Somerset Services to Education Providers 2014-2015 GLASTONBURY ABBEY Service Provider: Glastonbury Abbey Service Category: Maintained Schools and Academy Schools Service Direct From Provider Contact: Julie Hayes, Assistant Education Officer, Glastonbury Abbey Abbey Gatehouse, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury BA6 9EL 01458 836113 fa 01458 836117 education@glastonburyabbey.com Service Description: Education About the Abbey Our History Costumed Guides Tours of the Ruins and Grounds Outreach Visits General Information Booking Useful Links Glastonbury Abbey Ruins of a major abbey and monastery, spanning almost 2000 years of British History, containing the supposed burial place of King Arthur. A Learning Outside the Classroom Quality Assured site. 1
EDUCATION The Education Department is open all year. The full time Assistant Education Officer is Julie Hayes. A day spent at the Abbey as part of a school journey or day trip, has many different curriculum applications. KS1: Stories from the Saon World, including the legends of King Arthur. KS1 and 2: The ecology of the Abbey/Brother Bear walks. KS2: Myths and legends True or false? Listen to the costumed guides telling the tales from the history of the Abbey and decide which are fact and which are fiction. KS2: History studies The Saon World; The Monks of Glastonbury Abbey what they wore, what they ate, what they did for work, for prayer, for cleanliness and how their world came to an end. KS2: Pilgrimage How faith made the Abbey great. KS2 and 3: Life in Tudor England and the Reformation. KS2 and 3: Art and architecture, sketching and drawing. Activity KS1 KS2 KS3 KS4 Further Abbey Core Curriculum The Abbot's Kitchen Eperience: medieval food 30 minutes The Abbey Eperience;: 30-minute tours with costumed guide Choose from (2 ma): The Church tour The Monastic tour The Myths and Legends tour King Arthur at Glastonbury Specialist Zone tour Sociology of Religion Studies linked to School Curriculum Information sheets for teachers Environmental Studies Local History Reformation Invaders and Settlers (continued overleaf) 2
Activity KS1 KS2 KS3 KS4 Further Pilgrimage Myths and Legends, Literacy GCSE History OCR GCSE Medieval Medicine Worksheets Activities to enhance the curriculum Taking the Vow: Monks Robes eperience Quills and Spills: handwritten books and illumination Medieval Health and Hygiene Brass rubbing: art activity Tales from King Arthur's Court: storytelling Pilgrim Badge creation based on Abbey tiles Art activities based on Abbey architecture Trails Grail Trail Quizzes Museum quiz sheets Brother Bear Grounds and Gardens Picture Quiz Third Sector Education King Arthur at Glastonbury Specialist Zone tour 3
ABOUT THE ABBEY Teachers who visit the Abbey are always amazed at how much there is to do here! Our beautiful ruins, set in fine parkland with ponds, orchard and wildlife board walk offer a fine backdrop to our services for schools. Come here to study any aspect of early British History, up to and including the Tudor period. Our newly re-equipped Abbot s Kitchen dates back to the 14 th century and provides a talking point for children of any age to begin to imagine what life was like in the past. Glastonbury Abbey was the last Abbey in Somerset to be destroyed at the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The piers of the central towers still remain. St Patrick s Chapel, built in the 15th century, shows wall paintings in a medieval style. Our Pilgrimage option allows students to think about the role of faith in everyday life and the many world religions who believe in pilgrimage as a way to come closer to God. Dress as a monk and take lifelong vows (for five minutes!) or walk to the holy places and hear the stories that have intrigued people across the years. Schools visiting the Abbey can eplore the museum, and follow trails and quizzes through our etensive grounds. The Education Team lead talks, tours and activities designed with the needs of all Key Stages in mind. Whole day or half day visits can be arranged to fit in with other local attractions. Sith Form Studies: Since the town of Glastonbury is culturally diverse, we offer a short activity for Philosophy A level students on the sociology of religion, using the Abbey to look at historical concepts of belief and the town as a model for contemporary faith attitudes. OUR HISTORY According to the legend of the Glastonbury Thorn Tree, the first church on the site was founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the first century AD. Certainly a simple wooden church was built here before the 3rd century. It was