YOUNGSTERS were treated to a day of Anglo-Saxon learning in Malmesbury today.

Year four pupils from Brinkworth Earl Danby's Church of England Primary School were visiting Athelstan Museum to learn about the town’s history and its link with the Anglo-Saxons.

They explored the museum, walked around the market town and were shown the buildings that shaped its history.

After that they got the chance to meet an Anglo-Saxon warrior in full dress.

Anna Evans-Wylie, form tutor for the pupils, said they had had a “fabulous day”.

“They’ve been looking at Anglo-Saxon and local history as well,” she said.

“The fantastic Anglo-Saxon warrior told us about his armour and his lifestyle.
“These are the real bits that you can’t show in pictures.

“It gives us that sense of being in the middle of it, the real feel.”

Mark Routledge, the learning and outreach officer for Wiltshire Museum in Devizes, played the role of the Anglo-Saxon warrior at the workshop and believes the re-enactments help bring history to life for youngsters.

He said: “Walking into a room dressed in persona has such an impact.

“They can see what you’re meant to look like and I do believe that says a lot more than words.

“You definitely get more enthusiasm and you can illustrate what you’re talking about by picking things up.”

As well as working at Wiltshire museum Mark makes his own replicas of historic objects and artefacts, which he uses to show youngsters what equipment Anglo-Saxons would have used.

“Instead of just saying they used to carry a sack’ you can say this is what it looks like,” he said.

“It’s all replicas, not just made up stuff; it’s as close as we can get it to the real thing.”

Maria Marsh, curator at Athelstan Museum, said: “It was great day, the kids were all enthralled and left very happy.

“They learned about the layout of Malmesbury and the comparison with it in Anglo-Saxon times.”