Chirk Castle activity resource pack Chronological awareness timeline worksheet (AFTER)…………...……………………………...2 Building a castle worksheet 1: Location (BEFORE, DURING)……………………………………..3 Building a castle worksheet 2: Defensive architecture (DURING)……………………………….4 Teacher answer sheet for Building a castle worksheet 2………………………………………...5 Under Attack! Worksheet (DURING)……………………………………………………………....6 Teacher answer sheet for Under Attack! Worksheet………………………………………….….7 Servants’ Hall Rules worksheet (AFTER)…………………………………………………………..8 Reading Coats of Arms worksheet (BEFORE/AFTER)…………………………...……………….9 Coat of arms design worksheet (BEFORE/AFTER)……………………………………………….. 10 Castle photo quiz (DURING)…………………….…………………………………………………..11 Using portraits as historical sources worksheet (DURING)……………………………………...12 Comparing portraits worksheet (DURING)……………………………………………...………..13 History Detectives worksheet (using objects as sources) (DURING)…………………..............14 Garden Detectives worksheet (DURING)…………………………………………………………15 Garden photo quiz (DURING)………………………………………...……………………………16 Plants in Medieval Medicine spotting worksheet (DURING)…………………………………….17 Pongs, posies and pomanders: Medicinal plants worksheet (AFTER)………………...………...18 How this resource pack complements your visit to the castle In this document you will find a range of worksheets and activities to complement your visit to Chirk Castle. These activities have been designed specifically to encourage pupils to develop their analytical skills, to explore their creativity, and to build on and optimise their time at the castle itself. Practical Information In the Table of Contents, each worksheet is marked BEFORE, DURING or AFTER, indicating when it would be best to complete All activities are designed to be flexible, allowing adjustments for age or ability. Where necessary, this pack also includes teacher answer sheets for ease of marking. Time Traveller Timeline After your visit to Chirk Castle, fill in this timeline with evidence you saw of different periods in the castle’s history. CENTURY What historical Which section of What evidence did I period is this? the castle had the see from this and important best evidence of century? events this century? 1300—14th century 1310: Castle completed on the orders of Kings Edward I and II 1400—15th century 1400: Owain Glyndŵr’s Rebellion 1500—16th century 1595: Thomas Myddelton buys Chirk Castle 1600—17th century 1642-49—The Civil War 1700—18th century 1720—The statue of Hercules arrived in the Gardens 1800—19th century 1846—The architect Pugin began a huge redecoration of the castle 1900—20th century 1911—Lord Howard de Walden moved into the castle 1981—Castle now run by The National Trust 2 Building a Castle Step 1: Location, location, location Look carefully at these two maps of Chirk Castle. The first shows the castle in its surrounding landscape. Why might it have been built here? Can you spot any geographical features which might have made this a good location for a medieval castle? 185 miles above sea level 200 miles above sea level 160 miles above sea level Brook off the River Ceiriog Now look at the second map. It shows a simple aerial plan of the castle. How can you see that the castle was built for defence? Is it missing any features you might expect a medieval castle to have? Extension activity Historians think that Chirk Castle may have been designed by James of St George, the same man who built Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey. Look at this plan of Chirk Castle and research the design and features of Beaumaris. Then, draw a table or write a short piece of writing comparing the design and features of the two castles. How are they different? What are the similarities between them? During your visit to Chirk Castle… Compare what you see in front of you to these two maps. Does anything look different? Can you spot any of the geographical features shown on the first map? Can you spot which tower is which? Is there any important feature in the building or in the landscape which has not been shown on the maps? 3 Building a Castle Step 2: Defensive Architecture Chirk Castle was built in 1295 as a defensive fortress to allow Edward I, King of England, to maintain control of the lands on the Welsh border. Standing at the entrance to the castle today, you can see many of the defensive features which have survived for over 700 years., but you can also see how the castle has been adapted later in time to be a more comfortable family home. This activity will help you to spot all the different original features and later additions to the castle. First things first, what can you see in front of you? Stand facing the castle and draw a picture of it in the box on the right. Then turn around and draw a picture of the view. View of the castle View of the landscape around the castle Now that you’ve got an idea of the size, shape and surroundings of the castle, it’s time to look a little closer. Turn back towards the castle and find three features of the building which you think were put in to defend it: 1. