The Merchant Adventurers’ Experience

All York Primary Schools are invited to book a fully funded visit for Key Stage 2 children to the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall.  Bring your class to experience a morning of activities and discovery. 
 
With 667 years of history the visit can be tailored to fit into several areas of the curriculum and the themes currently on offer include:

 

  • Tudors-Introduction to the Hall and Company of Merchant Adventurers and links to notable Tudors, an opportunity to see letters written by Henry VIII & Elizabeth I and Tudor trading game  (can include an early music workshop)
 
  • Medieval period-Introduction to the Hall and Company of Merchant Adventurers, a closer look at how the medieval carpenters built the Hall, history detective hunt (can include early music workshop)
 
  • History of trade and the rivers in York-Introduction to the Hall and Company of Merchant Adventurers, history of trade at the Hall and in York, Tudor trading game, two rivers Hall hunt
 
  • Medicine through the ages- Introduction to the Hall, medieval medicine activity, exploration of the Undercroft, Trinity Hospital in the Victorian period activity
 
  • Entertainment & Leisure in Britain through the ages-Introduction to the Hall, early music workshop, feasting activity, traditions of the Hall activity
 
  • Black death-Introduction to the Black Death, how the disease affected York, medieval medicine activity, covid pandemic and black death comparison activity
 
  • Victorians and the Industrial Revolution in York-Introduction to the notable Victorians with links to the Hall,  building a business in 1850s York activity, Trinity Hospital in the Victorian period activity
 
  • Shakespeare- Performance of Romeo & Juliet by Fourwheel Drive Theatre, Q & A session with the actors, Tudor & Jacobean portraits activity, Shakespeare quotes game

 

All visits include a balance of exploration, activities and provide unique out of classroom learning experiences.
 
All visits from York schools are fully funded by the Merchant Adventurers’, this includes transport to and from the Hall.  For more information about this project, to discuss alternative themes or to book your school’s visit contact Rebecca Francis

Ch***********@me***************.org











 
 
 
Feedback from our visits:
 
“Year 5 from Hempland Primary visited the Merchant Adventures to round off our topic of the Tudors. We had a fantastic morning, where we learnt all about Tudor music, trade and other events in history. The children loved taking part in the Tudor trade activity, where they had to buy and sell items from different countries’ ports, thinking about wars and other conflicts from the time period.

 

The children also experienced a fantastic music workshop, where they saw and heard lots of Tudor instruments. To round off the morning, the children took part in some Tudor dance, which was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The staff were outstandingly knowledgeable about the Tudors and it was a great experience.”
 
Miss Seavers, Year 5 teacher, Hempland Primary School

 

 

 
“Thank you for the visit- we all learned a great deal and the children found the activities fascinating! I think we have some future traders, if not Merchant Adventurers, in our midst!
 

 

“Please thank the trustees too for the funding- it does mean a great deal to offer a trip like this to children who might otherwise never visit such a fascinating place.”
 
Tim Jones, Year 4 teacher, Poppleton Ousebank Primary School