Year 5 had a treat visiting The Chiltern Open Air Museum to start off their study on the Victorians. The museum specialises in old buildings and objects, and the children were able to see not only a collection of authentic Victorian houses, but also farm buildings, a very small church and a Toll house. All the buildings have been painstakingly taken apart from their original locations, rebuilt at the museum site, and kept as authentic as possible.
The children had a great time visiting and exploring different areas. The pupils were given a simple worksheet to complete with questions about the different buildings and their uses. In particular, we looked at the different tools and machines that were used in Victorian times and thought about modern equivalents.
It was great to see the children observing what it was like to live in a Victorian home, they particularly enjoyed exploring the High Wycombe Toll House which was built in 1826. They were amazed at how two adults and three children could reside in such a small house with a toilet (privy) situated outside.
An excellent time was had by all, and we look forward to using our experiences at the Museum to add depth to their learning about the Victorian way of life.
