Education

HiFARS volunteers joined Higham Ferrers Tourism to celebrate the Great Big Green Week 2024 in Chichele College and Garden with local school children. Year 5 pupils from Higham Ferrers Junior School visited on Tuesday 11 June and Year 2 pupils from Henry Chichele School on Thursday 13 June. The children learnt about protecting hedgehogs and wildlife, making medieval food and music, crafting with clay, drawing a flower and pollinator mural and weaving with recycled wool. 

Image: Some of the children learn about herbs in the Duchy Barn Garden

HiFARS joined with Higham Ferrers Tourism and Higham Ferrers Town Council to take part in a Heritage Crafts for Families Workshop at the Discover Northamptonshire Tourism Visitor hub at Rushden Lakes on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 February. There was an opportunity to make Saxon-style woven bracelets with Jennifer and Bruce, or Roman-style clay pendants with Olwen, Mary, Rachel and Claire. Thanks to the hub for hosting and everyone who came along.

Image: A selection of clay pendants

There was an opportunity for all children in Higham Ferrers to enter artwork of Kings and Queens in the Coronation Children's Art Competition. The Mayor presented the winners with their prizes on Monday 8 May in Chichele College.

Image: A selection of Queen Victorias

Carol Fitzgerald has been holding assemblies with the children at Higham Ferrers Junior School explaining the history behind the School Houses – Ferrers, Lancaster, Wykeham and Chichele. HiFARS have supplied some artefacts, found in Higham Ferrers, which tie-in with the four historical figures.   

Image: Mary and students holding medieval finds provided by HiFARS

After a two year break for Covid the children of Higham Ferrers Junior School were back to visit Chichele College. And this year 122 pupils from Henry Chichele School also visited. There were several displays for them to see including the annual Chichele Society Exhibition, the Henry Chichele touring exhibition, the Chichele timeline and the Bedesmen boards. 

Image: Children practise their quill writing with HiFARS

Children from Higham Ferrers Junior School visited Chichele College during the week of the Chichele Society Exhibition in 2019. There were lots of activities for them to try including bulb planting in the Rainbow border, an outdoor garden quiz, drawing, and HiFARS had set up a scribe workshop.

Image: Castles made by the children on display at the exhibition

Four hundred children and staff from Higham Ferrers Junior School visited the Chichele Society Exhibition in Chichele College from Tuesday 2 to Friday 5 October. There were lots of activities to keep them busy, along with expert talks and interactive displays for them to enjoy. Thanks to all the volunteers from the various organisations taking part, including HiFARS, and Carol Fitzgerald for organising this community project.

Image: Bedesman Stuart explains Henry Chichele's timeline 

Three groups of 30 children from Higham Ferrers Junior School Year 3 visited the Church, the Bede House, the Chantry Chapel and Chichele College on Monday 5 February. In the College HiFARS had put out a display of local Roman and Medieval finds. Historian and Chichele Society member Doreen Holyoak was on hand to talk about her research into Archbishop of Canterbury Henry Chichele. 

Image: Doreen shows her Chichele photographs 

HiFARS arranged archaeology sessions for children in Higham Ferrers Library on Tuesday 27 May and Sunday 10 August in 2014. There were Saxon and Roman story-telling activities to tie-in with the Summer Reading Challenge 2014 organised by The Reading Agency and Arts Council England. 

Image: Olwen at the first session of Archaeology for Children

The Bates Boxes of local Roman finds were taken into Southend Junior School in Rushden on Tuesday 22 October. There was an afternoon of activities based on archaeology and mosaic making. The parents and children were free to handle the artefacts and ask questions of the HiFARS team. 

Image: Project completed by 7-year-old Southend pupil

Archaeology sessions for children, organised by HiFARS, were held in Higham Ferrers Library on Saturday mornings on 10 August, 26 October and 7 December in 2013. There were lots of activities for visiting families including the ever popular mosaic tray.

Image: A lovely mosaic swirl

HiFARS often provide activities for children and families at their events, especially at Archaeology Allsorts - pot washing, clay work and pottery making, model castle building and Lego battles, drawing and art competitions. 

Image: Oscar washes pottery sherds in Chichele College in 2011

HiFARS were invited to display some finds at Stanwick School Fete which was held on Saturday 26 November 2011. Olwen and Rachel took the Bates Boxes of Roman finds along which tied in nicely with the work the children had been doing that term.

Image: Roman finds from the HiFARS collection