St Mary's School Calne

LIV Form History Trip to Lacock Abbey

Working in the Cloisters at Lacock AbbeyOn Monday 24th April, the History Department made their annual trip to Lacock with the LIV Form to enhance their study of religion in the medieval period. The girls arrived ready to brave the torrential rain that was forecast, however, the spirit of Ela, Countess of Salisbury, the founder of the abbey, must have been shining down on them, as the weather held until they arrived back to school for lunch.  The girls were shown around the Abbey by two very well informed guides, who invoked the spirit of the medieval building and helped the girls to visualise what life would have been like for the nuns. As well as being shown some physical evidence of the medieval building, they were entertained with colourful stories from the past: particularly entertaining was the story of one determined daughter, who defied her parents in order to meet her beloved; she ran to the ramparts and flung herself down to him. Fortunately, she was wearing so many crinoline petticoats that they slowed her down, allowing her surprised suitor to break her fall. All ended happily when the girl’s father relented and decided to allow them to marry; if she would go to those lengths, he decided, she must love him! In the cloisters, as usual, the girls were eager for tales of when the early Harry Potter films were shot at the Abbey. However, they were equally impressed by the slot found in the stairway leading from the cloisters to the Abbess’ quarters; it was the perfect spy hole to keep an eye on any nun misbehaving! Throughout the visit the girls asked characteristically interesting questions and the staff once again praised the behaviour of St Mary’s girls.