More than 200 schoolchildren from County Durham are now uncovering the hidden histories of their hometown.
Pupils from five schools in Bishop Auckland are working with Historic England and regional charity, Auckland Castle Trust to understand the heritage of their local area and the impact it has had on modern day life.
Those taking part, including students from Escomb Primary School, Toft Hill School, Cockton Hill Junior School, St Anne’s C of E Primary School and St John’s School and Sixth Form College, are all aged eight to 12 and in Years 4, 5, 6 or 7
Each group is taken on a tour of Bishop Auckland Market Place, where they have the chance to learn about the architecture of the buildings, as well as the lives of the people that lived there from Victorian times until 1911.
With support from Auckland Castle Trust’s Education Officer, Ruth Chittenden, they are also encouraged to conduct further research in the Town Hall library using census records.
Taking into account everything they have learnt, the groups then return to school to undertake their own heritage based projects. Those already underway include an exploration of family life in Bishop Auckland 100 years ago, a comparison of modern and historic maps and a look at the occupations of their ancestors.
Wendy Gill, Headmistress at Escomb Primary School, which is one of the schools taking part in the scheme said: “It’s really important that young people have a sense of belonging and an awareness of their locality. The project with Auckland Castle Trust and Historic England is an excellent way to help them achieve that and to really make the most of the history in the area.”
The Bishop Auckland project forms part of the nationwide Heritage Schools scheme, designed to help children develop a sense of pride in where they live and to make use of the heritage resources readily available.
It also forms part of a wider programme of education activities and family-friendly events delivered by Auckland Castle Trust, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).
Viki Angel, Local Heritage Education Manager (North East), at Historic England, said: “Getting the children away from the classroom and out on a heritage trail allows them to find out how buildings have changed over time and discover the stories of the people who lived and worked there. Together with the practical sessions in the library this really helps to bring the history of Bishop Auckland to life.”
Following further interest from other Bishop Auckland Schools, it is hoped that the project will continue this Spring, enabling more children to investigate their heritage.
For more information about the national Heritage Schools scheme please visitwww.historicengland.org.uk. Further details on the full range of educational activities available through Auckland Castle Trust can be found at www.aucklandcastle.org/special-page/learn-with-us/ and anyone interested in taking part is asked to email education@aucklandcastle.org.