Why not in King Alfred the Great’s capital city. Winchester was the capital city of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex and a jewel of the Anglo-Saxon world, becoming a hub for faith, art, music and learning. Before our current Norman Cathedral, on the same site, was an Anglo-Saxon Royal Mausoleum called the New Minster, and an Anglo-Saxon Cathedral called the Old Minster. Join the Learning Team to explore this period in history and find out why the history of the Anglo-Saxons and their fight for the lands of Britain is still so important to us today.
Primary School
Anglo-Saxons Primary
Battle of Edington Workshop Overview:
Alfred has lost his Kingdom of Wessex to the Vikings at the Battle of Chippenham. Can your class help King Alfred get his army ready for the Battle of Edington and save his kingdom?
Pupils begin with a quick introduction on the settlement of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain, the arrival of the Vikings at Lindisfarne in 793 AD and the later battles between the two peoples for land. Your class will help King Alfred get ready for the Battle of Edington by working together to design shields and create a class shield wall (which you can photograph to remind them of their visit to us). At the end of the workshop, they find out the outcome of the Battle of Edington and the signing of the Peace Treaty of Wedmore.
Archaeology Workshop Overview:
Over a thousand years ago, Winchester was an important place to the Anglo-Saxons. It was the capital city of the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Wessex, it was a place of faith, learning and art. We also know that it had two magnificent buildings, called the Old Minster and the New Minster, made of stone at the very centre of the city.
But how do we know this? Pupils begin by thinking about how the histories of peoples and places have been passed down through the centuries in the days before modern technology and literacy. They then learn about the important work of Archaeologists and how the artifacts that they find can shape our understanding of the past and how people lived. They then work in groups to find replica historical artifacts in trays of sand with a paintbrush. The artifacts are then recorded on a worksheet by drawing, measuring and using their senses to find as much information as possible about each object. They then think about how the object was made, who made it, how it was used and why it ended up in the ground.
Was King Alfred Great? Workshop Overview:
King Alfred is known as King Alfred “The Great” but why is he called that? Why do we call him that over a thousand years after his death? Was he really that great? Who decided he was great?
Pupils begin by thinking about how the histories of peoples and places have been passed down through the centuries in the days before modern technology and literacy. They then work in teams to study historical sources on King Alfred and are encouraged to question the sources they are given. Each team will then prepare their arguments for or against the statement of “was King Alfred great?” and present their arguments to a panel of school staff. School staff will then reward points to each group on how well they argue their case.
Coming soon in 2026
Life of an Anglo-Saxon Workshop & Mortuary Chest Workshop
I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped with our school trip to the cathedral today. The children absolutely loved it and I was so impressed with how much thought had been put into the day, both in terms of the selection of the tasks and the general organisation. It is, without doubt, the best school trip I have ever been on. Please pass our thanks on to everyone because you were all amazing.Nether Wallop Primary School
A little look back at the Year 4 trip to Winchester Cathedral where the children learned to be archaeologists and also designed their own Saxon shields. Many thanks to the Winchester Cathedral Learning Team for making it fun as always.Scantabout Primary School