Thirds visit Chepstow Castle

On Wednesday 22nd May, the Thirds travelled to the imposing Chepstow Castle to consolidate their learning about Medieval England. On arrival, Mr Haines led a tour of the castle, facilitating a useful discussion on attack and defence. It was fascinating to learn about the hot oil and sand that would be poured on the heads of attackers if they approached the intimidating front gate. As students moved through the castle they could really appreciate its position. It is surrounded by a river on high ground, making it easy to defend and resupply by boat. Up in the barbican they discussed the relative merits of tunnelling, siege towers, and trebuchets as methods of attack. This was followed by a talk on medieval life from historical re-enactor Neil, with some appealing anecdotes about medieval feasts. After lunch, students were treated to a medieval weapons display; the various arrows and swords were thrilling (and a little scary) to watch in action! They also enjoyed seeing Dr Limm and Anusha dressed up in chain mail to illustrate the protective armour of the time. Overall, the trip was very educational and enjoyable, helping everyone to learn a lot about the different weapons that were used in battles at that time.