Visit to the National Civil War Centre

On Tuesday 11th February, the History Department took all Sixth Form historians to the National Civil War Centre in Newark, Nottinghamshire to supplement their study of England and Scotland during the Stuart era. Girls were given a chance to explore the museum’s varied exhibitions, including some with a focus on fake news and radical political thought. The former was particularly interesting, as many would consider fake news a recent phenomenon, however, we were surprised to learn that it is in fact a tradition dating back to the invention of the printing press and one that was used to great effect during the English Civil War. Later in the day, we were given the opportunity to engage in a hands-on classroom task involving the use of genuine artefacts from the museum’s collection, including coins, swords and even cannon balls. In the afternoon, we were taken on a walking tour of the town of Newark, a Royalist stronghold in the 1640s that underwent three sieges by Parliamentary forces. Finally, we returned to the museum and participated in a mock battle, having been given a quick crash-course in how to use a pike, or in our case, a long foam stick! Overall, our trip to the National Civil War Centre was highly informative and a memorable experience for everyone.