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THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 1 LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ TRAIL NAME THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 3 ABOUT THE LONDON CURRICULUM The London Curriculum supports the new national curriculum for students aged i 11–14. It uses the people, places and history of London to bring the curriculum to Did you know? life both inside and outside the classroom. It also encourages young Londoners to explore their cultural heritage. The word ‘Thames’ comes from the The River Explorers’ Trail has been designed to link to the London Curriculum. It can be names the native enjoyed by families, youth groups and anyone who wants to find out more about one of Britons gave to the the oldest and most fascinating cities in the world. river: Tamesis or Tamesa. You can find out more at london.gov.uk/curriculum On this trail you’ll learn why the River Thames has been vital to London’s development, and to Londoners, since the city was founded. You’ll find out more about some familiar river landmarks and a few lesser known ones. You’ll also discover how the Thames has inspired generations of artists, writers and poets. This booklet contains four different trails. Today, you’re following the: (circle as appropriate) THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 4 KEY to SYMBOLS USED IN TRAIL: FIND WRITE DRAW OBSERVE IMAGINE DISCUSS THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 5 StoPPING POINT: TOWER HILL You are standing near the eastern In Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad Complete for trails: boundary of the City of London, imagines how the London area must have London’s central business district. appeared to the first Roman soldiers The City is nicknamed the ‘Square Mile’. to arrive here: ‘Sand-banks, marshes, Do you know why? forests, savages…’ Imagine standing here i 2,000 years ago. What would you see? Did you know? How do you think you would feel? The Roman Wall Look at the key events in London’s history stretched for more pictured around the sundial. What has than 3 km, was 2.4m the sculptor used as a motif (decorative wide and probably at Find the section of Roman Wall. What design) to link them? Mark three dates least 6m high. is it made out of? Why do you think on the timeline below that you think are the Romans built a wall around their interesting or important. settlement? How do you think this affected the growth of London over the centuries that followed? AD 43 1992 Why do you think the Roman settlement grew up on this particular site? List two natural advantages of the site you can still see today. 1. The City of London Corporation is responsible for the local government of the City. As you 2. follow the trail see how many times you can 1 2 spot the Corporation’s coat of arms. TOWER HILL THE TOWER OF LONDON THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 6 StoPPING POINT: THE TOWER OF LONDON The Central Keep of the Tower of Complete for trails: London was started by William the Conqueror. The fortress and its surrounding defences were added to by later Norman and medieval kings. i Did you know? What is the name of the Central Keep? Why do you think it is called this? Until the river What message was William sending to walkway on the south Londoners through the building? side of the Tower was constructed in Make a sketch of the upper part of the medieval times the Keep that you can see rising above the river came right up to outer walls. Label it to show key parts the walls of the site. of Norman architectural design (for example shapes, material, features). THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 7 In Tudor times, the River Gate to the Tower became known as Traitor’s Gate. Can you i suggest why? Can you name any high Did you know? status Tudor prisoners in the Tower? Why The opera The do you think they were brought in via the Yeoman of the river rather than by road? Guard by Gilbert and Sullivan is set in the Look around you and see if you can spot a 1500s, in and around church spire opposite the Tower. This is All the Tower of London. Hallows by the Tower, the oldest church in the City of London. Inside is a Saxon Arch from the original building and a section of Roman pavement. © All Hallows Church, City of London GLA 2 3 THE TOWER OLD BILLINGSGATE OF LONDON MARKET THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 8 StoPPING POINT: OLD BILLINGSGATE MARKET A market was held on this site from Make a list of three changes, Complete for trails: Saxon times until 1982. The building one for each of the headings below: you can see was built in the 1870s. Imagine the site before then filled with Social change stalls and sheds. What sounds and i smells would there be? Did you know? From late Tudor times Billingsgate became The writer George famous for selling one particular product. Economic change Orwell worked at Find the clues on the building – and on the Billingsgate in the lampposts nearby – that tell you what it was. 1930s as did the Kray twins (East In 1982 Billingsgate Market moved to End gangsters) in Canary Wharf in east London. What is Environmental change the 1950s. the building used for today? How do you think the change in its use has changed this area? THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 9 Look back at the large building with blue railings that you walked past before i reaching Old Billingsgate. This is called Did you know? Custom House. What are ‘customs’? The French artist Why do you think it was sited so close André Derain’s to the river? painting Pool of London captures the Until this structure was built in the early busy wharves and 1800s, Custom House was on another site working river in the just to the east of here, called Wool Quay. early 1900s. Why do you think it was called this? As you continue on the trail look out for street names that tell you something about the history of the area. Write two of them below. 1. 2. Custom House © GLA 3 4 OLD BILLINGSGATE ST. MAGNUS MARKET THE MARTYR THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 10 StoPPING POINT: ST. MAGNUS THE MARTYR There has been a church on this site for Find the fragment of very old, blackened Complete for trails: over 1,000 years. Until 1831 it stood at timber in the courtyard. What is this the north end of London Bridge. evidence of? Find the blue plaque that commemorates i this. What does it tell you about the Did you know? position of today’s London Bridge? Until 1750, when Look at the street outside the courtyard and Westminster Bridge the buildings opposite. What different sorts was built, London of jobs do you think people do here? How Bridge was the only is it similar, or different, to your local area? bridge over the Thames in the centre Charles Dickens describes the spire of Write one thing you like about this area and of London. St. Magnus in Oliver Twist as ‘one of the one thing you dislike below. giant-warders of the ancient bridge’. What image does this conjure up in your mind? Like Dislike THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 11 The old St. Magnus church was destroyed during the Great Fire of London in1666. i The building you see today was designed Did you know? by the same architect who designed At 61.5m the St. Paul’s Cathedral. Unscramble the Monument is the letters below to discover his name. tallest stone column in the world. RIS RICHEPOHST NEWR As you continue on the trail look out for the monument to the Great Fire. What do you think the golden orb at the top means? © The Monument, City of London GLA 4 5 ST. MAGNUS QUEENHITHE THE MARTYR MOSAIC THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 12 StoPPING POINT: QUEENHITHE MOSAIC Use the mosaic to find out the name of Complete for trails: the early medieval Queen that the dock is named after: Queen i Did you know? The mosaic is the result of a community heritage project. Why do you think they The River Thames chose to make a mosaic? How did they is the longest river decide which events, people, animals and in Britain at objects to include? What is used as a motif Queenhithe Mosaic © GLA 346 km long. to link the different parts? This mosaic is on the site of the only surviving Anglo-Saxon Dock in the world. Look closely at the mosaic. Search for ‘Hithe’ is the Old English suffix meaning examples of objects and fragments of ‘wharf’. Can you think of any other place pottery. Where do you think these names in London ending in ‘hithe’? were found? THE LONDON CURRICULUM RIVER EXPLORERs’ tRAIL 13 Choose one section of the mosaic that you really like. Make a sketch of it in i the box on the right. Label it to show Did you know? the colours of the tiles and any Today the River found materials. Thames is the cleanest river flowing As you continue on the trail look out through a major city for the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral. in the world and is Designed by Sir Christopher Wren, it is home to 125 species the fourth church to be built on this site of fish.
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