An insightful trip exploring St Albans
On Friday 1st May, Year 6 enjoyed a cultural jaunt to St Albans on a gorgeous sunny day.
In between bouts on the swings and charging about in the park, our young historians got to visit Verulamium Roman Museum and admire some of the treasures of the old Roman city, see the in situ hypocaust (underfloor heating system), and learn about St Alban and his fateful encounter with a Christian priest. In addition to this, Year 6 visited the Roman theatre where they met none other than Boudica herself, who told them in gory detail about her rebellion against the wicked Roman occupiers. Despite, or perhaps because of, her tales of violence and bloodshed there was no shortage of Year 6 volunteers to join her army.
After an al fresco lunch, our pupils walked over to where poor old Alban himself had been martyred, the ancient execution hill outside the limits of the Roman city. On that site there now stands a rather impressive monument to the first British Saint, the great Norman cathedral that bears his name. After paying respects to his shrine, once a popular destination for pilgrims, and en passant noted the Roman brickwork of the cathedral’s central tower.
The day concluded with a gentle walk in the sunshine past the duck pond and along the River Ver, with plenty of opportunities to spot fish along the way, before heading back to the coach.
It was a wonderful trip, full of discovery and learning!