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2. ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Now see if you can find two features which might seem a bit unusual in a medieval castle, and which might have been added or removed in a later period: 1. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 2. …………………………………………………………………………………………….. Why do you think these changes might have been made? Why would they make the castle harder to defend? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………………………………………………………………… Explore more and discuss as a group Carefully go down the grassy slope by the stone bridge to see when it was built. What might it have replaced? Can you see any marks left by what might have been there before? Go into the entrance archway. Can you see where a portcullis might have fitted? Take a look at the doors. What features do they have to make them more secure? 4 Defensive Architecture Teacher Answer Sheet Chirk Castle was built in 1295 as a defensive fortress to allow Edward I, King of England, to maintain control of the lands on the Welsh border. Standing at the entrance to the castle today, you can see many of the defensive features which have survived for over 700 years., but you can also see how the castle has been adapted later in time to be a more comfortable family home. This activity will help you to spot all the different original features and later additions to the castle. First things first, what can you see in front of you? Stand facing the castle and draw a picture of it in the box on the right. Then turn around and draw a picture of the view. Now that you’ve got an idea of the size, shape and surroundings of the castle, it’s time to look a little closer. Turn back towards the castle and find three features of the building which you think were put in to defend it: 1. Round ‘drum’ towers to protect the inner walls and allowed people inside to fire in any direction. 2. High, thick stone walls. 3. Partial moat (part of the original which disappeared in later rebuilding). Now see if you can find two features which might seem a bit unusual in a medieval castle, and which might have been added or removed in a later period: 1. Big, wide, glass windows—unhelpful for defence but added to let more light into the later family home. 2. There is no portcullis or drawbridge—removed in a later period. Why do you think these changes might have been made? Why would they make the castle harder to defend? See above. Windows could be easily broken by canon/arrow-fire, unlike the older arrow-slit windows. Without a portcullis or drawbridge, and with only a partial moat, if an enemy reached the castle, they would have found it much easier to get into the courtyard. Explore more and discuss as a group Carefully go down the grassy slope by the stone bridge to see when it was built. What might it have replaced? Can you see any marks left by what might have been there before? The stone bridge replaced the drawbridge. The date the bridge was put in can be seen on the arch. Marks from ropes and chains can also be seen around the bridge. Go into the entrance archway. Can you see where a portcullis might have fitted? There are grooves in the doorway where the portcullis would have slid up and down. Take a look at the doors. What features do they have to make them more secure? They are thick and reinforced with metal bars. 5 Under Attack! The year is 1400, and tensions on the border between England and Wales are at boiling point. Due to its location, Chirk Castle is in great danger of being attacked. Thomas, Earl of Arundel, holds the castle, but he has been called away to join Henry IV’s conflict against the Welsh rebel Owain Glyndŵr. He has left you in charge of castle defence, and now Glyndŵr’s supporters are attacking! How will you defend Chirk Castle? Instructions Head up to the first floor room in the Adam’s Tower and take a look around to see how you might defend the castle from an attack. Then, complete the activity below by matching up the defensive features with the weapons they might allow you to use or defend yourself against. Finally, fill in any extra information on how and when you might use each feature. How was this feature of the castle used for defence? …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………... How was this feature of the castle used for d fence? …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… How was this feature of the castle used for defence? …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… …………………………………… 6 Under Attack! Teacher answer sheet The year is 1400, and tensions on the border between England and Wales are at boiling point. Due to its location, Chirk Castle is in great danger of being attacked.