St Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry has revealed an ‘It’s Reigning Royals’ workshop as part of its learning programme for schools.
Schools visiting the historic venue in Coventry’s Cathedral Quarter can discover more than 700 years of history in a range of workshops while also making time to see the huge Coventry Tapestry which hangs inside - believed to the oldest of its kind in the country.
The It’s Reigning Royals workshop runs throughout May to celebrate the King’s coronation, inviting students to walk in the footsteps of past royal visitors to the Guildhall, such as James I, Mary Queen of Scots and Henry VI.
Tasks involve making their own banqueting menu with a quill, decorating a crown, learning about banqueting etiquette, trying a Tudor dance in the Great Hall and designing a coat of arms.
This session focusses on events across Coventry, while other workshops on offer are more curriculum linked to specific periods such as the Victorians and Tudors.
More workshops to choose from
There are four other permanent workshops to choose from:
- The Royals, Riots and Ribbons lesson analyses the story of Lady Godiva and how it relates to the venue, while also explaining what happened to the local textile trade that was once booming.
- Party Like It’s 1617 explores herbs in the medieval kitchen to investigate their origins and how it demonstrated social status, as well as how social class impacted the food that was available.
- The Rich, the Poor and the Hungry session allows students to experience life as a working Victorian child by having a go at weaving, carding and wool winding.
- A Tale of Two Queens trip investigates the lives of Queens Mary and Elizabeth I while exploring the building’s development during Elizabethan times.
School coaches and minibuses can drop off pupils on Bayley Lane. The nearest coach parking is at the White Street coach park, where there are seven coach spaces available.
School bursary offer
Schools that meet a certain criteria set by the team can apply for funding to help pay for a school trip to the Guildhall. This bursary offers a £2 discount per child for a half a day workshop.
The bursary is awarded to eight classes a year but will not be awarded to the same class in consecutive years. If you would like to apply for the bursary, you can fill out a form and send it to education@noordinaryhospitality.com.
For more information and to book a school trip to St Mary’s Guildhall, go to www.stmarysguildhall.com.