called the Vetusta Ecclesia and was destroyed along with the 8th century stone church in a fire during the 12th century. Three Saon Kings were buried in the holy ground of the Abbey and many of our Abbots became archbishops. Perhaps the most famous was Dunstan, later Saint Dunstan, who was born in the nearby village of Baltonsborough, and raised and educated here as a young man. He introduced the Rule of St Benedict and built the first cloisters to be found in an English monastery. In the Norman period, the Abbey saw a time of intense building activity. During the rebuilding after the fire of 1184, a tomb believed to contain the bodies of King Arthur and Queen Guinevere was discovered. This heralded a revival in the Abbey s fortunes and Glastonbury became a major pilgrimage destination. 4
By Tudor times Glastonbury Abbey was second only to Westminster Abbey in its wealth and influence. Abbot Bere further enhanced the Abbey's standing with new buildings, including the Pilgrim's Inn, now the George and Pilgrim, in the High Street. Henry VII visited in 1497. At the Reformation in 1539, the Abbey was closed by Thomas Cromwell, acting for King Henry VIII, and the last abbot, Richard Whiting, was hanged on the Tor. After the Dissolution, the Abbey was plundered for building stone until early in the 20th century, when its significance was recognized and its future secured for public enjoyment. COSTUMED GUIDES The Abbot s kitchen will be newly re-opened for 2014 to provide a talking point for schools. Here you will find our costumed guides, ready to interact with your class and eplain what life was like in their time. The service is available to booked groups all year round. TOURS OF THE RUINS AND GROUNDS We offer guided walks through the ruins with our costumed characters to eplore the history of the Abbey and the monastery. We have developed a range of 30 minute tours of the Abbey, with school groups in mind. Choose from: The Great Church the history of the buildings and their end; The Monastic Tour fits with the activities for the life of a Monk and eplains the use of the monastic buildings; The Myths and Legends Tour fits with the stories of the founding of the Abbey and our connections to Joseph of Arimathea and King Arthur. Where possible we will take groups of no more than 15-20 students on each tour. Ask about our Primary Activity Days for KS1 and 2 to link with the school curriculum. OUTREACH VISITS If you can t come to us, we may be able to come to you and bring with us some of the props and costumes that help us eplain life in the past to school aged students. Please contact our Education Officer for further details or eplore the Education pages of our website. 5
GENERAL INFORMATION For full details of our provision for schools, please go to our website www.glastonburyabbey.com and look on the education pages. Prices Our Booking Service for Schools includes a full planning service for your time with us: A free pre-visit familiarisation session for teachers. A Teacher s pack of notes to help plan your visit. Talks and tours geared to the age range of your students. Structured activities with the Education team. Work booklets, trails and quizzes. These can be ordered and photocopied ready for collection on the day of your visit. One free adult for every ten pupils. Additional adults may be included at reduced rates. Prices for 2014: Please consider a donation to the conservation projects at the Abbey in addition to the standard entry charges. Schools which use our booking service may pay on invoice after the day of the visit. Key Stage 1 and 2 Key Stage 3 Key Stage 4 Sith Form and Further Education 4.00 per child 4.00 per pupil 4.00 per student up to age 16 6.00 Parking There are several car and coach parks within walking distance of the Abbey. St Dunstan's Car Park adjoins the Abbey site and is a good place for dropping off and picking up coach groups. For current parking charges please contact Glastonbury Town Hall on 01458 831769. Lunch Time Picnics welcomed. In fine weather there are many places on site to eat your picnic lunches. When the weather is poor there are a number of covered sites available. Shop The Abbey Shop has a wide range of books and gifts to suit all purses. Due to restricted space please help us by allowing children to visit in small, accompanied groups only. Health and Safety The Abbey complies with current legislation. A 'Risk Assessment' can be obtained from the Abbey on request. BOOKING It is recommended that you contact the Assistant Education Officer by phone or email to arrange your visit. 6
USEFUL LINKS Glastonbury Abbey 7