Tudor Topics Covered
There's so much that can be learnt in a visit to Kentwell. Here are just a few brief notes on some topics.
Issues of the Day
Speech & Equipment
Science
Music & Dance
Money
Tudor People & Activities
Children visiting a Kentwell Re-Creation see a Tudor Manor on a site covering some 40 acres. They meet Tudor folk going about their everyday business. All these folk do not simply tell children about what Tudor folk did, they are Tudor folk, re-living the life of the time. All Tudor life is represented. People from high dregree, such as the Clopton Family who live in the Hall and their sometimes greater visitors, to the humblest worker. Each of these Tudors is seen in a suitable location on the Manor. Depending upon the visit option children may see anywhere between 15 & 30 (or more) different Tudor activities and between 70 & 350 Tudors.
Tudor Clothes
Many people have the notion that Tudor Clothes remained unaltered for the full period of some 120 years. The truth is very different. Fashions came and went with almost as much rapidity as in the modern era. Just as today fashions were set by the rich and aped by poorer sorts.
Issues of the Day
Each Re-Creation year is chosen for something of significance which makes the year a worthwhile one to re-create. Schools who want to pursue a relevant topic of the age, by asking the right persons at Kentwell, can obtain a subjective view of the matter. Even choosing whom to ask what is a useful educational exercise in itself.
Children can learn about major (and minor) issues of the (Tudor) day through talking to the Tudor folk re-living the times chosen.
Tudor Speech & Equipment
Kentwell 's Tudors speak in the speech patterns of the 16th Century (which can be readily understood, even though different from modern English speech). From this children learn that language and its use changes with time.
The 'Tudors' clothes and personal artefacts and the tools and equipment they use are all appropriate for the period. Children can see that some items have changed little from the Tudor period while other items have changed greatly.
What are now thought of as optional craft activities were in Tudor times critical skills to be mastered for earning a living.
Science
Such everyday matters as time, temperature, weights & measures, counting, etc. were assessed very differently then. Finding out how (by asking appropriate Tudors) or by observation is a good way to understand these basic practices.
Scientific experiment as performed by Alchemists was a mixture of real science and ignorance. Can the children discern which was which ?
Music & Dance
The 'Quality' learnt stately Court Dances and fine airs played upon a variety of (to modern eyes) odd instruments. Poorer sorts had fewer but noisier instruments and were altogether more boisterous but each borrowed airs from the other.