Hound Tor village

The remains of a substantial medieval village can be found near the base of Hound Tor, about 2k from the centre.

The children explore the layout of the village and discuss its position on the moor.

The group will then go back in time and take on the role of the villagers in four or five families, bartering goods and skills with each other in order to see if they can survive the harsh winter of 1349. It is an ideal activity for learning about medieval times and the consequences of the Black Death.

The visit could alternatively take a technology slant as we look at the design and structure of longhouses and the materials used and perhaps compare them with the remains of houses from the Bronze Age.

Curriculum Links

ENGLISH: Listening. Speaking. Drama. Group discussion and interaction.

HISTORY: Knowledge and understanding of events, people and changes in the past.

Historical interpretation.

CITIZENSHIP: Preparing to play an active role as citizens

GEOGRAPHY: Knowledge and understanding of places. Knowledge and understanding of environmental change and sustainable development

Learning Outcomes

Enjoy a walk on the open moorland.

Appreciate the fundamental principles of the barter system of trading.

Encounter some of the challenges of life in the medieval times.

Be able to build an understanding of an ancient structure for the evidence remaining.

Understand the importance of interdependence in village life of the past.