you.


Two competitions were left with the boys to complete in their own time. The results will be published on the website in November.

 

The timeline of hats and pots completed

The timeline of hats and pots completed
 

Depositing grave goods for the Saxon warrior in his afterlife

Depositing grave goods for the Saxon warrior
in his afterlife

Casting the runes at the Saxon funeral celebrations

Casting the runes at the Saxon funeral celebrations

Recreating a Saxon burial site

Recreating a Saxon burial site

 

© The Blackden Trust 2009
    Updated: 25/02/2010		 The Blackden Trust is a registered charity no. 1115818